studying with the ou....

postingalwaysposting

i have finally decided with a gentle push (after posting on here) that this year i will finally try and do something with my life and find/study for a career in health care... i have looked into teh many ways to do this and i have chosen the ou as the best and most flexible for me but i have a few question and i wondered if a few of you who have studied/studying with the ou can answer for me... thanks

*how much support do you get when completing these courses... i have read the information online and it seems to be very supportive but does this happen in practice?
*how easy once you have completed all the training to get a job/work/volunteering after ou study?
*is there finacial implications to an ou course... ie except your joining fee is there much more you have to buy/purchase/do in order to complete your qualification?
*how easy was it for you working f/t and fitting study in? did it require lots of time or as many hours as guided on your course?
*could you do another course along side the ou course? ie i would like to do my gcse maths alongside an ou course (at a local college one night a week) or would you reccomend against it?

thanks for all your replys... any aditional information about the ou would be great too... thanks pap

likabu_2

postingalwaysposting wrote:

i have finally decided with a gentle push (after posting on here) that this year i will finally try and do something with my life

Me too - am looking to do a degree in business. Have had my confirmation that my course places have been reserved. Have sent off my financial assistance pack, but I would like to know the answers to your questions too.

Is there anyone that has done or is currently doing a course with the OU? C'mon show yourselves :dance:

Lisa

painted_lady

OK, I am doing a modular MA with the OU, which is made up of 3 courses, I have started the 2nd course this week. Last year, when I did the first course, I was working full time. I found it took an average of 2 evenings a week to do the work, although in reality, I could not do the work for a while and then spend 3-4 days solid doing it to catch up. In reality, you dont need to study as many hours as it says in the course outline - you pick the bits of the course that interest you most to look at in detail. The OU courses are designed to fit in around other commitments and if you struggle at any time, someone is always on the end of the phone.
I found them quite supportive - I could ring my tutor anytime (although different tutors have different rules on this), if they cant help you immediately, you arrange a suitable time for them to phone you back. I had a group tutorial once a month in my local university, which was optional, but a good opportunity to meet tutor face to face and meet other students. I found this invaluable in terms of support. We also had the opportunity to suggest areas of learning for the tutorial - the tutor would help us iron out any problems, or meet one to one with us after. I was worried about the amount of support, but found it worked for me and I didnt feel isolated at all.
Last year there were no extra costs than the fees (other than parking for tutorials), but this year I had to buy 2 set books that werent supplied but essential to the course. These cost a total of £30 on amazon. You will also need a computer with internet access, which you obviously already have.
I dont know about getting jobs as i have no intention to leave mine, but know the OU is a respected University and all students there have to be motivated, self directed, proactive with good self discipline, all qualities an employer wants.
As for doing another course - well it depends how many credit points your current course is, especially if your fitting it in around a FT job. My current course is 60 credits, equal to 2 x 30 credit courses, obviously the 60 credit course is twice as much work, which wouldnt leave me with much time if I was working FT aswell to do another course, although on less credit points it might be possible.
OK, hope I helped and didnt waffle on too much, overall, I think OU is an investment in yourself, recommended and without the flexibility it offers, I wouldnt have started this degree!
Good luck.

saintstreaky

Hi

Firstly, there are quite a few other posts on the Student board about OU study that you'll find useful to browse through, several quite recent - have a browse. But to answer your individual questions:

postingalwaysposting wrote:

how much support do you get when completing these courses... i have read the information online and it seems to be very supportive but does this happen in practice?

It depends on the course. If you sign up for one of the typical 60 point Level 1 courses ('An Introduction to...') you get plenty of tutorials, which helps you to meet other students and gain confidence that you're all succeeding (or struggling ) as much as each other. Obviously, as in all walks of life, a bit does depend on the attitude of the tutor. That said, OU tutors have chosen to teach - whereas traditional university lecturers would often far rather be doing their research than teaching. The majority are brilliant.

The online 'First Class' community of students (also used for online courses) is amazingly supportive. Not a million miles away from this website in attitude actually.

postingalwaysposting wrote:

*how easy once you have completed all the training to get a job/work/volunteering after ou study?

How long's a piece of string? I can't speak for health care in particular, but as with any degree, it depends on your work experience, life experience, a million other things. If you mean to ask whether employers recognise it as equivalent to any other degree, then in my experience 'yes', more often than not. There are exceptions, but most recognise the hard work you've put in. In my case, having the chance to work a lot and study at the same time was an advantage, as I had more experience.

postingalwaysposting wrote:

*is there finacial implications to an ou course... ie except your joining fee is there much more you have to buy/purchase/do in order to complete your qualification?

Travel expenses to tutorials/summer schools/exams. Postage for assignments. Lots of printing paper/cartridges! All courses should tell you on the web page if there are any additional books to buy. Wine/chocolate/ice cream as required for comfort :beer:

Check your eligibility for financial aid - many people are surprised at how much there is (if you haven't already got a degree). Otherwise, save those tesco Clubcard points!

postingalwaysposting wrote:

*how easy was it for you working f/t and fitting study in? did it require lots of time or as many hours as guided on your course?

Tough. I didn't work full time, but I studied pretty much FT. Again, it depends on so many different factors. Do you commute on the train? There's a few hours study time already. Do you often sit in the car waiting for children/friends/appointments? More time. Squeezing the time out of your life becomes a knack!

postingalwaysposting wrote:

*could you do another course along side the ou course? ie i would like to do my gcse maths alongside an ou course (at a local college one night a week) or would you reccomend against it?

Tough one, that's your call I'm afraid - but the above comments still apply.

