The Open University is the world’s leading provider of flexible, high quality online degrees and distance learning or sometimes refered to as e learning; serving students across the globe with highly respected degree qualifications, and the triple accredited MBA.
4.4 out of 5 (75 ratings / 61 reviews) Milton Keynes, England, United Kingdom
Top reasons to study here
- world leaders in distance learning
- An Open University qualification is attractive to employers
- The Open University is regularly rated one of the best in the UK for student satisfaction in the National Student Survey
Bachelor's programmes
Humanities (60)
- DipHE Arts and Humanities
- DipHE Classical Studies
- DipHE English
- DipHE English Language
- CertHE English Language
- DipHE History
- B.A. History (Honours)
- DipHE History and Politics
- DipHE Language Studies
- DipHE Law and French
- CertHE Law and French
- CertHE Law and German
- DipHE Law and German
- DipHE Law and Languages
- CertHE Law and Languages
- DipHE Law and Spanish
- CertHE Law and Spanish
Social Sciences (43)
- Bachelor Certificate of Higher Education Open
- DipHE Counselling
- DipHE Criminology
- DipHE Criminology and Law
- DipHE Economics
- B.A. Economics (Honours)
- Graduate Certificate Health Sciences
- DipHE Health and Social Care
- DipHE History and Politics
- DipHE Psychology
- B.Sc. Psychology (Honours)
- DipHE Social Sciences
Business & Management (32)
- DipHE Business Management
- CertHE Business Management
- Bachelor Certificate of Higher Education Open
- Graduate Certificate Certificate of Higher Education in Mathematical Sciences
- CertHE Data Analysis
- DipHE Design and Innovation
- CertHE Design and Innovation
- B.A. Economics (Honours)
- BA/BSc Open Degree (Honours)
Education & Training (29)
- DipHE Arts and Humanities
- Bachelor Certificate of Higher Education Open
- Graduate Certificate Certificate of Higher Education in Mathematical Sciences
- CertHE Childhood and Youth Studies
- B.Sc. Combined STEM (Honours)
- DipHE Counselling
- Bachelor Diploma of Higher Education Open
- DipHE Early Childhood
- CertHE Early Childhood
- CertHE Education Studies (Primary)
- DipHE Psychology
- B.Sc. Psychology (Honours)
Natural Sciences & Mathematics (28)
- Graduate Certificate Certificate of Higher Education in Mathematical Sciences
- B.Sc. Combined STEM (Honours)
- Bachelor Computing and IT and Statistics
- DipHE Data Analysis
- B.Eng. Engineering (Honours)
- DipHE Mathematical Sciences
- B.Sc. Mathematics (Honours)
- DipHE Natural Sciences
Computer Science & IT (27)
- Foundation Degree Computing and IT Practice
- Top-up BSc Computing and IT Practice (Honours)
- CertHE Computing and IT and Design
- Bachelor Computing and IT and Statistics
- DipHE Data Analysis
- CertHE Data Analysis
- B.Sc. Data Science (Honours)
Law (24)
- DipHE Criminology
- DipHE Criminology and Law
- DipHE Law
- CertHE Law
- DipHE Law and French
- CertHE Law and French
- CertHE Law and German
- DipHE Law and German
- CertHE Law and Languages
- DipHE Law and Languages
- CertHE Law and Spanish
- DipHE Law and Spanish
- L.L.B. Laws (Honours)
- L.L.B. Laws (Honours)
- BA/BSc Open Degree (Honours)
Arts, Design & Architecture (16)
- DipHE Arts and Humanities
- CertHE Computing and IT and Design
- DipHE Design and Innovation
- CertHE Design and Innovation
- DipHE Music
- B.A. Music (Honours)
Medicine & Health (15)
- Graduate Certificate Health Sciences
- DipHE Health Sciences
- Graduate Certificate Health and Social Care
- DipHE Health and Social Care
- DipHE Sport and Fitness
Environmental Studies & Earth Sciences (13)
- B.Eng. Engineering (Honours)
- DipHE Environmental Science
- DipHE Environmental Studies
Applied Sciences & Professions (9)
- Graduate Certificate Health and Social Care
- B.Sc. Psychology (Honours)
Engineering & Technology (8)
- B.Sc. Combined STEM (Honours)
- DipHE Engineering
- Integrated Masters Engineering
- B.Eng. Engineering (Honours)
- BA/BSc Open Degree (Honours)
Hospitality, Leisure & Sports (3)
About
History
- The year 1969 was revolutionary: one giant leap took place for education: a new university was launched that was open to all.
