The Student Room Group
Student at the Open University
Open University
Milton Keynes

Admission into a master's course at a prestigious Brick Uni

Advance apologies if this question has been asked before!

Is anybody nearing completion of Computing & IT with the OU?

I'm 60 credits away from achieving a first and I was wondering how that'd affect my chances of admission into Queen Mary University to study for a masters in software engineering.

I've had a quick look through their entry requirements:

"An upper second class degree is normally required, usually in electronic engineering, computer science, maths or a related discipline. Students with a good lower second class degree may be considered on an individual basis. Applicants with unrelated degrees will be considered if there is evidence of equivalent industrial experience."

I'm not quite sure Computing & IT is comparable to a 'Computer Science' degree. I also have zero industry experience.

Will a degree in Comp & IT from OU be equally held in high regard as a degree in CompSci awarded by a brick uni when it comes to an application for an MSc? How likely is it I'll be accepted? And has it been done before by anybody here?

All responses welcome!
Reply 1
Original post by QMUFIY
Advance apologies if this question has been asked before!

Is anybody nearing completion of Computing & IT with the OU?

I'm 60 credits away from achieving a first and I was wondering how that'd affect my chances of admission into Queen Mary University to study for a masters in software engineering.

I've had a quick look through their entry requirements:

"An upper second class degree is normally required, usually in electronic engineering, computer science, maths or a related discipline. Students with a good lower second class degree may be considered on an individual basis. Applicants with unrelated degrees will be considered if there is evidence of equivalent industrial experience."

I'm not quite sure Computing & IT is comparable to a 'Computer Science' degree. I also have zero industry experience.

Will a degree in Comp & IT from OU be equally held in high regard as a degree in CompSci awarded by a brick uni when it comes to an application for an MSc? How likely is it I'll be accepted? And has it been done before by anybody here?

All responses welcome!


Cambridge has offered OU grads for its MPhil in Advanced Computer Science so I'd expect QMUL will be fine. But call and ask :smile:
Student at the Open University
Open University
Milton Keynes
Original post by QMUFIY
Advance apologies if this question has been asked before!

Is anybody nearing completion of Computing & IT with the OU?

I'm 60 credits away from achieving a first and I was wondering how that'd affect my chances of admission into Queen Mary University to study for a masters in software engineering.

I've had a quick look through their entry requirements:

"An upper second class degree is normally required, usually in electronic engineering, computer science, maths or a related discipline. Students with a good lower second class degree may be considered on an individual basis. Applicants with unrelated degrees will be considered if there is evidence of equivalent industrial experience."

I'm not quite sure Computing & IT is comparable to a 'Computer Science' degree. I also have zero industry experience.

Will a degree in Comp & IT from OU be equally held in high regard as a degree in CompSci awarded by a brick uni when it comes to an application for an MSc? How likely is it I'll be accepted? And has it been done before by anybody here?

All responses welcome!


This really is a question for QMUL. In general, an OU degree is absolutely fine for a master's at brick unis (even top brick unis like Oxbridge), unis are much more interested in your grades and transcript than where you studied. I'm not familiar with computer science but I imagine the OU degree is less practical and more theoretical than most other degrees, that might be a problem, but you won't know unless you ask the admissions officer.
Reply 3
Original post by Snufkin
This really is a question for QMUL. In general, an OU degree is absolutely fine for a master's at brick unis (even top brick unis like Oxbridge), unis are much more interested in your grades and transcript than where you studied. I'm not familiar with computer science but I imagine the OU degree is less practical and more theoretical than most other degrees, that might be a problem, but you won't know unless you ask the admissions officer.


Indeed, and actually a more academic/theoretical course is likely to be "better" anyway as preparation for an MSc. :smile:
Reply 4
I'd be curious to know how this turns out, I'm thinking about doing something similar. Congratulations on the first, assuming you get it, that's incredible!
I have a OU degree, then went to a MSc at a Russell Group. Paid 9k for a 1 year course which consisted of power points being read to me. University is not worth it, learn it yourself. Should have stuck with OU masters.

Im in a job that I wanted for a while at a big engineering company on South Coast, my manager told me a few months ago that him and his boss didnt care about the MSc and that the OU degree and my enthusiasm in the interview showed character that they were looking for.

What are you going to learn on a MSc course that you cant study yourself? If you have a computing degree then I would hope you can code in at least one language - then your okay to get good software engineering jobs.
(edited 6 years ago)

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