The Open University is the UK’s largest academic institution and a world pioneer in distance learning. To date, we’ve taught more than two million students worldwide.
- #601 Ranking
- 214 Bachelors
- 1,955 Academic Staff
- 63,446 Students
- 5,076 Students (int'l)
- 40,605 Students (female)
- Public Institution Type
Top reasons to study here
- Studying with The Open University has always been inherently flexible: it’s one of the reasons why so many people choose to study with us.
- The support we offer is extensive, and we pride ourselves on it. In fact, it’s one of the reasons why we’re regularly rated in the top of the UK’s National Stud
- Our unique combination of flexible study, world-class teaching and individually tailored support provides the best possible experience of higher education.
Bachelor's programmes
Humanities (66)
- DipHE Arts and Humanities
- CertHe Arts and Humanities
- DipHE Classical Studies
- DipHE English
- CertHE English Language
- DipHE English Language
- DipHE History
- B.A. History (Honours)
- DipHE History and Politics
- DipHE Language Studies
- DipHE Law and French
- CertHE Law and French
- DipHE Law and German
- CertHE Law and German
- DipHE Law and Languages
- CertHE Law and Languages
- CertHE Law and Spanish
- DipHE Law and Spanish
- DipHE Music
- B.A. Music (Honours)
Social Sciences (50)
- CertHE Childhood and Youth Studies
- DipHE Counselling
- DipHE Criminology
- DipHE Criminology and Law
- DipHE Economics
- B.A. Economics (Honours)
- CertHe Education Open
- B.A. Geography (Honours)
- B.Sc. Geology (Honours)
- Graduate Certificate Health Sciences
- DipHE Health and Social Care
- DipHE History and Politics
- DipHE Psychology
- B.Sc. Psychology (Honours)
- DipHE Social Sciences
- Bachelor Working Together for Children
Business & Management (37)
- Professional Cert. Accounting
- CertHE Business Management
- DipHE Business Management
- CertHE Data Analysis
- DipHE Design and Innovation
- CertHE Design and Innovation
- DipHE Economics
- B.A. Economics (Honours)
- CertHe Education Open
- Professional Cert. Management
- BA/BSc Open Degree (Honours)
Natural Sciences & Mathematics (37)
- B.Sc. Biology (Honours)
- B.Sc. Chemistry (Honours)
- B.Sc. Combined STEM (Honours)
- Bachelor Computing and IT and Statistics
- DipHE Data Analysis
- B.Eng. Engineering (Honours)
- DipHE Environmental Science
- DipHE Environmental Studies
- DipHE Mathematical Sciences
- CertHE Mathematical Sciences
- B.Sc. Mathematics (Honours)
- Graduate Diploma Mathematics Education
- DipHE Natural Sciences
- CertHE Natural Sciences
- Graduate Certificate Physics
- B.Sc. Physics (Honours)
Computer Science & IT (35)
- 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
- B.Sc. Cyber Security (Honours)
- CertHE Data Analysis
- DipHE Data Analysis
- B.Sc. Data Science (Honours)
- B.A. Geography (Honours)
- Graduate Certificate Higher Education in Computing and IT
- Graduate Diploma Higher Education in Computing and IT
- Graduate Diploma Higher Education in Computing and IT Practice
- Graduate Certificate Higher Education in Computing and IT and a Second Subject
Education & Training (32)
- DipHE Arts and Humanities
- CertHe Arts and Humanities
- B.Sc. Combined STEM (Honours)
- CertHE Early Childhood
- DipHE Early Childhood
- CertHe Education Open
- CertHE Education Studies (Primary)
- CertHE Health Sciences
- DipHE Higher Education Open
- Graduate Certificate Higher Education in Children and Families
- Graduate Diploma Higher Education in Computing and IT
- Graduate Certificate Higher Education in Computing and IT
- Graduate Diploma Higher Education in Computing and IT Practice
- Graduate Certificate Higher Education in Computing and IT and a Second Subject
- CertHE Mathematical Sciences
- CertHE Natural Sciences
- DipHE Natural Sciences
- Bachelor Promoting Public Health
- DipHE Psychology
- B.Sc. Psychology (Honours)
- CertHe Social Sciences
- Bachelor Working Together for Children
Law (24)
- DipHE Criminology
- DipHE Criminology and Law
- CertHE Law
- DipHE Law
- L.L.B. Law (Honours)
- DipHE Law and French
- CertHE Law and French
- DipHE Law and German
- CertHE Law and German
- CertHE Law and Languages
- DipHE Law and Languages
