I hope this question fits the format here; at least there is an "education" tag defined. The Open University has a "BSc Honours" degree in mathematics, having its programme of study detailed through here. The courses, divided into modules, are grouped there and listed by three stages roughly corresponding to three years of study.
To me it looks like an applied mathematics curriculum, but I could be wrong about that.
What would be your take, if you are intimately familiar with other mathematics BSc programmes or perhaps even with this particular one? Are there key pedagogic aspects that you find neglected in this programme?
I am currently studying level 2 modules towards BSc in Mathematics at OU. My background is in economics / finance / real estate from UCL and Cambridge and I am doing this as a 2nd UG along work. I am now half-way through M208 (Pure Mathematics) and MST224 (Mathematical methods). From Level 1 I needed to take only MST125 (Essential Mathematics 2) as rest was covered by credit transfer from my previous studies.
The below is based on my observations and research so far and I would love to if someone more knowledgeable could correct me.
Level 1 courses are quite easy and aimed at bringing students without A-levels up to the required level. Saying that MST125 is at the A-Level Maths / Further Maths is probably accurate. The questions are more straight-forward and concentrate on the method rather than problem solving. You are also allowed to take an extensive handbook into the exam.
Let me use the Oxford BA in Mathematics as a comparison. I do this because the structure and syllabus appears to be quite similar. I am not able to comment on the difference in difficulty or depth. This is not my intention as both degrees are aimed at different demographics.
https://courses.maths.ox.ac.uk/year/2019-2020#44186
By and large Level 2 at OU: M208 (Pure Maths), MST224 (Mathematical methods) and M248 (Data Analysis) cover more or less the Prelims (1st year) at Oxford: analysis, group theory, linear algebra, multi-variable calculus, some vector calculus, proof etc. You will be short on probability and dynamics.
On Level 3 you can take only 4 courses, so if you stick to pure math: M303 (Further Pure Math - double unit covering number theory, metric spaces, groups, rings and fields), Complex Analysis and add Probability, then you kind of cover the 1st term of the second year (excl. ODE and some Linear Algebra). If you would take additional level 3 courses available (above the limit) then you cover also some subjects equivalent to Hilary (2nd term) courses. But the choice is quite narrow and you don't have i.e. Topology or Integration.
https://courses.maths.ox.ac.uk/year/2019-2020#43995
So by and large with the OU BSc you might cover the first 2 years of a Math degree at a standard uni. You still cover more ground then some unis (i.e. Uni of Essex). I am still trying to figure out how to "bridge" the Year 3 (Functional Analysis, Galois, Measure Theory, Manifolds, Topology etc) in case that I would like to do an MSc at a brick uni afterwards. Advice would be welcome.
On studying at OU:
Key point is that you don't have lectures. You are supposed to work through the Open University textbooks and then attend tutorials and submit course-work that is graded by the tutor (for M208 which is 50% of the Y2 credits you have 7 such courseworks). During lockdown some tutors seem to have gravitated more towards lecture-style slides with some explainers on theory. Which is great for me.
During lockdown the uni performed quite well with almost no disruption. Exams took place in an open-book format, but with time limit.
The new textbooks for M208 (starting from 2019) are very well written. They present the ideas in a very clear way with good examples, proofs and exercises. The idea is that you read and work through them. I personally love them.
-In exams you can use the handbook with formulas and Theorems (but no proofs) which makes it much easier than i.e. Oxford where you need to remember everything. I am also not able to comment yet on the difficulty of Level 2 and 3 exams.
So overall, I am very satisfied with OU modules so far and plan to continue with OU as I can do it along full-time work. The aim of OU is distance learning and they do it very well. Their biggest strength are the well-written textbooks. The biggest drawback is that you can pick only a few modules on level 3.
I am currently wondering how to "bridge the gap" in terms of Year 3 courses (Functional Analysis, Galois, Measure Theory, Manifolds, Topology etc) in case that I want to pursue an MSc afterwards. I am certain that the BSc should be accepted where "maths, physics or engineering UG degree is required", but a Pure Maths degree might be more difficult due to the missing prerequisites.
Best regards, Marek