Open University

Mirnish

I am starting my course in October. I just got my welcome pack today on how to prepare myself for study so gonna have a look through that. I am excited about the prospect of being able to study and work at the same time.

I hope I will enjoy the course
I am going to be studying Social Sciences

KT1985

I am just finishing an Advanced Diploma in Language and Literacy with the OU- I have loved it.

I am also going to miss it after next week when my research project goes off for marking, I had planned another unit from September to push towards the 2 units I need for my MEd, but I am having a baby in February, right when a tma needs to be in and planning for dissertations need to happen, so I am taking time out.

The course materials are great, but I do see how some people can't get on with it- it is hard to discipline yourself. Even at postgrad level they aren't keen on you reading around too much, but mainly because there is so much you can expand on from the course materials. I agree that tutors are hit and miss, last years was fantastic, this one not so imo, but others have got on with her well.

I did trad uni first and hated it. Wish I had just done OU instead.

Oldernotwiser

asbokid wrote: »

I do feel sad to see the Open University slated. I think it is one of the best academic institutions in the UK.
AK

A couple of constructive criticisms is not the same thing as "slating"! No institution, however worthy, is perfect.

jamesb1239

KILL_BILL wrote: »

OMFG

thats the one that i am seriously considering doing

With that i thought may go into criminal justice / parole

The fee are more reasonable and it appears that you can get fundinig for the course undergraduate even if you earn quite a bit

spoke to them today and they advised that the cost of the course includes all the dvds and coursebooks etc - so there would be very minimal extra costs that i would have to fund.

Ditto I'm enrolled to start in January on the same course

kicktoria wrote: »

You may even get a grant to buy a PC (£250) and help towards other costs (£250 last time I checked). They like you to use both grants towards a good PC in your first year, then you get £250 grant each year

I emailed them about this the other day and they told me that the PC grant had changed to £160 this year, but still putting it towards your course grant comes upto £400 (ish) so plenty enough.

iamadave wrote: »

If you apply for the PC grant you have to supply a receipt for a PC/Laptop within 2 months of the course starting then they will pay the grant into your account, thats what happened for me anyway.

I was told that you have to have 'means' of accessing the OU to register for a course and that must be useable for the first 2 weeks of the course, then the PC grant is paid into your account 2-3 weeks after starting the course along with your course grant for you to go out and buy a new computer.

Becles

SunderlandBlackCat wrote: »

:shocked: Wow Becs thats some going! :T

I think you only started abut 6 monnths before me IIRC & I've just registered for my 1st level 2 course starting in October.

I started Nov 06 and hope to finish in Oct 10.

Somehow I've managed to have a third baby and continued self employment, as well as the usual household stuff too. I must be mad

alyth wrote: »

Yes all the material in included in the course fees, and maybe others can throw light on this, I've struggled and struggled to write 1500 words on whatever subject on the material the OU have supplied - and I've done journalism courses and been commissioned by the Times for articles, so I can write! My tutor has marked me down for doing outside research and including that in my essays, which i am still raging about months after!

One of my tutors was just talking about this at my last tutorial as someone got marked down for doing outside research and posted a nasty rant attacking her on the forum. She said that he hadn't referenced much to the course material, and the essay mainly concentrated on the outside research. She said she couldn't give him many marks as there was little evidence in the essay that he had actually read the course materials. Although you can use bits and pieces from the outside world, the essay really needs to have lots of references to the course books, as you need to show you read and understood the material and can apply it to whatever you've chosen to write about for the essay.

Not sure what you did in your essay, but hope that helps give you an idea of where you may have gone wrong.

cazziebo

I'm sad to see the OU slated, too but I think Alyth is putting forward constructive criticism. My own experience of the OU - just completing my second Masters and done a few other courses inbetween - has been overwhelmingly positive. However, I have had one or two poor tutors and one course, imho, was not particularly well put together. I do think the discouragement of outside reading (which hasn't been my experience) is ridiculous and may come from insecure/lazy tutors who don't want to have to go outside course texts to check references. I have found the regional team very useful when problems do arise.

As a single parent who had to work, any other option wasn't possible for me. I did look at distance learning through other institutions but the OU are simply the best at that. I know a good few people who did the same course as me (MBA) by part or full time attendance at a bricks and mortar Uni - and they all think I got much more one on one support than they did. In a lot of courses, as well as tutorials, the students form informal study groups and I'm still friends with some people who were on my first course 10 years ago. Can I also add, I did my first degree at a trad, ancient university and the standard of tutoring there was very disappointing.
Students were a bit of an irritation to the academics.... I think some of the modern Unis are more student friendly.

I pay my fees by the OU student budget account so that makes it easier - and for many years the OU residential schools were my annual holiday. They really are great.

Be careful - as Becles has found, it becomes an addiction! Every TMA I question why I choose to do this and think of giving up, and then once the exam results are in I think - what next?!

My last few exams have been at Hampden stadium. I've also had exams in hotels and in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and bizarrely, a church hall.

Oldernotwiser

Becles wrote: »

Although you can use bits and pieces from the outside world, the essay really needs to have lots of references to the course books, as you need to show you read and understood the material and can apply it to whatever you've chosen to write about for the essay.

.

Obviously you would lose marks for poor referencing of any material but your comment does highlight the OU's weakness on focusing on the material provided. In a traditional university, any relevant material, properly referenced, would be acceptable and trhe evidence of wider research would ber eflected in a higher grade.

Zazen999

alyth wrote: »

My tutor has marked me down for doing outside research and including that in my essays, which i am still raging about months after!

I did my degree at a bricks and mortar uni; so I do have experience...but I find this totally wrong. Words fail me. This person should not be tutoring any degree.

KILL_BILL

jamesb1239 wrote: »

Ditto I'm enrolled to start in January on the same course



I emailed them about this the other day and they told me that the PC grant had changed to £160 this year, but still putting it towards your course grant comes upto £400 (ish) so plenty enough.



I was told that you have to have 'means' of accessing the OU to register for a course and that must be useable for the first 2 weeks of the course, then the PC grant is paid into your account 2-3 weeks after starting the course along with your course grant for you to go out and buy a new computer.

why did you want to do that particular degree and what work do you want to do with it ?

jamesb1239

KILL_BILL wrote: »

why did you want to do that particular degree and what work do you want to do with it ?

I have always had a fascination with Criminology and how the mind works etc so when looking through the prospectus it seemed the right one, and for my extra 60 points needed for the degree i will hopefully be doing Effective Practice in Youth Justice which as well as counting towards my BA/BSc (Hons) Criminology and Psychological Studies it will also award me a Professional Certificate in Effective Practice (Youth Justice) which the Youth Offending Team have agreed to sponsor me for.

Ideally I would like to progress into Youth Justice, and I am due to begin training as a Panel Member for the Youth Offending Team next month, but failing that any career in the Justice system will do :cool: