Open University

[AndrewNR]

I'm in the final year of an OU computing degree. I found for level 1 (120 points) that you do not really need to spend 16-18 hours a week per module (30 points) to get a decent grade. I probably spent around half that time and got firsts in all the modules.

Level 3 and you definitely need to spend time reading the material (sometimes more than once) to understand it.

If you're schedule is busy now I wouldn't worry too much about it unless that will continue into level 2 and 3.

 

[Jonnybmac]

Its just currently I work dayshift, 7:30-4:15. but I commute just under an hour each way. I normally stay back 3 nights per week till 6, and work the occasional sunday. I also go to college on a wednesday to do CAD, Which I have finished this year, and will be completing one last year in October.

I'm currently in talks of moving from being a shop floor press operator, to actually moving into the design part of the special fabrications section of my workplace, where they use Inventor. I havnt mentioned the OU path, The talks were more aimed towards me just basically using CAD, but I would like to go further and deeper into it, doing stress analysis, understanding forces and so forth.

I'm worried if I start this course, I will be overwhelmed and not complete it. 18 hours work, for 6 years straight is a lot of commitment, and whilst I dont expect a degree to be handed to me, its something I dont want to jump feet first into, whilst also discussing it with the director of the company(plans to this week) then letting myself down by failing.

I would say I'm average in maths, a little rusty if I'm honest. I've been considering just lashing out loads of study into maths before october, to bring me up to par with what I assume with be a lot of mathimatical equations that will be above my head. I used to enjoy science and maths in school, and I beleive I will enjoy doing this degree, I just want that little bit of confidence to say yes, I can do this. I wouldnt mind taking a access course to prepare me, but the course I actually want to take is 6 years already and I dont really want to add another year to that and 600-800 pounds.

 

[AndrewNR]

Its just currently I work dayshift, 7:30-4:15. but I commute just under an hour each way. I normally stay back 3 nights per week till 6, and work the occasional sunday. I also go to college on a wednesday to do CAD, Which I have finished this year, and will be completing one last year in October.

I have worked 8:30-17:00 throughout the course and I now have a 7 month-old baby to consider for my final year, but as long as you can spare a couple of hours Mon-Fri and four or five hours at the weekends that should be enough.

That is me just doing 2 or 3 modules a year though (4 per level, 12 in total).

For the first year try as much as you can to get an idea of what you can cope with; the first year has no overall bearing on your final degree grade.[/QUOTE]

I'm currently in talks of moving from being a shop floor press operator, to actually moving into the design part of the special fabrications section of my workplace, where they use Inventor. I havnt mentioned the OU path, The talks were more aimed towards me just basically using CAD, but I would like to go further and deeper into it, doing stress analysis, understanding forces and so forth.

I'm worried if I start this course, I will be overwhelmed and not complete it. 18 hours work, for 6 years straight is a lot of commitment, and whilst I dont expect a degree to be handed to me, its something I dont want to jump feet first into, whilst also discussing it with the director of the company(plans to this week) then letting myself down by failing.

I would say I'm average in maths, a little rusty if I'm honest. I've been considering just lashing out loads of study into maths before october, to bring me up to par with what I assume with be a lot of mathimatical equations that will be above my head. I used to enjoy science and maths in school, and I beleive I will enjoy doing this degree, I just want that little bit of confidence to say yes, I can do this. I wouldnt mind taking a access course, to prepare me, but the course I actually want to take is 6 years already, I dont really want to add another year to that and 600-800 pounds.

6 years? I assume you will do 2 modules per year? As has been mentioned 2 modules at level 1 can easily be done doing only 6-8 hours a week for each module, so about 12-16 hours a week in total. This isn't all-year either; courses tend to start Jan/Feb and end Sep/Oct.

When I started my degree the fees were £450ish per module, but they have now doubled to £900ish per module. If you're already in your chosen career path are there specific courses you could do elsewhere? The stuff you learn at level 1 of the OU will be easy/pointless I'd imagine and that's 2 years/£3,600 gone.

You could pick and choose OU courses and do an Open Degree? I think you have about 9 years from start to finish to complete.

 

[Jonnybmac]

17 years I believe.

So with a proper degree, are you pushed for time and get deadlines, or is it all in your own time? Do you fall behind or is it basically try and get it done as quick as possible for your own benefit?

Im unsure, I would have to bring all this up to the director of the company, as well as speaking to the manager of design, who currently sits with a honours in mech engineering. I just assumed if I;m going to do it, I should atleast gop all the way and get a proper qualification out of it, I would love it, it would be an achievement and something to be proud of.. I just have a fear of failing... lack of confidence I assume due to always wanting to go to uni and never taking the step.

Many thanks for your help and insight by the way.

 

[HangTime]

I did a PGDip, took me 3.5 years, thoughts below:

+Good materials
+Study course at your own pace in terms of how many units you want to take on
+Well respected by employers
+Interesting/rewarding to learn new stuff

-Expensive, course was 120pts with most units being 15pts and costing about a grand each
-Relies on self motivation
-Only one unit had any face to face tutorials

Regarding finding the time to do it, I did a lot of work on TMAs etc during lunch breaks at work.

 

[SilverTongue]

Just enrolled on an Accounting course starting in October, just waiting for my passport/birth certificate to come back from IPS to finish my Student Finance application

 

[Dist]

So with a proper degree, are you pushed for time and get deadlines, or is it all in your own time? Do you fall behind or is it basically try and get it done as quick as possible for your own benefit?

