Distance Learning Coursera (GoldSmith) vs Open University

As I am in my 30' I need to work for living. Distance course seems to be the only option for me.
I am mostly interested in Machine Learning and Data Science. I am not starting from Zero. I have a decent grasp of both areas.
Eventually, I would like to sneak into one of the more high endish Masters and then maybe bit of research/teaching (5+ years from now, so who knows).

My two options are:

Open University:
BSc Mathematics & Statistics - the whole course is just a bunch of older mid range textbooks and nothing else. It will require a lot of supplementation via YouTube and Coursera to turn into something of value.

Goldsmith via Coursera:
BSc Computer Science - Goldsmith isn't exactly an "Engineering School" and the course looks bit sketchy and low effort type of a deal. Not as bad as the Arden "university" but from the free courses they put out on Coursera I can tell that it is probably not very good. But, it will still lead to Honours that allows me to apply for a legit Masters.

When talking about Masters, has anyone here applied for the MSc Machine Learning from Imperial via Coursera?

Are there any alternatives I missed? Which path would be "optimal"?
Thanks.

I don't know anything about computer science so I can't offer any advice on that point. But just to note, the 'Goldsmith' course is operated by the University of London's International (distance-learning) Programme which is well regarded and not at all sketchy. Nothing like Arden.

From the looks of it, the London course (https://london.ac.uk/courses/computer-science#specialisms) offers a more conventional curriculum than the OU, although as a distance-learning degree, I imagine a lot of it will be theory based.

If you live within a commutable distance to London then another option is Birkbeck College - the classes are held in the evening, so ideal to fit around work.

Sadly I live nearby Aberdeen. So Birkbeck isn't an option. Is it possible to have SAAS (Student Loan Company in Scotland) cover the tuition fees? I know that they cover OU but not sure about the UOL International.
Also why is it connected to GoldSmith?

I don't know, sorry.

Another option is the Uni of the Highlands and Islands. Their degrees are not strictly distance-learning, but because of the nature of the uni (spread out across Scotland), most of the classes are taught by video conferencing/digital formats. Worth looking into.

As I am in my 30' I need to work for living. Distance course seems to be the only option for me.
I am mostly interested in Machine Learning and Data Science. I am not starting from Zero. I have a decent grasp of both areas.
Eventually, I would like to sneak into one of the more high endish Masters and then maybe bit of research/teaching (5+ years from now, so who knows).

My two options are:

Open University:
BSc Mathematics & Statistics - the whole course is just a bunch of older mid range textbooks and nothing else. It will require a lot of supplementation via YouTube and Coursera to turn into something of value.

Goldsmith via Coursera:
BSc Computer Science - Goldsmith isn't exactly an "Engineering School" and the course looks bit sketchy and low effort type of a deal. Not as bad as the Arden "university" but from the free courses they put out on Coursera I can tell that it is probably not very good. But, it will still lead to Honours that allows me to apply for a legit Masters.

When talking about Masters, has anyone here applied for the MSc Machine Learning from Imperial via Coursera?

Are there any alternatives I missed? Which path would be "optimal"?
Thanks.

Hi there,

We are sorry that you feel that way.

Arden does offer BSc (Hons) Computing and a number of other similar degrees. We have been teaching via distance learning for a number of years and would be happy to give you additional information if you are interested.

Hi, just jumping in as this thread came up at the bottom of another one. Did you make a decision in the end?

I’m late 20s and also have to work, and just accepted a place to study computing online with Arden. Before I applied I noticed their apparent bad reputation, but I’m confident they are a credible university. As for being a for profit university, does this really matter if you get the same funding as you would elsewhere and an equivalent degree? You also mentioned you would want to progress to Masters study after an undergrad - Arden are offering those who complete their undergraduate degrees to study for their Masters with them free of charge! This was definitely a selling point for me.

I don’t know if you’ve made a decision already on your study, or if you’ve had some first hand negative experiences with Arden, but it might be worth looking into them more before writing them off as an option to progress your career?

It's up to you but I personally would never tell someone that Arden was a good, or even credible, university. If you are confident that in 5, 10, 20 years from now it'll still be around and that employers will regard your degree as equivalent then go for it. But my advice is to be careful.

I think it's going to take some time before Arden will be considered good and credible by the majority, but as far as I'm concerned, it'll still get me a piece of paper saying BSc (Hons) Computing, experience, and a portfolio, which is what employers will be after. Employers don't care what university or what classification you got, at least not for my first degree, all they care about is that you're capable of doing the job. I like that Arden seem to have a practical, real working life focus to their programme, whereas other universities appear to be more academic. Call me naive, but I don't think studying with a top rated university makes a great deal of difference to your potential career options, as long as you put the time and effort into the degree and gain as much experience as possible in real world working scenarios. If Arden go bust in 10 years, my degree would still be valid, and my experience on the degree will still be valid. And yeah, I'm confident they are a growing university with a lot of potential. I suspect in three years there will be even more options of postgraduate courses they will offer, giving me a good choice if I take up their free masters offer, Of course nothing in life is certain, and for all anyone knows, they might get their degree awarding powers taken away before I even finish, but there's also a chance I might die before then too, so it's a potential 'risk' I'm willing to take and put my faith in Arden to succeed.