The Open University

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Just turned 50, (dont look it i know), but have thought about this for years and just concentrated on earning as much as i could and foregoing the fullfilment and satisfaction that the achievement could bring. Would love to do a science or engineering degree, or maybe even journalism, just think im too old to start now.
 


moshpit said:
There's a lot of bad info on this thread mind. I'm at the end of a 6 year slog with just the dissertation left for an honours degree in natural sciences. I've did it whilst working full time just to appease the inner geek and hopefully open some doors down the road potentially.

I've enjoyed it, but it's incredibly difficult at level 3. Make no mistake, the hours you put in, if you're going for a first or a 2:certainly, are insane.

Things have changed an awful lot even since I started. No face to face tutorials, nearly all module materials are now read online as opposed to physical books, all against the backdrop of the scrapping of the old fee system.

Oh, and the OU thresholds for classification have always been way higher....

85% + for a distinction
70 - 84% for a grade 2 pass
55 - 69% for a grade 3 pass
40 - 54% for a grade 4 pass

Theres a convoluted formula for working out your grade, but essentially you need at least 60/120 distinction credits at level 3 for a first, assuming you have a mixture of distinctions and grade 2 at level 2.

Level 1 modules don't count towards final classification.

Good luck!!
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Would you suggest someone wanting to reskill and out of work would be better blasting it for a year full time say via masters?

6 years is a long time like.
 
I used to love the Open University TV programmes that they made in the 1970's as the lectures for courses. As History for example was always going to be "History" they repeated them again and again well up to the 1990's. By that time you were confronted by some geek lecturer in hilarious 1970's garb telling you about the French Revolution. :lol::lol:
 
I did a full time job 40-50 hours a week and completed an open university degree (I could do any modules as long as they were at the correct level) - my advice would be

Check which modules don't have exam and are totally course work - a lesson I learned after my first module
Check for modules that don't enforce study days
Check with OU if you have any other qualifications that can count towards it - I got ~120 credits at level one I think for an HND
Check to see if online work shops are compulsory - I did one then sacked it off
Check to see if work will subsidise once you get your feet under the table
Check the length of each module - some are additional months, granted some have more credit

After the first module just did it all my self other than the course forum where you can ask questions etc which is a good setup.

**Summary - make it as easy and as little time per week that you can - I probably averaged 2 hours a week and did 4-5 modules in 2-3 years. Its a bugga but once you have done one module you'll know whats involved and can do multiple at the same time.

For motivation a close friend of mine was stuck in an office job and spent 7 years two nights a week studying a law degree and is now a qualified solicitor - if he hadnt he would be stuck in a similar office admin environment - although it was hard he states it was the best thing he ever did as he was then setup more or less for decent jobs for the rest of his life

Good luck !

Frijj said:
Way less!

We had ten week terms and it was mostly

Weeks 0-7 : Do nowt

Weeks 8-10: Fuck fuck fuck do something

Could be different for the OU, but I can't remember a single week in which I did the full recommended hours except when my dissertations were due.
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This - OU you can do way less than recommended if you have the aptitude
 
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I have been thinking about doing something like this for a few years
 
pfoz88 said:
Just turned 50, (dont look it i know), but have thought about this for years and just concentrated on earning as much as i could and foregoing the fullfilment and satisfaction that the achievement could bring. Would love to do a science or engineering degree, or maybe even journalism, just think im too old to start now.
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You're not.

AB22 Easy Tiger said:
You're not.
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Damn :lol:
 
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