The main advantages to an open distance learning degree is simply the lack of student debt when you qualify.

For starters, lets look at the traditional way of getting your degree. A university degree can take anywhere from 3-4 years to complete. If your are in the UK, the tuition fees can be up to 3,145 pounds each year, that's 9,435 for a 3-year degree! That's not including maintenance loans, which could run over 15,000! For some people that's an investment, but others don't want to start their career in 35 thousand pounds of debt. So what are your other options?

Open University (UK only)/Correspondence courses:

This is the open distance learning option, which often get a bad reputation. However, if you study at the open university, not only can you get a degree or points towards a degree but if you earn under 30,000 pounds a year, you can even get some or all of your course fees paid. That's PAID - not a loan, plus a grant towards course costs! If you earn more, you can pay your course in installments! As long as you can do your degree in 6 years, you will be eligible, but you can do it in 3 years if you do 2 courses at once! You can get a degree in all sorts of areas, psychology, languages, English, business, law etc. And it is exactly the same as a normal degree, just without the debt!

You can work full time as you study and it doesn't require going to any university except on a few courses, for a few days. The assignments are all on-line, and the exam will be held as close to you as possible! You can even do an "Open Degree" which is like a normal degree, except you choose any courses from any area of study you want, and still get a degree!

However, an open distance learning degree is very hard work, you have to be disciplined to complete your assignments and study hard. Also if you are having problems, a tutor isn't always easily accessible. But if the reason you are thinking of a distance learning degree is money, there are other way to get your degree for FREE!

Get funded:

You may or may not know that some courses are funded - especially NHS courses (UK). And I'm not just talking nursing. NHS provides some funded courses (even with prior study). That means no fees, and a grant towards costs if you qualify! Go to the NHS website to find out more, they could fund you on any of the following course: dietetics, occupational therapy, operating department practice, orthoptics, orthotics & prosthetics, physiotherapy, podiatry/chiropody, radiography (diagnostic and therapeutic), speech and language therapy. And NHS isn't the only option; the armed forces and even some employers might fund your degree. If you don't ask, you'll never now.

Work:

Work for a couple of years first, save your money to pay for your fees, and then work part-time to pay for your living costs. It sounds like a lot of hard work, but 2-3 years of full-time, hard graft before you start university will save endless years paying off your student debts

The main reason I was attracted to the Open University was the money I would be saving, I am halfway through a degree in psychology myself, and I know how tough it can be. But knowing you paid your own way, and you won't leave with debt is a huge reason to consider an open degree. Employers are usually impressed by the ability to study and work full-time because it shows commitment and hard work. A Distance Learning Course gives you the chance to pick your courses, to choose your study hours, to choose how much to do at once and to take a year or two off if you wish. It is a wonderful way to get your degree, but it could limit what degree you choose - you couldn't become a doctor for example. But if you like hard work, and understand the commitment necessary then you can get your degree in three years, just like with a formal university course.

Good luck, happy studying.

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