- In 1983 The Open University Business School - today the largest business school in Europe - opened its doors.
- Expansion continued during the 1990s, with new areas of study including law and modern languages; and the introduction of named degrees.
Education
- The Open University awards degrees and other qualifications through distance learning.
- The Open University offers a wide range of courses at various levels – from certificates and diplomas to undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
- Commonly, students apply to study with us for an undergraduate or postgraduate degree.
Research
Open University is recognised and renowned throughout the world for the quality of its research. Our research engages with some of the major issues facing the world today, informs public opinion and policy, and promotes debate and engagement with questions of global importance.
The quality of our research and teaching is apparent: in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), over 60% of our research was rated as ‘internationally excellent’ or ‘world-leading’, with noticeable strengths in Computing, Art History, Sociology, Literature, Art and Design, and Development Studies. This placed us in the top 50 universities for research in the UK.
Career
The corporate world is unanimous: Open University students are both welcome and in demand.
Corporate recruiters realise that our graduates have practical real-world knowledge, from which their businesses can benefit.Global Student Satisfaction Awards 2019
GSSA 2019
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2019. By rating institutions on a scale from 1 to 5, on multiple studies-related questions, we found the top educators in the world.
Learn more about the Global Student Satisfaction AwardsUniversity Ranking
World University Rankings by Times Higher Education
2020
501
2019
501 -100
2018
401
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report
2020
654 -38
2019
616 -15
2018
601
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University
2019
701 -100
2018
601
2017
-
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
Services
The Open University has its headquarters at Walton Hall in Milton Keynes, which is 80km north of Central London, midway between Oxford and Cambridge, and just off the M1 motorway, linking it to Birmingham and the north of England.
Academics at Milton KeynesAround 1,200 full-time academics are based at the Milton Keynes campus, along with some 250 of our 1,400 full-time and part-time postgraduate research students.
Research at Milton Keynes
The University has invested significantly in its infrastructure for research, increasing laboratory space at Milton Keynes headquarters by nearly 50 percent in the last seven years. Our newest facility is the Jennie Lee Building, which houses dedicated laboratories for pervasive computing and deployment of ambient and ubiquitous technologies.
Services at Milton KeynesOur students and academics are supported by around 4,000 administrative, technical, secretarial and student services staff. Among the administrative and service units with a public-facing role who are based at Walton Hall are:
- Development Office (alumni relations)
- Library
- Media Relations
- Open University Students' Association
- Open University Validation Services
- Open University Worldwide
- Student Services
The OU plays an active role in Milton Keynes life. Among the local networks in which it is a partner, member or sponsor are:
- Milton Keynes Technology Network
- Milton Keynes Enterprise Hub
- University Centre Milton Keynes
- Milton Keynes and North Bucks Chamber of Commerce
- Milton Keynes Community Foundation
- Bletchley Park
The campus is open to students, alumni supporters and local residents at Open Days held every two to three years. In 2009 the OU celebrated its 40th anniversary by opening up the campus at the Open Unlimited event.
Student Reviews
Open University: universal access to education
Anonymous rated 4 out of 5 stars
Open university allows students of all ages, and backgrounds, to obtain degrees online. Despite it being an online university, there are also face to face opportunities which allows one to meet other students within the UK.
Online univeristy student whilst living abroad
Anonymous rated 4 out of 5 stars
Very flexible as I am doing my courses through distance learning.
My time with the OU
Anonymous rated 4 out of 5 stars
All in all I had a very good study experience with The Open University. I entered my degree straight in at level three as I was awarded the maximum credit transfer from my previous degree with The University of Glasgow (Theatre Studies). I took one course per year as I was working full time as a teacher in an international school along side studying. The flexibility the OU...
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