Associate
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- 22 Dec 2012
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- 306
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- Durham, UK
OU is great especially for people who have limited free time away from work/family.
Open University
- Thread starter Wayne~
- Start date
How did you get on with TMA03 ? got 81% which i am happy with. Book 4 has ramped up nicely, probably enjoying this book the most so far.
Actually finding more time to study now as i don't get to sleep much anymore
I did well thanks, I got 93% which is more than I was expecting.
Book 4 definitely has picked up the pace, as I only took chemistry as far as GCSE I've had to write notes to remind myself of pretty much every term and definition, I doubt I'll score as highly on the next TMA.
Excellent stuff, 93% is very good. I'm fairly sure i won't score as highly on 4 either, will be happy with 60+ to be honest.
Are you going to the day schools ?
Associate
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- 22 Dec 2012
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- Durham, UK
Fantastic!
I've not been able to get to one yet as each one has landed on a day that I have been working - I have joined one of the OU Live tutorials though and should hopefully be able to attend some of the revision sessions.
Thanks!
Just another bump to provide an update - I'm very happy with my result for TMA04, 92%.
I found that I did have to spend closer to 20 hours, but very much enjoyed studying hydrocarbons, functional groups etc.
I'm probably spending around 20 hours a week again for book 5 (biology), again it's a lot more enjoyable than I had anticipated.
_Andyh_ how are you finding the conservation activity? Our tutor group has until the 4th of March to come to a conlclusion and so far the discussion has been taken off topic slightly as people are now discussing the potential consequences of extinction rather than the factors we are advised to discuss.
I found that I did have to spend closer to 20 hours, but very much enjoyed studying hydrocarbons, functional groups etc.
I'm probably spending around 20 hours a week again for book 5 (biology), again it's a lot more enjoyable than I had anticipated.
_Andyh_ how are you finding the conservation activity? Our tutor group has until the 4th of March to come to a conlclusion and so far the discussion has been taken off topic slightly as people are now discussing the potential consequences of extinction rather than the factors we are advised to discuss.
Associate
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- 28 Jan 2010
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- 83
- Location
- Cambridge
Employers really like people who did degrees though OU as it shows a great commitment. I have lectured and have had friends do OU degrees and know they say it was hard but definitely helped them. One became a internet security specialist after his OU masters degree.
Just another update, I got 85% on TMA05 (Biology) which I'm very pleased with as I was a little behind with the work.
As I had already passed this part of the course, I decided to omit TMA06 so I could concentrate on reading through previous books whilst reading books 6,7 and 8 as there is a lot of referencing.
I have to admit I'm really struggling with all of the geology in book 6 and 8, my brain just switches off when it starts going into grain sizes etc.
Book 7 was brilliant, which is a relief considering I'm on the physics pathway -I've been watching the Feynman lectures on QED alongside this and thoroughly recommend them. The exam is in just over two weeks, this year has gone quickly!
As I had already passed this part of the course, I decided to omit TMA06 so I could concentrate on reading through previous books whilst reading books 6,7 and 8 as there is a lot of referencing.
I have to admit I'm really struggling with all of the geology in book 6 and 8, my brain just switches off when it starts going into grain sizes etc.
Book 7 was brilliant, which is a relief considering I'm on the physics pathway -I've been watching the Feynman lectures on QED alongside this and thoroughly recommend them. The exam is in just over two weeks, this year has gone quickly!
Associate
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- 22 Jan 2008
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- 1,246
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- Sheffield
I'm one EMA off finishing my first 120 credits - taken and passed well a 60 credit and two 30 credit modules towards a degree in Business Studies.
It's fun so far. Think it's going to be a big step up to level 2 in October!
It's fun so far. Think it's going to be a big step up to level 2 in October!
Excellent results on TMA's 4 and 5, dropped the ball slightly on 4 due to various child and work related issues, only got 43%. Did better on TMA05 with 79%, so far book 5 has been my fave overall especially the stuff on DNA mutation.
Still waiting on my result for TMA06 though i have also already passed what i need to. Have to agree on the geology stuff, doesn't help im not really interested in it. Just need to decide what two areas to focus on for part C of the exam. Doesn't help im going on holiday this Saturday for a week!!!
Still waiting on my result for TMA06 though i have also already passed what i need to. Have to agree on the geology stuff, doesn't help im not really interested in it. Just need to decide what two areas to focus on for part C of the exam. Doesn't help im going on holiday this Saturday for a week!!!
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Associate
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- 28 Apr 2014
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- 63
I did an OU degree too years ago (maths and software development) I rate it as excellent. The level one courses are a bit retarded but level 3 is hard work and there is no real short cut. I also previously had a BSC and then did a PhD but I rate OU as the best of all them.
Associate
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- 28 Apr 2014
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- 63
We rate them as we know it shows a long commitment. At 17 or 18 going to University in the traditional way meant cramming for exams and the rest of the time in the pub
Just coming to the end of my first level 3 module.
I've got a 4000 word essay to complete and post so it arrives at the OU before the 6th of June.