There are some deadlines, for example most courses will have 4 to 6 TMAs (Tutor Marked Assignments), maybe some CMAs (Computer Marked Assignments) and possibly an exam/project at the end. These all have deadlines that you will have to submit your work before (you can ask for an extension if you have sufficient reason). Some courses (such as my CCNA course I did) also have day schools but you have a selection of dates which you can attend.

What rate you learn at is entirely up to you, most courses (at least from my experience) is your own work, it was very rare I had to do any team stuff, so if you wanted to you could study well ahead of schedule, or you could keep the suggested pace.

I was never really pushed for time, they are quite generous I found giving time to learn each area before an assignment, the only time I was rushed was when I had 3 exams in 1 week. You can rush ahead if you like, and personally as soon as I got my marks back from a previous assignment I started working on the next one right away (studying the material while waiting for the results). The only downside to rushing is that if you do need support of ask questions to your tutor/course group, not everyone may be up to where you are.

 

[Jonnybmac]

Im confused when people are saying per module (30 points), doing two modules and spending 6-9 hours on each, equating to 9-18 per week.

If people are doing 2 modules at a time equating to 60 points and 12-18 hours study, would that be more points over the year or is that expecting norm, to go at a pace of 60 per year?

If i set myself a target of 18-20 hours a week to try and stick by, from what im gathering, i should cut down my time drastically and be ahead of time, due to the first stage/level not being so intensive and time consuming as further on in the course?

 

[UncleRuckus]

Im confused when people are saying per module (30 points), doing two modules and spending 6-9 hours on each, equating to 9-18 per week.

If people are doing 2 modules at a time equating to 60 points and 12-18 hours study, would that be more points over the year or is that expecting norm, to go at a pace of 60 per year?

If i set myself a target of 18-20 hours a week to try and stick by, from what im gathering, i should cut down my time drastically and be ahead of time, due to the first stage/level not being so intensive and time consuming as further on in the course?

I would say that you would need to also include a few extra hours each week for assignments and engaging in the cited materials. I'm going at a rate of about 90 credits a year.

 

[ps3ud0]

Points per module vary but the expectation is to do 60 points a year, how much studying you require is obviously personal preference but I remember them saying that each point is rouglhly 10hours of work, so 60 would be 600.

Im personally trying to achieve 75points a year with a Engineering course as I have to finish it by Dec 2017, but I doubt Im doing enough hours per week, but Level 1 so far feels like A level stuff - Im expecting it to get harder for level 2 and 3 stuff but was advised that the amount of study you put in is gonna be around the same, just obviously theres an expectation that that work is based on prior knowledge gainsed from level 1.

ps3ud0

 

[beachBOYken]

thought I would bump this thread as I have question maybe someone can please answer.

I'm doing the access to success scheme and have just finished my stage 1 module.

The next stage is the module that is counted towards a qualification.

I'm thinking about doing an open degree , can this be done on the access to success scheme?

thanks

 

[Deiwos]

thought I would bump this thread as I have question maybe someone can please answer.

I'm doing the access to success scheme and have just finished my stage 1 module.

The next stage is the module that is counted towards a qualification.

I'm thinking about doing an open degree , can this be done on the access to success scheme?

thanks

Have you specified the degree? I work for the OU but I'm based in Scotland so it works quite a bit differently. I believe (reading through the ATS documentation I have) that you should've signed up to a degree when you signed up to ATS. The Open Degree is fine on ATS but if you signed up for ATS to a different degree I think you'll need to get your degree changed. Best thing I can suggest is contact the Student Registration and Enquiry Service on 0845 300 6090 as you'll need to speak to them to book your next module anyway.

 

[beachBOYken]

No nothing suggested that when I signed up , stage 2 of the scheme is when it suggests about your next module be put towards a qualification. As the first stage of access to success is a introduction to study if you like.

Will ring them tomorrow to find out

Thanks

 

[Jonnybmac]

I beleive from research, the access course is split into two sections. you can do the first, or both.

the first means nothing, its just to bring you up to scratch but the second is what you can use in realtion towards points for your degree, but it has to be related in the same subject

 

[ps3ud0]

Do we have a main OU thread on here? Love to hear some experiences of moving from Level 1 to Level 2 courses and how much additional effort that jump required...

ps3ud0

 

[philstanbridge]

Going to start the final module of my History BA in October. It has been extremely difficult! Managing work and childcare with studying. But once I graduate I will be over the moon. Quite an achievement for me.

It's a thoroughly worthwhile investment. Good luck!

 

[philstanbridge]

Do we have a main OU thread on here? Love to hear some experiences of moving from Level 1 to Level 2 courses and how much additional effort that jump required...

ps3ud0

I didn't find a huge difference between 1 & 2 but boy is there a jump between those and a Level 3.

 

[person]

I'm currently studying for a business degree with the ou and would really recommend them to anyone, they have worked out great for me and I'm doing really well so far.

 

[john_s]

boy is there a jump between those and a Level 3.

This.

I've not done any level 1, but there is a fair step between 2 and 3.

 

[Masterdog]

Do we have a main OU thread on here? Love to hear some experiences of moving from Level 1 to Level 2 courses and how much additional effort that jump required...

ps3ud0

Yeah Level 2 isn't much harder than Level 1, a bit more work maybe but it's not difficult. Level 3 is a bit harder, but for me the hardest thing was the final project I had to do. You're given very little guidance or information, and just left to get on with a project. You do get help along the way, but it's very weird starting from 'okay, so this really is completely up to me'.