What is your connection with the Open University?

I am a former student who was recently finished his degree after six years of part-time study. I am now saving up to continue my studies with a Masters. I do not and have never worked for the Open University and am not paid to promote their services.

What is this website all about?

I started Surviving the OU because I’ve had such a positive experience with them and want to share the things I’ve learned with other students so they can pass their modules with flying colours and with the least amount of stress possible.

What will the Study Guide do for me and what’s in it?

The Study Guide is created as a PDF for your convenience and there are accompanying mp3 audio walkthroughs, alternative file versions (Kindle compatible etc) and plenty more if you require. It is packed full of tips, strategies and advice, all taken from my time studying with the OU. I struggled early on during my degree, not only to retain my work-life balance but also to handle many of the aspects of degree-level study.

My scores were relatively low, my confidence damaged and I was close to quitting. I resolved to not only finish my degree with the Open University but to achieve a high score. I knuckled down, made improvements and in the end I was a gnat’s wing away from a First Class Honours degree. By working out the nuances of the OU, the way it functions and how the tutors respond to our work I created a blueprint which is now available as the Study Guide, designed to help current students get through their degrees with less stress.

What is an Open Degree?

The Open University describe this better than I could so here it is from their official website: “The BA/BSc (Honours) Open is the most flexible degree programme in the UK because you can study any subjects you like, in any combination. This means you can build a qualification that’s unique to you. If you’d like some guidance about which subjects to study, we’re always happy to advise.“