What the Open University Means to me

I herewith reproduce the entry that I sent to the President of Open University Students Association - personal stories about what the OU has meant to them.

What the Open University means to me……


Having already achieved an honours degree in Accounting, it was a personal dismay to me that I just could not use the qualification, to be able to teach Accounting after graduating in 1995.

I then thought of improving my qualifications and thought of the OU. I enrolled for my first Law Course in 2003 February, having been given credit transfer to enable me to go straight on to a Level 2 course. I studied for W200 “Understanding Law” which is an excellent course run by the Open University in conjunction with the College of Law.. Having a very great measure of success in that module, I did W201 “Law, the Individual and the State” in 2004 and passed that module as well. I went on to do W300 “Agreements, Rights and Responsibilities” the year after that, with a resit in 2006.

I have found all the materials and the service provided by the OU to be absolutely excellent. The upshot of me studying my two Level 2 courses was that in 2007, I was able to claim the Open University Diploma in English Law, backdated to December 2004.

Mine is a success story, because the Open University gave me another chance at a qualification which I can use to get work; I can get legal work, or welfare rights work now, or company secretarial. It has broadened my outlook and enhanced my job-chances. If it had cost a great deal of money I would not have been able to do it. My second chance at higher education is therefore very highly valued by me.The Open University is to be applauded for giving me that second chance. It goes without saying I think it is an excellent university.

Donald Hedges, Dip Eng Law(Open), BA(Hons)(Solent).