Liz Hartnett

Research student testimonial

I’m delighted to say that I’ve found the OU as open now as it was when I did my first degree with it. Not many people in their fifties do a doctorate, but the OU was not interested in how old I was, just whether I could write a suitable research proposal. That is so refreshing!

The OU was always going to be my first choice for a doctorate. After my first OU degree in the 1980s, I did an MBA with another university – which only proved how good the OU is! So I returned to the OU to study the MRes and my PhD. 

My research is within The Open University Business School and centres on public sector client engagement with consultants and the value of their relationship. I worked in the public sector before my children came along and my late husband was a consultant in the public sector. You hear so many negative press stories about consultants and I wanted to know how their clients worked with them and managed them. So far, it’s been a fantastic experience. It’s getting to a nerve-racking stage now as I’m writing up my findings and hoping people believe I have something significant to contribute.

I could work at home, but it’s better in my office at the OU where I can have access not only to specialist technical help, but can also attend helpful training workshops and can discuss my research with fellow research students. I also have the opportunity to attend coffee and lunchtime seminars on a range of subjects: business, computing, educational technology.

For anyone considering whether to study a PhD with the OU, I’d urge them to first undertake the Mres (Master of Research degree). The MRes helped me in many ways, and in particular, the philosophy and epistemology of research gave me the correct terms and language to use. It’s an ideal starting point for anyone wanting to do a research degree.

I chose to do a research degree partly because I felt I needed more qualifications if I was to work at another university, and now have come to enjoy the research process for itself. Not only is the study and the supervision excellent, but – and I was not expecting this – the OU expects you to have a career. I may go on to do something with this qualification, but now I’m enjoying the studying!