| Open University 16:55 - Oct 21 with 5442 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
Has anyone studied with the OU? I would really like to study further to improve myself on a personal level as much as a professional level and I regret not having gone on to get a degree when I left school. However I am a bit worried that having not studied for over 7 years I may not be academic enough, despite considering myself to be fairly intelligent.
Does anyone have any experiences with the OU? If so, what age were you when you started? How do you keep yourself motivated and focussed for 3, 4, 5 years? |  |
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| Open University on 16:58 - Oct 21 with 5432 views | footers |
Where do you live and what are you interested in studying? |  |
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| Open University on 17:06 - Oct 21 with 5425 views | WeWereZombies |
I was in my mid-40s when I started, it was useful to me to be able to study and keep on earning but I think my family life suffered. You need to be motivated AND a self-starter with a good bit of time management thrown in.
I started out planning to do a physics degree with a general science unit - went excellent and upgraded my Grammar School physics, chemistry and biology 'O' level knowledge a great deal but as I moved onto astronomy and physics units at the next level I realised my maths wasn't up to it - arithmetical genius, mathematical dunce, I am the living proof it is possible.
So I switched to philosophy and didn't look back as I finished my ordinary degree, got an Honours and forged on to Masters, a poor Masters but a Masters all the same. Not a blind bit of use career wise but very enriching in terms of living life.
Also, the OU isn't as cheap as it used to be. |  |
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| Open University on 17:10 - Oct 21 with 5411 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
| Open University on 17:06 - Oct 21 by WeWereZombies |
I was in my mid-40s when I started, it was useful to me to be able to study and keep on earning but I think my family life suffered. You need to be motivated AND a self-starter with a good bit of time management thrown in.
I started out planning to do a physics degree with a general science unit - went excellent and upgraded my Grammar School physics, chemistry and biology 'O' level knowledge a great deal but as I moved onto astronomy and physics units at the next level I realised my maths wasn't up to it - arithmetical genius, mathematical dunce, I am the living proof it is possible.
So I switched to philosophy and didn't look back as I finished my ordinary degree, got an Honours and forged on to Masters, a poor Masters but a Masters all the same. Not a blind bit of use career wise but very enriching in terms of living life.
Also, the OU isn't as cheap as it used to be. |
What an achievement!
How many years did the initial degree take you? How did you fit it in? Was it a case of doing an hour or two every day after work and some longer sessions at the weekend, for example? | |
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| Open University on 17:14 - Oct 21 with 5400 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
| Open University on 16:58 - Oct 21 by footers |
Where do you live and what are you interested in studying? |
I live in Suffolk. My main interests include history and language, so one of those. Although I am more interested in history I can remember finding it quite difficult at A-Level from the academic point of view, and so I think a degree, although fascinating, might be pushing it a bit. I am considering their English Language & Literature degree. [Post edited 21 Oct 2017 17:15]
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| Open University on 17:26 - Oct 21 with 5364 views | hoskerdu |
| Open University on 17:14 - Oct 21 by ThisIsMyUsername |
I live in Suffolk. My main interests include history and language, so one of those. Although I am more interested in history I can remember finding it quite difficult at A-Level from the academic point of view, and so I think a degree, although fascinating, might be pushing it a bit. I am considering their English Language & Literature degree. [Post edited 21 Oct 2017 17:15]
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My partner did that exact same degree with the OU recently, it took her six years to do. It was a lot of hard work but very rewarding as it has allowed her to change careers and become a teacher.
She did all of it on top of a full-time job and for most of it was a single mum. The graduation ceremony was quite emotional and far more memorable than my own 20 years before as people has obviously sacrificed a lot to achieve it.
I did one Stats OU module a few years ago which is about one twelfth of a degree and even that was quite hard work. [Post edited 21 Oct 2017 17:27]
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| Open University on 17:30 - Oct 21 with 5352 views | WeWereZombies |
| Open University on 17:10 - Oct 21 by ThisIsMyUsername |
What an achievement!
How many years did the initial degree take you? How did you fit it in? Was it a case of doing an hour or two every day after work and some longer sessions at the weekend, for example? |
All of those and other things too - I took up a job that was only supposed to be three days a week to start with but it developed into a full time job very quickly so that was something else to time manage. Separation and divorce put the plans on hold for a few years but I came back to it more disciplined and found the subject I was most interested in and that gave me a 'toolbox' for negotiating life's ups and downs even if it didn't provide a career (and being an academic would drive me up the wall anyway). Thanks for the compliment by the way, although by the end it felt like something that I just got through and was glad to put behind me!
