Career-Boosting Degrees | The Open University

An Open University qualification is about more than earning a degree. It’s an opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to move your career forward and create new possibilities.

Top 3 in the UK for employability - Uni Compare

The OU teaches transferable skills, such as critical thinking and self-reflection. I’ve been able to apply these in my work and personal life. I was offered my current role after completing my degree. My OU studies have been a gateway to the next steps in my career.

Whatever your ambitions, we're here to help you find the right route. Explore career pathways aligned to your interests and discover the qualifications that could help you get there.

Women working on her accounts at a computer

IT workers discussing a project on a white board

A group of people in a counselling meeting

You'll find detailed career information on every course description.

It’s worth exploring your career options early. If you have a specific career in mind, some employers ask for a particular degree subject, and some career areas require work experience, additional professional training or postgraduate qualifications. Make sure you check this before choosing your course and modules.

If, like many students, you don’t yet have a firm goal in mind, it’s a good idea to follow your interests when choosing your qualification. Research from the Institute of Student Employers shows only one in five graduate employers require a specific degree subject. Most focus on the skills and qualities you will build during your OU study, whatever subject you choose.

For more than 55 years, we’ve helped people transform their futures through flexible, high quality learning. Our courses are powered by the latest in learning innovation. From award‑winning remote labs and our extended‑reality studios, to career focused modules, everything we do is designed to help you succeed.

Find out more about our courses.

Everything that I'm learning helps me in my current role. I've grown so much as a person. I've changed career because of the OU. It's opened up so many opportunities.

You don't have to wait until graduation to start your career development plan. As an OU student, you'll have access to award-winning careers support from the start of your study journey to three years afterwards. We’ll help you clarify your goals and take confident steps to achieving them.

Find out more about our Careers and Employability Services.

97% of users would recommend our award-winning careers services and tools to other students.

Whichever country you live in, once you’ve registered as an OU student and started your OU study, you’ll have full access to our Careers and Employability Services throughout your student journey and three years afterwards. Perhaps you’ve yet to discover where OU study might take you, are exploring career pathways, studying for personal progression or ready to make employer connections. Although many of our resources and job opportunities are focused on the UK, we can refer you to resources to help you find information relevant to your location.

If you intend to study to further your career, we’ll help you succeed, whoever you are and wherever you’re based. However, if you live outside the UK, there may be differences in how your country recognises an OU qualification. Please check our advice on our International recognition of Open University qualifications page. If you are looking at coming to the UK to study, registering for an OU qualification may not satisfy the UK Government’s student visa requirements, so please make sure you check these before making plans.

96% of students using the OU’s Careers and Employability Services would recommend this quality-certified service. The team of experienced careers professionals across the UK was Highly Commended in the National Undergraduate Employability Awards 2021. Although we might be less aware of specific opportunities in your host country, we are experienced in helping a wide range of students achieve their personal, study and career goals – all with differing needs and representing all backgrounds, identities, abilities, disabilities, races and religions. We can help you consider your situation and possible challenges, access experts near you and help you explore further.

Our artificial intelligence-powered ‘career readiness’ diagnostic will direct you to a range of tools and support tailored to your needs to build your confidence and navigate your future. If you’re outside the UK, once you’re registered on a course, you can request our professional careers team to call you for an individual phone consultation.

We can help you with a range of careers support, such as:

Our team of experienced careers professionals was Highly Commended in the National Undergraduate Employability Awards 2021.

Our team is also available to you for individual consultations from the moment you start studying up to three years after.

For more information, visit our Careers and employability website.

Where do you live?

Careers

Careers

Explore what's possible with OU study

Where do you want your career to take you?

Your career not listed here?

How we can help you build your career

Why choose The Open University

Careers and Employability Services

We can help you succeed – just bring yourself

Check before you register

The first step to navigating your future

Explore

Undergraduate

Postgraduate

Policy

Where do you live?

Careers

Careers

Explore what's possible with OU study

Where do you want your career to take you?

Your career not listed here?

How we can help you build your career

Why choose The Open University

Careers and Employability Services

We can help you succeed – just bring yourself

Check before you register

The first step to navigating your future

Level

Explore

Undergraduate

Postgraduate

Policy