open university

open university questions and answers

More information about open university at Education News.

Q: can you tell me about open university courses and the pros and cons of them?
if i complete a open university degree what type of degree can i get?

A: Pros: * The course material is of a high quality. * The textbooks are easy to understand and broken down into clear sections. * The timetable helps you to stay on track. * You have a tutor to contact if you get stuck/need advice. * You can start on an 'openings' or level 1 course if you haven't studied for a while. Cons: * You have to motivate yourself to do the work. * If you start with a 60 point course it can be overwhelming at first. I am currently studying a 10 point course in Psychology as I have previously studied a 60 point course and it was too much for me to start with. To gain a degree you have to work through each level and gain a certain amount of 'points'. This varies depending on the degree you want to get. You would need to look on the website at the specific degree you want to do and it will tell you: * The best courses to start with. * Which courses are compulsory if you want a degree. * How many points from each level you need. Once you get to level 3 and have the necessary points and you have studied the right subjects you will have an Open University degree! x

Q: Master Degree in any Open University is eligible for GATE Exams?
I have finished my B.sc Degree (Maths) through Open University System and atpresent doing my MCA in Madras Univesity in Distance Education. I want to know that, am i eligible for GATE Exams, and am i eligible to join M.Tech Computer Science in any IIT or any other institutions.

A: Where you were graduated? If your graduation is from a UGC approved University you can write GATE.

Q: Has anyone, or is anyone currently doing a science degree with the open university?
I am considering doing a science degree and would like some feedback from anyone with experience of the open university. Also, has anyone done a residential course with them? TIA

A: I am working towards the physical science degree. I havent done any of the required residential courses yet but I plan to do them all in one go, possiblely next year. If you want to do a science degree the OU is pretty good. I wouldnt worry about the residential schools because if you find its a bit beyond you then you can use all the courses you have already done to get the open degree. It all comes down to the courses you do and what you want to put into it. You will get a different tutor for every course and every course has its good and bad points. Think about exam centres as well. It wont apply to the early level 1 courses but later on you will have to do exams. I am lucky because the nearest one to me is very easy to get to. However it may not be easy for you. Its just something to consider.

Q: Can I Study In IIT or WBUT After Passing BCA Examination From A Open University?
Can I Study With MCA In IIT or WBUT After Passing BCA Examination From A Open University? Past Year I Passed My Higher Secondary With 57% In Commerce. Due To Some Family Problem I Unable To Admit That Year. Anyway A WBUT's College Admission Take 25000-30000/- So, If I Complete My BCA Graduation From A Open University Like Netaji Subhash or Ignou Can I Then Study MCA From IIT or WBUT?

A: y not bt u may hv 2 give the entrance xaminations they r conducting.......n if ur university z regognised by ugc....u should not fear at all....u can !

Q: What should I do during a university open day?
I'm in year 12 and I'm going to a few university open days in the next months. What should I do other than attending the talks about subjects I'm interested in?

A: Make sure you ask a lot of questions. Perhaps talk to the current undergraduates to see what living there is like. Also, try and take a tour around the university and look at the facilities, and the area around the uni, as you'll be stuck there for a long time :) Just make sure you would like living there for a long period of time, and the uni offers what you need as an individual.

Q: Is anyone doing a course with the open university at the moment?
Just want to know if anyone is currently doing a course with the open university? I have just finished doing DD100 which is a social science course and would love to hear from anyone learning from there. Thanks

A: Hi, Congrats on finishing DD100!! I am actually on my 6th and final year for a BSc degree with the OU. Course history is: DD100, A211, D201, B200, D315 and now currently doing D318 to finish off.

Q: do we need scondary certificate for joinning open university for degree?
do we need secondary certificate for joining open university for degree, in India A.P State hyd?

A: The whole idea of "open university" is that you do not have to go through the preliminary. However, use some good judgment here. Look at the open uni's website for admissions requirements and see what they require.

Q: is it worth me studying at the open university?
i have been thinking about studying an open degree at the open university.The only problem is it takes 6 years and by then i would be in my early forties.So would it make me any more employable or would it be a waste of time?

A: You need to be well motivated. If you are a self starter and a well motivated person then Open University may well suit you. Many people need supervision or prefer taught courses and interacting with other students and this will not be the case with a distance course. If the camaraderie and the contact with lecturers is important you may find this a very lonely route to study. You will also not have input from fellow students. It's a tough course and it needs to fit your lifestyle and your personality. Make the right choice and you could be a happy student. Make a bad choice and you may not be motivated to finish.

