[MistahKoala]

It's almost however long you want to put into it. I completed my undergraduate degree in around three and a half years, approaching it as a mix of part-time and full-time study, juggled with periods of employment.

At the time, I thought it wasn't particularly hard - I had it in my head that bricks and mortar universities were somehow more challenging and rigorous. Having recently completed a master's at a campus university, my feelings about the OU at the time were without basis. By comparison, the master's was easier, less challenging and less valuable.

Looking back on my OU experience, I can appreciate how enriching it was. The course materials and syllabi are fantastic and are often used by other universities. Associate lecturers can be hit and miss. Fellow students tend to be engaged - because they _want_ to do the courses - and often make for a supportive and thoughtful community; I actually found it to be far less isolating than the campus experience of my master's.

I was fortunate to have undertaken my degree prior to tuition fees increases, but I would still recommend them. Compared to other UK universities, the fees were still relatively low, last time I looked.