Open University

OU prices are a bit OTT these days. I'm paying the original prices (so around £700 for a 60 point module) but If I had to pay the current prices I wouldn't be that impressed with them.

Plus, I had to spend time on the phone and in person for them to let me register on some modules because I was already doing other ones. I'm doing 120 points per year part-time but they took some convincing to let me do it.

To be honest, I find the work to be quite easy but I'm doing Engineering, Design and Marketing and I have worked in Engineering all my life. So those modules I never even opened the text books they sent.
Got my T217 Design exam tomorrow morning then I just have a couple of level 3 modules. One that started in May and the last 2 in October. Can not wait for it to be over. It's going to end up as a BSc (Hons) in Design and Innovation but career wise I'm not 100% sure what I plan to do yet. I'm considering a few things:

Project Management (this would be to get the most money possible - my company pays £70k+ in the NE which is a lot - but it'd be boring)
Industrial Design Engineer (fair bit less money, but more interesting and will get to travel around and do research - which I like)
Teacher (Teach Science. Less money again, but possibly the job I'd get the most personal satisfaction from)

I'm thinking, it would be logical to go down one of the 2 top routes, then maybe be a teacher later in life when I want to dial it down a notch. Maybe just retire early and become a lecturer at the OU!!

Either way, I am sick to death in my current job so just need a change. So hopefully this OU degree helps me do this. I get paid well, but have done it for 12 years and it's so mind numbingly easy to me now that I swear I'm becoming less intelligent the long I do it! haha



I can't stand studying. But, at least with the OU I can do it in my own time. You get a TMA, you get a hand in date then you just go away and do it whenever you like. That's the only way i could ever study.

My wife has a economics exam today which looks a lot harder than what I've been doing!!
 
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Just over half way to my ICT degree. I have completed MU123, TU100 and B120 at Level 1, TT284 and MT264 at Level 2 and am progressing through T325 and M364 at Level 3 now.

The levels certainly get progressively harder. The most I have had to complete simultaneously was 3 modules due to a bit of overlapping (about 3 months iirc) of the course dates. I would really only recommend completing two at a time if you want any kind of time outside of work/studying.

I have found the deadlines for assignments a vital tool in keeping me on track, having previously allowed a 'learn at your own pace' course to expire so I am glad they are there. It can be enjoyable, it can be tough, but getting the desired results in TMA's/EMA's/exams keeps the motivation going.

And, wow, just seen the prices these days, glad I got in there before the price hike and can continue on transitional pricing!
 
Andyh was your S104 exam similar to tma's, such as do you have to write lots of text and reach a certain word count in the exam or is it more questions and just needing a short answer for each?

I'm wanting to do this module and would like to know a bit more about the exam.

many thanks
 
blitzwing85 said:
OU prices are a bit OTT these days. I'm paying the original prices (so around £700 for a 60 point module) but If I had to pay the current prices I wouldn't be that impressed with them.
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To be fair, the OU had to raise their prices just like all the other Universities in England when the government cut the HE funding. They're also one of the cheapest to get a degree with even at the ~5k per 120 credits.
 
beachBOYken said:
Andyh was your S104 exam similar to tma's, such as do you have to write lots of text and reach a certain word count in the exam or is it more questions and just needing a short answer for each?

I'm wanting to do this module and would like to know a bit more about the exam.

many thanks
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The exam is split into three parts. A is multiple choice, first five questions are worth 1% each and then twenty questions are worth 2% each for a total of 45%, Part B is worth 15% and is a simple graph plotting exercise with a few tasks like working out the gradient, intercept and rearrange a simple equation. Part C is worth 40%, there are four questions worth 20% each (you pick any two), and these are longer essay type ones similar to the TMA's, though to be honest you don't have to write much at all.

You get three hours in total for the exam which seemed like plenty of time, after sections A and B chances are you will at least be at the 40% point required for passing so then just pick the two long questions that look the easiest (or your preferred subjects).
 
Just this moment posted off my EMA for my first level 3 module (DU301). Had to use an expensive post service as it has to be there Friday - couldn't risk it being late.
So just 60 more points to go, via a module that begins in February next year ans we're there.
 
