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Transferring to OU from a Scottish Uni after second year - advice sought
alyth
Posts: 2,671 Forumite
I know it's late but in my defence I didn't finish work until an hour ago!
Quick background info - I'm a mature student studying history and politics at a Scottish Uni. Upon completion of second year I will have gained a DipHE in History and Politics, having gained a CertHE from first year.
According to the OU's website I can transfer 240 credits to study with them. However, how do I know how many credits I have in order to be able to transfer? I am going to contact the OU but can't do it until Tuesday at the earliest, but I wondered whether any one had been in this situation? The OU's site says that in their case scenario a student had gained an HND and was able to transfer, but I don't have an HND - generally up here students tend to do HNC/HND/then two years of study - so I'm figuring I will have the equivalent of an HND but how on earth do I work out the points?
Advice very gratefully received! Thanks.
Quick background info - I'm a mature student studying history and politics at a Scottish Uni. Upon completion of second year I will have gained a DipHE in History and Politics, having gained a CertHE from first year.
According to the OU's website I can transfer 240 credits to study with them. However, how do I know how many credits I have in order to be able to transfer? I am going to contact the OU but can't do it until Tuesday at the earliest, but I wondered whether any one had been in this situation? The OU's site says that in their case scenario a student had gained an HND and was able to transfer, but I don't have an HND - generally up here students tend to do HNC/HND/then two years of study - so I'm figuring I will have the equivalent of an HND but how on earth do I work out the points?
Advice very gratefully received! Thanks.
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Comments
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You have to put in a credit transfer application and include details of your current course - learning outcomes and the like.
From the content of your current course, they will assess how many points you have towards a named degree and also an open degree.
They seem reluctant to give many points towards named degrees, so you are unlikely to get any more than 60 (or 120) level one credits unless your course is very similar to one they run.
However, you are likely to get 240 credits towards an open degree.
It can take up to 12 weeks for a decision too (mine took around 6 weeks and I'm led to believe that was very quick.)
That's just from my experience and people I know of though.
There is definitely no way of knowing for sure until you apply.0 -
Definitely phone them, first year at a Scottish university is different to a first year at an English university.0
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Don't you already have some OU credits?0
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You can get credit transferred from a DipHE but you'll have to contact the OU to find out how they calculate it.
http://www3.open.ac.uk/credit-transfer/academic/inst000131.shtm
If you are certain you want to leave your university and transfer to the OU there's no particular requirement to know how many credits you have as the OU will assess your application and make a decision on how many credits they will allow you to transfer.
You'll need an academic transcript from your university and it's likely that this will show the credit rating for the study you have completed. The OU will use this when assessing your transfer.
When you apply for your transfer you have the choice of asking for credits to be considered towards a named degree providing that degree programme accepts credit transfers (it should tell you in the degree information on the OU website) or towards an Open degree.
If you ask to be assessed towards a named degree you will also be assessed towards an Open degree so if there's a named degree you'd like to work towards it is worth asking to be assessed towards it as it doesn't do any harm.
In order to be assessed towards a named degree you need to provide syllabus information whereas for an Open degree you do not.
HTH0 -
A DipHE and an HND are basically the same thing, equivalent to 2 years of degree level study so I agree with bestpud that you're likely to be awarded 240 points.0
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Oldernotwiser wrote: »A DipHE and an HND are basically the same thing, equivalent to 2 years of degree level study so I agree with bestpud that you're likely to be awarded 240 points.
That seems a bit odd given that another 2 years study would be required in order to get a degree in Scotland. Maybe the DipHE from a Scottish University is not worh as much as one in England?0 -
That seems a bit odd given that another 2 years study would be required in order to get a degree in Scotland. Maybe the DipHE from a Scottish University is not worh as much as one in England?
I thought that the difference in the Scottish system was that you were awarded a degree after 3 years' study but you needed 4 for an honours degree?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diploma_of_Higher_Education
http://www.ucas.com/students/wheretostart/heexplained/coursetypes
http://www.notgoingtouni.co.uk/advice/view/60/All_qualifications_explained0 -
Oldernotwiser wrote: »I thought that the difference in the Scottish system was that you were awarded a degree after 3 years' study but you needed 4 for an honours degree?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diploma_of_Higher_Education
http://www.ucas.com/students/wheretostart/heexplained/coursetypes
http://www.notgoingtouni.co.uk/advice/view/60/All_qualifications_explained
After third year you can get an 'Ordinary' degree (if you want one), which is a qualification in its own right, but most people go on to get the Honours part.0 -
Thank you for all your replies. I had time today so rang the OU - basically it's as clear as mud but it is as everyone here has said. I need to get a transcript of what I've studied at my existing uni, send to the OU and they decide. I do have OU credits but of course the difficulty is going to be trying not to alert my uni that I'm wishing to do this. It's the OU's decision as to how many credits I'm awarded.
So a few decisions to make - quickly as the OU advisor said that things are changing with them in May, so I would have to be registered on a course by then.
I appreciate your replies, thanks again.0 -
It doesn't matter if you alert your current uni or not. Even if you decide later not to do it, they can't do anything about you considering leaving... What do you think they might do..? On the contrary, I'd suggest your personal tutor might be a great source of advice and support.Sealed Pot Challenge #239
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