Good luck :beer:

Oldernotwiser

I'd be careful about taking on too much at a time; it would be better to do one thing successfully than to fail at two. Why not enquire at your local Learndirect Centre about the new City and Guilds qualification in Numeracy? The level 2 qualification is equivalent to a GCSE in Maths (although the full GCSE may be needed for some careers) and is at the moment fully funded, regardless of a person's financial situation. You could start it straight away (it's studied by flexible learning) and, unless your maths is really poor, you could have it finished by the time you start the OU in October.

postingalwaysposting

thanks all... after taking time and looking into it more i think i will do the gcse first then go onto health care... sadly i cant do the lvl 2 thing Oldernotwiser as i have that already and it isnt seen as a gcse and also its a personal thing too

specsappeal

i am in my second year with the OU (i got financial aid). I am now on a level 2 course and have to admit that on my level one course and indeed on this one i only study about 8 hours a week but i have been doing fine in all assignments etc. it depends on how well you take things in and are able to understand them. my courses at the moment are in social policy but i will be switching over to law in 2009. I have never been able to get to a tutorial due to child care issues but i do email others on the same course as me. I am able to contact my tutor whenever i want via email or phone but have never needed to as yet (i am sure this will change though). the OU are very helpful on the phone and can give you many contacts for help with finances, studying etc.
I also got my national certificate level 2 in literacy at the local adult education college in December (i left school with no qualifications). I am also planning another night class to start in may. However, i am at present a stay at home mother and if i need to can put in extra hours. careful planning and discipline are needed. I usually set myself a goal of reading so many pages per day etc and this really helps keep me focussed and on track.
all my materials for my level one course were supplied but this level two course i had to buy one set book (£10.99). Apart from that it is just the usual expenses i.e notebooks, printer paper and postage.

fabwitch_2

I did my degree with the OU and started with K100 Health and Social Care. When I did this course I also did a computor course at Adult Education andmanaged both courses fine. There is a lot of support with Level 1 courses and Titorials which you can attend if you wish. You can also form study groups online or face to face with other students again if you wish to. The Cert Health and Social Care is a good start to your studies. I would also REcommend the Diploma in Health and Social Wefare which also can count towards a Degree if you wish to go furher with your studies. You need to be able to organise your time to study and commit yourself but it is very rewarding and a great achievement. Good luck

Impet_Limpet

you may find that if you eligible for financial assistance you can also get a course grant worth £250, this will certainly cover any books/stationary/travel to tutorials you may need.

read through the course descriptions they state any books you may need to buy.

support is brilliant and the OU have been voted top for student satisfaction for the second year running

Seraphim

Hello,

I completed my first degree with the OU

postingalwaysposting wrote:

*how much support do you get when completing these courses... i have read the information online and it seems to be very supportive but does this happen in practice?

It really depends. Quite a lot the support needs to be initiated by you. Obvisouly, you get the books etc, but it's up to you to contact your tutor if you need help, go to the tutorials/weekend revision/study groups, phone the study centre if you are having problems etc. You have the option to install something called 'FirstClass' which is conferencing software (like forums, but only OU students can read them). I would advise doing this - there are forums for your course, as well as a wealth of random ones where you can talk about all sorts - they are a great way to 'meet' people

postingalwaysposting wrote:

*how easy once you have completed all the training to get a job/work/volunteering after ou study?

I got one job on the strength I was doing my OU degree (was only in the first year too!)

postingalwaysposting wrote:

*is there finacial implications to an ou course... ie except your joining fee is there much more you have to buy/purchase/do in order to complete your qualification?

Pretty much everything is included in the course fee. No other fees etc are applicable. A couple of courses (such as the projects), you will need to purchase one or two books, but normally, all books, DVDs, and other random hardware are included in the price.

postingalwaysposting wrote:

*how easy was it for you working f/t and fitting study in? did it require lots of time or as many hours as guided on your course?

I worked full time and studied full time for my first year without any problems. Wouldn't recommend this to everyone though - it depends how much you know about the subject, and how fast you work.

postingalwaysposting wrote:

*could you do another course along side the ou course? ie i would like to do my gcse maths alongside an ou course (at a local college one night a week) or would you reccomend against it?

Again, personal preference. MU120 is very, very close to GCSE maths, so if you are after a degree, and MU120 is one of the compulsorys, you might want to go with MU120 instead of the GCSE (unless you specifically want the GCSE qualification).

The OU isn't for everyone - you do need a lot of self-discipline at times, and enough willpower not to throw your burn your books from time to time Overall, I loved it (I'm an addict now ), and would recommend it. Good luck if you do decide to go down the OU route

HTH,

- Seraphim -

Editted to add: You may be eligible for financial grants/loans. Check this link -->
http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/about/p6_1.shtml

skylight

Yes, yes and yes! But I am one of those that posted on your first thread about the GSCE maths and said go for it, so a little biased here!

I am on my first level 2 course with the OU in my second study year - doing 60 points which takes about 12hrs a week. And I find it difficult to fit in with family life (but, I do have 3 kids and also 37 weeks pregnant, so not a "normal" situation!!)

Last years level one course was a nightmare, finding I was pregnant and spending 4 months being sick and doing nothing study wise, I managed a good pass - which I was surprised about really!

But despite my personal circumstances this year, I know me too well, and if I did not do a course this year and dedicated the time to baby instead then I know I would not go back next year - its the only reason I am doing the course and it brings with it a whole new set of rules about self-discipline!

But support is what you make it. If you don't ask, then you don't get. The tutors are paid to help, not just mark TMA's, so use them!

But don't expect much of a social life (not that I had one anyway......)