_Andyh_ said:
The exam is split into three parts. A is multiple choice, first five questions are worth 1% each and then twenty questions are worth 2% each for a total of 45%, Part B is worth 15% and is a simple graph plotting exercise with a few tasks like working out the gradient, intercept and rearrange a simple equation. Part C is worth 40%, there are four questions worth 20% each (you pick any two), and these are longer essay type ones similar to the TMA's, though to be honest you don't have to write much at all.
You get three hours in total for the exam which seemed like plenty of time, after sections A and B chances are you will at least be at the 40% point required for passing so then just pick the two long questions that look the easiest (or your preferred subjects).
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Excellent thanks, where did you sit the exam, lots of people?
 
My M250 exam tomorrow at 2:30, feeling kinda meh about it. Hand writing code is annoying. All my TMAs and EMA bar one have been mid 80s+ so I know I can do it but when it comes to an actual exam eeeek. To top it off GoogleDrive is down and I need my revision notes.
 
Cheers :D

I don't really use Dropbox - I wasn't sure if I'd missed something obvious or not. Thank you very much for uploading these :)
 
Has anyone else had their results yet? I got 77% for the exam, which is the only part that counts towards the module score.

I'm glad I've passed but a little disappointed not to get a distinction after my TMA scores (85% needed) - I think I spent too much time working on the TMAs and not enough revision for the exam, along with panicking a little not sticking to my strategy.

Oh well, it's a good learning experience and I'll aim to do better on my next two modules.
 
I've just finished my OU degree, BA with hons in History. Took me 6 years and it was as hard as nails, particularly the last 3 where I was having to double-up as full-time daddy daycare for my 3 year old son. I am awaiting result of my final EMA which is due in September before I can graduate.

I am extremely proud to have got this far. I went into the degree thinking I would end up with a first, being older and wiser and all that jazz. How wrong was I. Parts of it were incredibly interesting, particularly the heritage aspect and the final module which was local history and pretty topical, but the rest of it was broad, far ranging and extremely challenging. I also doubled up with two modules, resulting in 120 points over the single year, but that was a nightmare. I also failed two exams which I had to resit, and that resulted in stress on a scale I do not wish to repeat.

I am really proud of myself to have actually finished a degree. Let's just hope I have done enough to warrant a pass ;) It was a personal challenge and one I never thought I would have had to guts to do. Would I do it again knowing what I know now? Nooooo way, never again. I wouldn't even recommend it particularly if you lead a busy life. Expensive, stressful and reduced me to tears on a few occasions.
 
philstanbridge said:
I've just finished my OU degree, BA with hons in History. Took me 6 years and it was as hard as nails, particularly the last 3 where I was having to double-up as full-time daddy daycare for my 3 year old son. I am awaiting result of my final EMA which is due in September before I can graduate.

I am extremely proud to have got this far. I went into the degree thinking I would end up with a first, being older and wiser and all that jazz. How wrong was I. Parts of it were incredibly interesting, particularly the heritage aspect and the final module which was local history and pretty topical, but the rest of it was broad, far ranging and extremely challenging. I also doubled up with two modules, resulting in 120 points over the single year, but that was a nightmare. I also failed two exams which I had to resit, and that resulted in stress on a scale I do not wish to repeat.

I am really proud of myself to have actually finished a degree. Let's just hope I have done enough to warrant a pass ;) It was a personal challenge and one I never thought I would have had to guts to do. Would I do it again knowing what I know now? Nooooo way, never again. I wouldn't even recommend it particularly if you lead a busy life. Expensive, stressful and reduced me to tears on a few occasions.
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Congratulations on completing it, I'm certainly beginning to appreciate how challenging balancing it all is!

I'm aiming for a first or at a minimum a 2:1 and am trying to use my free summer months to do preparation for the following October modules and picking modules that interest me.

I'm definitely not going to study 120 credits over one year! If I have to I will extend the length of my study to ensure I get the classification I want as it's crucial that I attain it.
 
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