Oh, and how long did it take? As I said I had a long break in the middle as well as changing direction - 13 years!! Feck, I've never reflected on that before, should have gone mountaineering instead... | |
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| Open University on 17:39 - Oct 21 with 5327 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
| Open University on 17:30 - Oct 21 by WeWereZombies |
All of those and other things too - I took up a job that was only supposed to be three days a week to start with but it developed into a full time job very quickly so that was something else to time manage. Separation and divorce put the plans on hold for a few years but I came back to it more disciplined and found the subject I was most interested in and that gave me a 'toolbox' for negotiating life's ups and downs even if it didn't provide a career (and being an academic would drive me up the wall anyway). Thanks for the compliment by the way, although by the end it felt like something that I just got through and was glad to put behind me!
Oh, and how long did it take? As I said I had a long break in the middle as well as changing direction - 13 years!! Feck, I've never reflected on that before, should have gone mountaineering instead... |
That's quite an experience. 13 years - blimey!
I suppose the key is to choose a subject that interests you and then see it as an opportunity to learn more about said subject, rather than a laborious process to get a qualification at the end of. | |
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| Open University on 17:42 - Oct 21 with 5321 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
| Open University on 17:26 - Oct 21 by hoskerdu |
My partner did that exact same degree with the OU recently, it took her six years to do. It was a lot of hard work but very rewarding as it has allowed her to change careers and become a teacher.
She did all of it on top of a full-time job and for most of it was a single mum. The graduation ceremony was quite emotional and far more memorable than my own 20 years before as people has obviously sacrificed a lot to achieve it.
I did one Stats OU module a few years ago which is about one twelfth of a degree and even that was quite hard work. [Post edited 21 Oct 2017 17:27]
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How old would she have been when she started, if you don't mind me asking?
Thanks for sharing her experience. It's quite inspiring to hear how some people manage to fit it in! | |
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| Open University on 17:43 - Oct 21 with 5316 views | BlueBadger |
Currently 3 weeks into one and the level of self-discipline needed to do one is just setting in. There is a frankly, astonishing amount o f work involved in one and it's by no means an easy option.
That said, the support and availability from the tutors is if anything, considerably better than 'proper' universities.
I wouldn't worry too much about not being 'academic enough', both of the two modules Im currently study do look to try and break you in gently to the skills and techniques needed for degree-level writing and work. [Post edited 21 Oct 2017 17:44]
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| Open University on 17:47 - Oct 21 with 5316 views | factual_blue |
I did my Masters with them when I was nearly 60. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm now starting get to put pen to paper for my PhD proposal.
Go for it |  |
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| Open University on 17:55 - Oct 21 with 5293 views | GeoffSentence |
| Open University on 17:06 - Oct 21 by WeWereZombies |
I was in my mid-40s when I started, it was useful to me to be able to study and keep on earning but I think my family life suffered. You need to be motivated AND a self-starter with a good bit of time management thrown in.
I started out planning to do a physics degree with a general science unit - went excellent and upgraded my Grammar School physics, chemistry and biology 'O' level knowledge a great deal but as I moved onto astronomy and physics units at the next level I realised my maths wasn't up to it - arithmetical genius, mathematical dunce, I am the living proof it is possible.
So I switched to philosophy and didn't look back as I finished my ordinary degree, got an Honours and forged on to Masters, a poor Masters but a Masters all the same. Not a blind bit of use career wise but very enriching in terms of living life.
Also, the OU isn't as cheap as it used to be. |
I was studying with the OU, but gave it up when Cameron's first government, shortly after getting in to power whacked the prices up. Think it went up something like 50%. |  |
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| Open University on 18:00 - Oct 21 with 5260 views | hoskerdu |
| Open University on 17:42 - Oct 21 by ThisIsMyUsername |
How old would she have been when she started, if you don't mind me asking?
Thanks for sharing her experience. It's quite inspiring to hear how some people manage to fit it in! |
She would have been in her late thirties when she started, not sure I could have managed it myself! | | | |
| Open University on 18:07 - Oct 21 with 5238 views | footers |
| Open University on 17:14 - Oct 21 by ThisIsMyUsername |
I live in Suffolk. My main interests include history and language, so one of those. Although I am more interested in history I can remember finding it quite difficult at A-Level from the academic point of view, and so I think a degree, although fascinating, might be pushing it a bit. I am considering their English Language & Literature degree. [Post edited 21 Oct 2017 17:15]
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Asking about location as you can apply for a mature student loan which seems to be a bit more generous than the standard. Not sure if you'd be up for moving about though? So, maybe OU the best route.
