The Arab Open University

[Deplorableness]

what do you think of the Arab Open University ?

[Comrade Bassam]

Deplorableness,

Please make sure to specify what is it that you need to know about the Arab Open University. Some members here study there and we believe they could help you.

[Deplorableness]

well, i am a BAC II SE student, and i was BAC I Humanities, i want to study computer science , they said that the allow me to study it in AOU considering that it is cheaper than the other unis... i need to know is it good enough ?

[Mey]

Dear deplorableness,

The Arab Open University (AOU) uses an Open System of Education. The Open System is specifically made for students who work, or have extracurricular activities or even study in other universities. Of course specifically and not exclusively.

The advantage in an open system is that you have flexible class schedules. So any course you want to register in, you can find classes of that course from 8 AM till 6 PM at night so you can fix it according to the schedule you want.

Now the program of studies in your case ITC, are not made by the Arab Open University itself. The programs come from Britian from the United Kingdom Open University (UKOU). So basically you will be studying the same material that a student in the United Kingdom Open Univeristy will be studying.

What is more is that once you graduate, you will get two degrees. A degree from Arab Open University in Lebanon, and another degree from the United Kingdom Open University in Britian.

The british degree is acknowledged by the British state. Now how can the Arab Open Univeristy give you a British degree ?

The AOU has made a deal with the UKOU. The deal says that AOU gives the programs of UKOU, and the AOU will follow the standards and recommendations given by the UKOU, and in return when students graduate, they get their degree from UKOU.

Now in order to get the degree evaluated from Britian, there is a British organization called OUVS, its job is to make sure that universities which are connected to Britian (AOU for example) are up to the standards, or else Britian cannot accept that AOU gives a British degree. The OUVS has come to the AOU and realized that AOU deserves to be accredited to give British degrees. So now AOU can give British degrees.

Mind you there are only three universities in Lebanon whose degrees are realized by foriegn states. AUB, LAU from USA and AOU from UK.

Moreover the degrees of AOU are acknowledged from the Lebanese state. The AOU has a university liscence from the Lebanese state, so its degrees are acknowledged and evaluated from the Ministry of Higher Education. So you will not find any problem when you graduate. Many universities which opened recently in Lebanon, are not acknowledged from the Lebanese state, so their degrees are not recognized by the Lebanese state.

In the Arab Open Univeristy, this will not be a problem for you.

Hope I was able to give you what you needed from information. If you want to ask more questions, be my guest.

[Deplorableness]

aha, i see, i see.
what about my study ?
i am now in BAC II SE section ( Socio-eco ) i was BAC I Humanities, i wanna study Computer Science, can i ? and much are the annual fees ???

[Mey]

Originally Posted by Deplorableness

aha, i see, i see.
what about my study ?
i am now in BAC II SE section ( Socio-eco ) i was BAC I Humanities, i wanna study Computer Science, can i ? and much are the annual fees ???

Yes you can study Computer Science called (ITC at AOU) ITC being Information Technology and Computing.

The annual fees APPROX will be 1800 - 2000 $

This all depends on the number of credits you take in each semester. The AOU follows a system of semesters not full year. Every semester is around 3 months and half.

The price of each credit is 35 $ for non Major courses and 50 $ for Major courses.

To graduate you need to collect 131 credits in total.

[Silentscream]

hey how arey ou all!
sorry to barge in on u like this...
i checked this uni out at the beginign of this year and as our friend Deplorableness i wanted to go into CS though i found out it only has IT as a major.. and nothing else..!
(or at least thts wht its said on they're site)
so did it change... or wht!

[Mey]

Originally Posted by Silentscream

hey how arey ou all!
sorry to barge in on u like this...
i checked this uni out at the beginign of this year and as our friend Deplorableness i wanted to go into CS though i found out it only has IT as a major.. and nothing else..!
(or at least thts wht its said on they're site)
so did it change... or wht!

The Computer Science major at the AOU is called ITC (Information Technology and Computing), it is not the AOU that decides the name of this major.

The name is decided by the United Kingdom Open University, remember it is a British program and the AOU has to abide by the content and the name of the British program !

[Aroma]

Originally Posted by Deplorableness

aha, i see, i see.
what about my study ?
i am now in BAC II SE section ( Socio-eco ) i was BAC I Humanities, i wanna study Computer Science, can i ? and much are the annual fees ???

I have a friend who studies there and he gets an annual financial aid.