Open University Centre Leeds

The Open University is a distance learning institution that was established in 1969 and accepting its first students in 1971 was the first successful university of its type in the World.  It accepts all people, irrespective of background and educational standard onto it’s courses – with only a basic pre-requisite that you work your way up through the course as you would in a traditional campus based establishment.

The Open University fits in easily around your existing lifestyle and routines.  You can study many different courses in your own time around your current commitments, within certain parameters.  Certain timetables are still set, within the assignment schedule, for completion, as the University still has to have courses achieved within a specific time. 

The courses at the Open University are designed to be completed in roughly the same time as a course would be completed in a campus based university.  The student working from home would still be able to complete a full degree in three years, if working on it full time and within six years if working on it part-time.  The courses can be studied in succession, with a level one course still being available in the third year if a student should wish to take this on.  There is a maximum number of courses that a student can complete in a year, though this is quite a high number as it based on what is achievable at a mainstream university.  This means that you cannot complete a named degree in less than three years.  It is also possible, via the Open University, to achieve an Honours degree, just as it would be normally.  You need to complete a certain number of courses at a particular value in order to achieve this.

The Open Universities distance learning approach to higher education allows everybody the chance to achieve a degree, diploma or certificate in higher education which they might not have though possible before it was available.  Many people relish the idea of going to university, though for whatever reason they have not been able to realise this ambition.  Distance learning courses offer you the chance to not only complete a degree, but also in many cases attend a short residential course for your chosen subject.  There is a programme which all students can access online which allows them access to a virtual university world.  Here they can meet not only people from their own course, but also access general areas that all students can communicate within.  This allows the student to submerge themselves fully into a university experience without the expense and commitment of going and living somewhere else.

The Open University allows for a unique experience and a rewarding one at that, for people to realise their dream of attending a quality university and achieving a real qualification which will serve to their advantage for the rest of their lives.