Have had excellent experiences with Birkbeck in London. They really do tailor their courses around people's working lives, and have a very talented teaching staff. Hope you can find something similar.
I remember speaking to you about learning Polish (how did that go, btw?) and see your passion for language. You probably need to focus on the exact area you want to go into.
FWIW, I did a year of a Russian degree before swapping to Politics/Philosophy. There's not much value (jobswise anyway) of a language degree. You find out that people from whichever country you're trying to learn the language of are lightyears ahead and will do the translation for half the price. But it's no reason to not learn it independently.
A lot of the time degrees are just used to take a step up in terms of the job market. People do them to get better positions. Depends if that's what you're looking for, or you want to learn something that may not help you out in that way.
Just as a little aside, I'm so happy threads like this come up. Adult education in this country is greatly neglected, and people should always look to the OU or anywhere else if they want to learn a new skill. There's always time. Huge respect. | |
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| Open University on 18:33 - Oct 21 with 5207 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
| Open University on 18:07 - Oct 21 by footers |
Asking about location as you can apply for a mature student loan which seems to be a bit more generous than the standard. Not sure if you'd be up for moving about though? So, maybe OU the best route.
Have had excellent experiences with Birkbeck in London. They really do tailor their courses around people's working lives, and have a very talented teaching staff. Hope you can find something similar.
I remember speaking to you about learning Polish (how did that go, btw?) and see your passion for language. You probably need to focus on the exact area you want to go into.
FWIW, I did a year of a Russian degree before swapping to Politics/Philosophy. There's not much value (jobswise anyway) of a language degree. You find out that people from whichever country you're trying to learn the language of are lightyears ahead and will do the translation for half the price. But it's no reason to not learn it independently.
A lot of the time degrees are just used to take a step up in terms of the job market. People do them to get better positions. Depends if that's what you're looking for, or you want to learn something that may not help you out in that way.
Just as a little aside, I'm so happy threads like this come up. Adult education in this country is greatly neglected, and people should always look to the OU or anywhere else if they want to learn a new skill. There's always time. Huge respect. |
I wouldn't consider moving around at this time to be honest, which is why the OU is jumping out at me.
The Polish was hard... I learnt a few phrases and a very basic idea of some of the simple verb conjugation, but I must admit I stopped after a few weeks. You can obviously speak Russian, then? That's brilliant.
When I say 'languages' in this context, I mean the English degree that I've been looking at. It would be the most useful in terms of a possible long-term career route I have in mind.
Thanks for the advice! [Post edited 21 Oct 2017 18:42]
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| Open University on 18:34 - Oct 21 with 5204 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
| Open University on 17:43 - Oct 21 by BlueBadger |
Currently 3 weeks into one and the level of self-discipline needed to do one is just setting in. There is a frankly, astonishing amount o f work involved in one and it's by no means an easy option.
That said, the support and availability from the tutors is if anything, considerably better than 'proper' universities.
I wouldn't worry too much about not being 'academic enough', both of the two modules Im currently study do look to try and break you in gently to the skills and techniques needed for degree-level writing and work. [Post edited 21 Oct 2017 17:44]
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Good to hear you've had a positive experience so far. What are you studying? | |
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| Open University on 18:36 - Oct 21 with 5197 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
| Open University on 17:47 - Oct 21 by factual_blue |
I did my Masters with them when I was nearly 60. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm now starting get to put pen to paper for my PhD proposal.
Go for it |
Good luck, Facters!
Thanks for the encouragement. | |
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| Open University on 18:42 - Oct 21 with 5179 views | BlueBadger |
| Open University on 18:34 - Oct 21 by ThisIsMyUsername |
Good to hear you've had a positive experience so far. What are you studying? |
Upgrading my DiPHe into the full nursing degree. Currently doing two 'little' modules before two big 'uns next year. | |
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| Open University on 18:57 - Oct 21 with 5140 views | jeera |
Having not been to school for a while I took one of their Access courses earlier this year, as I am interested in moving onto a degree when the opportunity arises. (IF). I simply cannot afford it atm anyway.