Wouldn't mind if it could all be written based on the course materials, however around 35% of it has to be from external sources and we have to source those ourselves.
Been difficult - currently just outside the grade 2 pass on this, but literally by about 2%. So if the grade boundaries aren't moved for this one I may ask to have a couple of my TMA's remarked to try and gain that odd 2%.
Just 1 more 60pt Level 3 to go!
I've got a 4000 word essay to complete and post so it arrives at the OU before the 6th of June.
Wouldn't mind if it could all be written based on the course materials, however around 35% of it has to be from external sources and we have to source those ourselves.
Been difficult - currently just outside the grade 2 pass on this, but literally by about 2%. So if the grade boundaries aren't moved for this one I may ask to have a couple of my TMA's remarked to try and gain that odd 2%.
Just 1 more 60pt Level 3 to go!
I was considering doing more academic development - i've got a BSc and a MSc (got a distinction) - i've tried to get on fee-paid part-time PhDs, and even though i'm about 1 of 5 people in the country who have a distinction @ MSc in my area, they're totally not interested in providing funding.
The academics appear to want either full-time students (on a £10-13k tax-free stipend) or students who will pay themselves. Neither is helpful to me!
The academics appear to want either full-time students (on a £10-13k tax-free stipend) or students who will pay themselves. Neither is helpful to me!
Working towards a BSc in computing and IT, have so far completed MU123, TU100, have M250 exam Thursday and and working on M256 alongside it.
The materials are generally good, tutors are usually quick to respond to messages, the course forums are always active so you can get help from other students, they do tutorials online and in some schools/colleges on occasion which are useful and worth attending.
Overall pretty happy with it all and would recommend it if you can fit it around your normal working life. I think a 30 point course is roughly 10 hours a week or so and a bit more around the time assignments are due.
So far for me I have had to do TMAs which are teacher marked assignments, some I have had to submit online (the IT ones) and the maths ones I had to send in post, get results within 2 weeks. You get some ICMAs, which are online ones, generally multiple choice and some need workings out. You get a mix of the two per course, well I have so far, and this is the first exam I will have to sit.
There are specimen papers available for you to get a look at what to expect and attempt to do whilst revising. Some parts of the course are really boring and other parts are more interesting, when it gets boring (which is subjective I admit) motivation can be hard but I say if you can, do it.
The materials are generally good, tutors are usually quick to respond to messages, the course forums are always active so you can get help from other students, they do tutorials online and in some schools/colleges on occasion which are useful and worth attending.
Overall pretty happy with it all and would recommend it if you can fit it around your normal working life. I think a 30 point course is roughly 10 hours a week or so and a bit more around the time assignments are due.
So far for me I have had to do TMAs which are teacher marked assignments, some I have had to submit online (the IT ones) and the maths ones I had to send in post, get results within 2 weeks. You get some ICMAs, which are online ones, generally multiple choice and some need workings out. You get a mix of the two per course, well I have so far, and this is the first exam I will have to sit.
There are specimen papers available for you to get a look at what to expect and attempt to do whilst revising. Some parts of the course are really boring and other parts are more interesting, when it gets boring (which is subjective I admit) motivation can be hard but I say if you can, do it.
My 2 cents.
I have a bachelors and a masters from a well ranked regular university. I have undertaken some OU modules to fill gaps in knowledge and general interest (mix of level 2s and 3s, in physics, maths, and computing)... sometimes there was some overlap in the OU material and my university material.
The OU material is generally quite clear, often much clearer than some of my lectures, and the OU really makes it easy to learn. However, the textbooks sometimes seemed to avoid more complex examples... some fo the TMAs and the exams did seem to ask more complicated questions than the worked examples in the text though.
If I was going to any sort of employment judgement on it... I would say that the OU material seems easier than what I ran into at my regular university experiment, however, I think trying to do a OU degree whilst working full time would be speak volumes about any candidate.
I have a bachelors and a masters from a well ranked regular university. I have undertaken some OU modules to fill gaps in knowledge and general interest (mix of level 2s and 3s, in physics, maths, and computing)... sometimes there was some overlap in the OU material and my university material.
The OU material is generally quite clear, often much clearer than some of my lectures, and the OU really makes it easy to learn. However, the textbooks sometimes seemed to avoid more complex examples... some fo the TMAs and the exams did seem to ask more complicated questions than the worked examples in the text though.
If I was going to any sort of employment judgement on it... I would say that the OU material seems easier than what I ran into at my regular university experiment, however, I think trying to do a OU degree whilst working full time would be speak volumes about any candidate.
Does anyone have text books for TU100 or B120 that they no longer need? I'm weighing up the pros/cons of the OU versus full/part-time study at a regular University. The text books would help me get a better idea of the course content, the pacing (i.e. do I take one module at a time, or two?) and (should I decide to go with the OU) it would allow me to get a few months head start on the course. I've studied with the OU before, but I bit off way more than I could chew. I really don't want to make the same mistake twice as I only just scraped through.