Q: Has anyone ever got a job in their chosen field from an Open university degree.?
I have researched 'answers' on Open University degrees, and the consensus is that they are very good degrees to have-They have very high standards, and they require greater motivation than other degrees. But has anyone actually managed to get a job from them in the subject that they studied?

A: My brother's manager did an I.T course through open university back then. Once he completed the course, his manager quit his job and found a much better job.. His manager studied part-time - for 6 years. I also have a friend who did an open learning course, Accounting and now he's working as an accountant. As long as you have a history of "work-experience" and good marks...it's easy to find a job. Job interview is the most important of all. You need to be ARTICULATE, a good communicator, and have confidence in yourself - that's how you get a job,. A person who is shy, nervous and doesn't talk much won't get a job even if their marks are good. I have friends who are overseas and couldn't find a job because their English wasn't up to scratch even though their results are good. *************************************************** I had a talk to one of friend today, because he's studying an open unit at the moment, and he said that this style of studying involves A LOT of reading. You need to have high level of motivation - that is, you need to set clear defined goals before you commence this course. Because there will be time you'll feel off track, and also feel "complete" alone having no one to talk to. There's a forum to discuss the unit - but you can't talk too much about assignments and exams as this will be considered plagarism in the discussion board. In general, lots of reading...but the hard work tends to pay off when you get back an assignment with full marks.

Q: Hi all, I'm currentley toying with the idea of doing an open university law degree?
I'd like to know especially from employers whether open university degrees are just as recognised and respected as standard degrees. The main reason for asking is that the open university degrees cost a small fortune and I don't want to waste my money if employers won't touch them with a bargepole. Thanks for reading.

A: I'm not an employer, but a law degree is a law degree by my reckoning. Go on, go for it, you have to study hard, even with the OU. Good luck to you.

Q: How do you write a good open university essay?
what is a good open university essay im studying dd100

A: Hello, As in any other HE institution, the most usual source of help for queries about assignments will be from course materials and your tutor. Some of the other answers provide really comprehensive advice, particularly about the need for a clear essay structure, use of the Assignment/TMA booklet, and guidance from resources such as the Good Study Guide. I’ll just add a few other suggestions. Look closely at the assignment Learning Outcomes in the TMA booklet and then try to ensure that you achieve them within your TMA. Generally, Learning Outcomes include at least one outcome related to the course content and one related to study skills. Don’t wait until you have completed ‘the perfect essay’ - allocate time to draft and write the essay and try to stick to this. Send it off and try not to worry about it while you await feedback. If you’re unclear about any issues raised, contact your tutor for advice. Finally, check out available study resources – download student toolkits such as ‘Essay and report writing skills’ and ‘Effective use of English’ from Studenthome. If you prefer hard copy, contact Student Services at your Regional Centre to have these resources sent to you (contact details for Regional Centres are on Studenthome or at http://www3.open.ac.uk/contact/all.aspx). It’s helpful to have your PI number when contacting the Regional Office so that staff there can respond quickly to your query. I wish you well with your essay writing (and the course!).

Q: I am due to start an open university course web basics design and development what are employers looking for?
What level are employers looking for web design, level below a degree or higher? I will be stuyding until Feb 09 if i study with Open university anybody got a quicker way?

A: learning about web design is as fast or as slow as you make it. there are a lot of different concepts to go over, but if you have a grasp of basic programming you will see that a lot of things are repeated over and over again. I recommend taking some courses and seeing what you think, if it is hard then go through the program, but if it seems easy then they arnt moving fast enough for you and you should just make a portfolio of what you can do. modern web apps use (some of) the following: php, asp, sql, java, jsp, javascript, perl, ruby, css, html. most of them fall into similar categories, like php, perl and asp all can do very similar functions, and java jsp and javascript all follow java syntax (to an extent). do what you can do, if you want to push yourself and learn you'll probably have to go to the local library and get some books. ...gl

Q: Are open university courses worth it?
I'm a recent chemistry graduate looking to get into chemical engineering, would a open university course be taken seriously by companies?

A: Yes as it shows you wish to build your knowledge base in your chosen field. Some employers will even pay for it and give bonus for exam passes. If the only way you can increase your qualifications is by Open University get those books out and study!