The course was spread over 30 weeks, including a couple of 'breaks'. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would suggest it if you need a bit of a confidence booster, but also Jono, as a way of introducing the way they work chap; you know, breaking you in if you like, getting used to the tutorship style too and by the end you'd feel confident using their site and resources etc.
Take a look at it anyway. |  |
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| Open University on 22:13 - Oct 21 with 4987 views | Ryorry |
I was deemed "not University material" by my school at 15, and left a few days before my 16th birthday with 3 'O' levels - English Language, History & Art (B & two 'C's iirc). Never got the chance to take 'A' levels, nor did I want to. Hated school.
In teens & 20s took secretarial & then social work (CQSW, 2-year non Uni course back then) qualifications. Worked in those jobs (and also a variety of unskilled/manual work jobs in my teens - riding stables, au pair, factory etc, which I quite enjoyed).
When 27, I had to take several months off my work as a probation officer to lie flat on back, housebound, due to a failed low back op. Didn't want to waste the time, so decided to take the OU's Arts Foundation course (A101 if anyone remembers) to pursue my always latent interest in the arts. Loved & took to it like a duck to water, got a distinction much to my amazement. Jumped to a 3rd level course (20th C poetry), which I loved even more; then Drama - etc etc. Cut a long story short, ended up with a 1st class hons & invitation to do PhD (which I had to decline, lack of funding & mobility problems pre-internet). Some of the happiest years of my life! incredibly stimulating, met loads of lovely people, inspiring tutors (two of whom became personal friends), whale of a time at summer school, brilliant memories.
Above all, it taught me how to think independently and critically, conduct an argument properly, source references, and look at things from a variety of angles (yeah yeah, I know it doesn't always look like that these days on here!  . Yes, it was incredibly hard work (and in one way I was lucky that during many of the years I was taking courses, I wasn't working, hence I think the high marks I got) - but it was more rewarding than I can ever describe, and gave me a confidence I'd never in my life had previously.
Go for it Jono! |  |
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| Open University on 22:43 - Oct 21 with 4952 views | Steve_M |
| Open University on 17:14 - Oct 21 by ThisIsMyUsername |
I live in Suffolk. My main interests include history and language, so one of those. Although I am more interested in history I can remember finding it quite difficult at A-Level from the academic point of view, and so I think a degree, although fascinating, might be pushing it a bit. I am considering their English Language & Literature degree. [Post edited 21 Oct 2017 17:15]
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Don't let A level history a few years back put you of getting a history degree and joining the board elite.
I struggled through A levels, mainly because GCSEs were too easy, made a mess of them, but decided history was what I really wanted to study. I had to be selective in choice of uni but once in I loved the history and learnt how to analyse and assess sources properly.
None of that reads across to where you are obviously but a) definitely go for the OU if it'll benefit you, you're really not too old and b) do what you'll enjoy most, it'll be easier to motivate yourself. |  |
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| Open University on 11:21 - Oct 22 with 4807 views | Ryorry |
| Open University on 22:43 - Oct 21 by Steve_M |
Don't let A level history a few years back put you of getting a history degree and joining the board elite.
I struggled through A levels, mainly because GCSEs were too easy, made a mess of them, but decided history was what I really wanted to study. I had to be selective in choice of uni but once in I loved the history and learnt how to analyse and assess sources properly.
None of that reads across to where you are obviously but a) definitely go for the OU if it'll benefit you, you're really not too old and b) do what you'll enjoy most, it'll be easier to motivate yourself. |
I don't know how you were taught history at school, but when I started with the OU I found it amazing that I (and maybe most/all of my generation at school in 50s/60s) simply weren't taught any of the basics - how to research, look at & assess primary & secondary sources etc etc. [Post edited 22 Oct 2017 11:23]
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| Open University on 15:22 - Oct 22 with 4740 views | WeWereZombies |
| Open University on 11:21 - Oct 22 by Ryorry |
I don't know how you were taught history at school, but when I started with the OU I found it amazing that I (and maybe most/all of my generation at school in 50s/60s) simply weren't taught any of the basics - how to research, look at & assess primary & secondary sources etc etc. [Post edited 22 Oct 2017 11:23]
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Reasonable point but bear in mind that our serious history lessons started when we were eleven or twelve, still a bit young to compare historiography with it's subject matter of history. Dear old Mr. Cousins at Northgate Boys knew that we were more likely to engage with spoonerisms 'Now boys, we need to get the books out of the cupboard down the corridor and for that I need some fetchers and carters, some cetchers and...well, anyway boys, let's get the books'. | |
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