A-levels via distance learning

duchy

omelette451 wrote: »

True, but what if, like the OP, you think you may be interested in history or maths... Or have always wondered what psychologists or sociologists do all day... Or astronomers, for that matter...

Incidentally, what happens if you do know you want to study history? Do you still have to do the humanities course in music and literature?

If you want it to count towards an eventual degree-then yes. In the first year you do.
I was a bit dubious when I did it but ended up a total convert to the interdisciplinary style of study as it was all taught to illustrate how all the disciplines influenced each other. I really did struggle with the music unit (I discovered I'm genuinely tone deaf ) but passed the module (just opted NOT to answer an exam question on the topic) and I had never studied philosophy or art-history before and got hooked on both. after two years of OU study I moved to a traditional uni and found the teaching much narrower and less stimulating

omelette451

duchy wrote: »

after two years of OU study I moved to a traditional uni and found the teaching much narrower and less stimulating

Scotland still operates on the principle of a 'rounded education', especially in first year. Newcastle University offers a 'General' course that is much the same thing.

Zziggi

I have always found A-levels to be far harder than university-level studies. Done old fashioned A-levels (no coursework just couple of big exams at the end), done new style AS &A2 A-levels (coursework, 5 mini-exams throughout the 2 years) and university-level studies (traditional red brick uni & OU).

If i was given the choice of A-level or an OU course, I'd go for the OU course everytime.

omelette451

Zziggi wrote: »

I have always found A-levels to be far harder than university-level studies. Done old fashioned A-levels (no coursework just couple of big exams at the end), done new style AS &A2 A-levels (coursework, 5 mini-exams throughout the 2 years)

Not necessarily. A-levels are made up of six modules, which many students take at various stages of the two-year course, but it's perfectly possible to leave them all take them at the end, as with the old-fashioned ones (i.e. all around the same time). Some schools actually do it this way, though thankfully mine didn't.