Is the Open University recognized in the USA and/or Europe?

I am an American/EU student, was thinking of doing an Open University Honors degree do to the lower cost and the convenience, however if its going to affect my job prospects, not going to invest into it, and ill just save up for a different uni. I want to be able to successfully be enrolled into a Masters afterwards, and eventually a teaching job. Does it have a good reputation in these areas? I would really appreciate any personal experience you would like to tell, helps me a lot. thank you o much! xo

Reply 1

Snufkin

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Alexa.Pereira

Europe, yes. USA... don't know. It should be, but I have a feeling Americans are a bit more sceptical of distance education. Have you considered the University of London International Programme? You get a University of London degree which is respected worldwide, but you can study via distance learning.

Open University

Milton Keynes

Reply 2

Alexa.Pereira

Original post by Snufkin

I agree with you completely. That's why I'm so estranged by the idea of completing my BA online, they sorta make us believe it's not accredited and you're lazy and that if you pay the money you get the degree even if you put no work into it you know? Like its some simple escape from a brick uni. At this rate I'm not even sure yet whether I'll be going back to the USA but as of university I'm deffanitly not doing it there, due to their ridiculous, overpriced scam of college/ university. But thank you I really appreciate you're ensight, it's good to know in Europe it is a accredited, they have good masters programs all over Europe!

Reply 3

Андрей

Original post by Alexa.Pereira

Generally, employers are well-informed enough to understand that successful distance learning requires diligence and exceptional organisation. Particularly true are the aforementioned, if one is also working alongside their studies. I would be surprised to learn of established employers having such a thoughtless and frankly incorrect perception of the OU - it only requires a little research to see their credentials are as genuine as any other established university. If people could just pay their pennies and walk away with a degree, would the OU still be allowed to operate after 47-years of it? They would be long gone. The prices are very competitive, largely due to much less contact time - how that would make a degree easier, is beyond rational thought, surely?

Reply 4

Alexa.Pereira

Original post by Андрей

Yes I believe I read a material that the OU was even more accepted and recognized than some top unis in the UK, is that true, I wasn't sure... Unfortunetly th US is not nearly as 'up to par' as the UK is in terms of distance learning, but I'm not too concerned for now. You're correct though, if they don't even have the decency to recognize such a degree I wouldn't want to work for them anyway. If anything distance learning is more difficult, people typically work full time, while hound students in uni, are partying their asses off, and not focusing. Thank you for your reply. Greatly appreciated.

Reply 5

Snufkin

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Alexa.Pereira

I read a material that the OU was even more accepted and recognized than some top unis in the UK, is that true, I wasn't sure...

Hmm, that definitely isn't true. :lol:

Reply 6

Alexa.Pereira

Original post by Snufkin

Hmm, that definitely isn't true. :lol:

http://www.ouworldwide.com/accreditation.asp
This is the material. You are probably right though, it's on their website anyway..

Reply 7

Андрей

It might be true, you never know. The OU probably isn't more 'recognised', but if degrees are degrees, then an OU degree is just as acceptable as any other degree. Point of importance being, some employers do appreciate the skills that are honed while studying independently, through distance learning. Whether or not an OU first, obtained while working and studying full-time (it's possible, I am doing it now), is better than a first from a 'top 10' campus university, will have to remain an unknown. Provided you can show you have the level of aptitude necessary to obtain a good degree classification, the rest is not as important - generally speaking.

Bearing in mind, the OU was founded at the same time as the plate glass universities, i.e. Exeter, Sussex, York. It is probably most comparable to said institutions, rather than the 'top' universities.

Reply 8

412em

What about getting into postgrad programmes in the US with an OU undergrad degree? Is an OU BSc recognised, could you get into some of the leading schools?

Reply 9

Snufkin

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by 412em

What about getting into postgrad programmes in the US with an OU undergrad degree? Is an OU BSc recognised, could you get into some of the leading schools?

I don't see why not. Email departments and ask them. I know a an OU Law graduate got into Harvard a few years ago.

Reply 10

JollyCynic

The US system uses regional accreditation agencies to separate diploma mills from quality educational institutions. Typically, overseas universities are mostly given a pass, but saying, "The Open University," sounds a lot like, "University of Phoenix," to a lot of Americans. The good news is that the OU has accreditation directly in the US, so major universities will be fine with it. As will HR departments when looking for jobs. But some hiring managers will think it looks fishy, so it's not a bad idea to point out its accreditation status on a CV in the States.