- CertHE Law and Spanish
- DipHE Law and Spanish
- L.L.B. Laws (Honours)
- BA/BSc Open Degree (Honours)
Medicine & Health (18)
- Graduate Certificate Health Sciences
- CertHE Health Sciences
- DipHE Health Sciences
- DipHE Health and Social Care
- Graduate Certificate Health and Social Care
- Graduate Certificate Higher Education in Children and Families
- Bachelor Promoting Public Health
- CertHe Social Sciences
- DipHE Sport and Fitness
Arts, Design & Architecture (17)
- DipHE Arts and Humanities
- CertHE Computing and IT and Design
- DipHE Design and Innovation
- CertHE Design and Innovation
- DipHE Music
- B.A. Music (Honours)
Environmental Studies & Earth Sciences (15)
- B.Eng. Engineering (Honours)
- CertHE Environment
- DipHE Environmental Science
- DipHE Environmental Studies
- B.Sc. Geology (Honours)
Applied Sciences & Professions (10)
- Graduate Certificate Health and Social Care
- Graduate Certificate Higher Education in Children and Families
- B.Sc. Psychology (Honours)
- CertHe Social Sciences
- Bachelor Working Together for Children
Engineering & Technology (10)
- B.Sc. Combined STEM (Honours)
- DipHE Engineering
- CertHE Engineering
- B.Eng. Engineering (Honours)
- BA/BSc Open Degree (Honours)
Hospitality, Leisure & Sports (3)
- DipHE Sport and Fitness
About
History
The OU was founded to open up higher education to all, regardless of background or circumstances. Our mission is to be open to people, places, methods and ideas—and as such, equality and diversity are at the heart of everything we do.
Education
Our qualifications range from certificates, diplomas and short courses to undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
- Whatever you want to study, we’re sure to have the right course for you.
Research
- Choose the research degree area closest to your field of interest to find out about the department, its research priorities and philosophy, the research environment, and facilities available.
- Within each research area is a list of topics which tell you more about specific areas of research, current and prospective projects, entry requirements, available supervisors and contact details for advice.
Career
- An Open University qualification is attractive to employers.
- Employers know that many of our students study while working. Therefore, they’re aware that Open University study can be challenging, and that it requires you to develop a variety of valuable skills and qualities – all of which will be assets to any workplace.
- You’ll also be attractive to employers because, being an Open University graduate, you’ll stand out from the crowd of conventional campus-based university graduates.
Global Student Satisfaction Awards 2021
GSSA 2021
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2021. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 8 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
University Ranking
World University Rankings by Times Higher Education
2023
601
2022
601
2021
601
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.
Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University
2022
601 200
2021
801 -100
2020
701
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.
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report
2023
770 -52
2022
718 -12
2021
706
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.
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
Typical OU Experience
Anonymous rated 4 out of 5 stars
Online courses and content are really helpful however the tutorials are not planned out to accommodate those who work later than 7pm
Solid, globally-acknowledged degree
Anonymous rated 4 out of 5 stars
Well-organized, course materials relevant and up-to-date, employs native speakers for language courses
Open, yet somewhat limited
Anonymous rated 4 out of 5 stars
Online distance courses are well-organized and structured. Foreign language courses are done by native speakers. Feedback is provided enough to improve overall performance. On written assignments, using sources outside of the course materials was often discouraged in the English course. Free thought and diversity should be therefore encouraged more.
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