Open University degree vs normal degree

[Giant]

Is the open university degree same as a regular degree?
I want to obtain a major of physics from an Indian university.
So after I finish with all the course requirement and obtain a mathematics degree from open university (UK), am I considered as a double major by the employers?
The reason for considering open university is that it allows a part time course and reason for choosing mathematics degree is that I don't need a lab. And lots of physics and applied maths courses overlap so it serves as an advantage

And if you have any other recommendations, please tell me!

 

[Ripley]

Open University degrees are well regarded in the UK. Many FTSE 100 companies offer funding for their employees to take OU courses. Graduates have a skill set that varies from "brick uni" graduates and they are often seen as more dedicated and organized as most have juggled studying with raising children or working.

What career path are you hoping to take? Are you considering doing the two bachelors simultaneously?

An OU degree is going to take you 3 years at least to achieve, and would cost about £9k for British citizens (I'm assuming more for international students). If you are considering trying to do the two simultaneously I would seriously reconsider your plans, you will.get some cross over however you will be expected to take a number of pure modules which will not.

Taking this into account I would think your time and money would be best spent on post-grad qualifications.

 

[mathsman1963]

I would heartily recommend an OU degree. The material is well presented and the modular nature of the coursework means you are revising as you learn so you are better prepared when you reach the examination.
The minimum time needed for the degree is three years but in order to achieve that you will have to complete two credits' worth of study each year. That is a huge, but not impossible, challenge; most students take six years.
It's twenty years since I took my degree and I'm buying up many of the current OU course materials because I've never found anything better.

 

[Giant]

What career path are you hoping to take? Are you considering doing the two bachelors simultaneously?

I'm considering a OU Postgraduate Diploma in Mathematics as an additional degree after I finish my MSc physics
which means I'll be studying and working simultaneously.

It's entry requirements:::::::

To study for this postgraduate diploma you must hold a minimum of a second-class honours bachelors degree in mathematics from a UK university or other recognised degree-awarding body, or a qualification at equivalent level.

Does a masters degree in physics qualify?

It's twenty years since I took my degree

Which course did you take,, could you share more?

 

[Marco9]

I have a Physics degree from a "brick uni" and a recent Maths degree from the OU so I can compare the material and workload etc. I guess that a lot of people who go for the OU are usually working, have a family and mortgage and just can't afford the time to go to a full-time establishment.

Unless you're studying all day every day you won't get through the OU degree in 3 years, the workload is too much. Are you planning to study part-time while having a full study load on Physics? That could be done but it would make for long tedious days.

OU quality of material is very good, tutors always available when I needed them and various day schools (5 hours at a time) made each subject a pretty solid experience. Definitely recommended but you need to be somewhat self-sufficient and it'll cost you more these days (£15000 for UK students).

 

[Giant]

I have a primary interest in physics so I'm going for a physics degree. But I also love maths also. Double major is an ideal option, so I wanted a realistic view and doing double major from normal university is going to be a problem because it requires me to retake all the courses and I can't skip to advanced classes even if I know the basics. Major in physics is enough for minor in applied maths so those extra gaps is what I wish to fill so that I could have a double major. Doing whole another degree isn't possible cause I have other responsibilities so OU could be done part-time while I work. So I was concerned about the validity. As for being self-sufficient,, I cannot handle study if it is being taught in a classroom (very typical throughout the world) I study before attending any class so that my interest in that subject remains undisturbed. I hate my mathematics professor and I have observed,, person who teaches can have significant impact on your interests, I try not to fall in the system while maintaining my grades. So OU is near-perfect option.

Thanks a lot for all of your inputs!

 

[Ripley]

Contact the OU directly to see if a masters in physics would meet their entry requirements. They nay want you to take an undergraduate pure course before you start.

Either way if you can get hold of some cheap M208 textbooks they would help you out a lot. This is the link to the course http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/m208.htmi

 

[3.141592]

I don't know if it's available in India but the OU are starting a 'double major' Mathematics and Physics degree this autumn. This may be of relevance to you.

You might like to contact them about credit transfer, especially if your first degree overlaps with their maths degree. But you will need to have completed the credits you wish to transfer, not be studying them currently.

The OU is great, not just for study, but as a real tool for social mobility and opening up education to people with little more needed via prerequisites than curiosity and work ethic. Good luck.