www.opencollege.info For Distance Learning?

clarabell1984

I have come across the website https://www.opencollege.info for courses for open distance learning.
They have good offers on their diplomas at the moment ie £145 for a Social Work Studies Diploma that I am considering.
My question is, has anyone ever used this website and are these diplomas actually recognised anywhere.
I have seen similar websites such as Open University but they do not have any courses that I can do and they are extorshionate anyway.

Any advice appreciated.

Many Thanks in advance :j

Oldernotwiser

What are you hoping to do with this diploma?
Have you looked at whether you'd be eligible for financial help with the OU?
Your link doesn't work because you've left out the e in college.

clarabell1984

link has been amended.
Social Work is something that I have been getting interested in since i went for a job at the local council to admin in their Social Work offices. I didn't get the job and I feel that it was mainly because I only have a general understanding of what it is about. I would just like to learn more about it and if it leads me into a better career then great
I could get some finace from ILA Scotland for open university courses but I do not have the qualifications for entry into any of them or you need to be in the Social Work profession already to do placements.

Oldernotwiser

£145 seems a lot just to get general information on social work. You can learn quite a bit from this site

http://www.socialworkandcare.co.uk/socialwork/

which is particularly good about the differences between social work and social care.

The Guardian Online has a specialist section, which you might also find useful.

http://society.guardian.co.uk/

You're right that you can't enrol with the OU for the degree in Social Work without having relevant employment. However, the Level 1 units on the degree are open to anyone and you could also use them as entry to a traditional university as long as you have GCSE English and Maths (as well as relevant experience).

http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?Q01B41

I hope that this is helpful.

clarabell1984

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

£145 seems a lot just to get general information on social work. You can learn quite a bit from this site

http://www.socialworkandcare.co.uk/socialwork/

which is particularly good about the differences between social work and social care.

The Guardian Online has a specialist section, which you might also find useful.

http://society.guardian.co.uk/

You're right that you can't enrol with the OU for the degree in Social Work without having relevant employment. However, the Level 1 units on the degree are open to anyone and you could also use them as entry to a traditional university as long as you have GCSE English and Maths (as well as relevant experience).

http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?Q01B41

I hope that this is helpful.

TBH i am not interested in doing a degree of ny sort but I thought having a diploma may show future enployers that I have studied some of the subject.
I do not have GCSE's I am scottish

Oldernotwiser

Do you have the Scottish equivalent?

clarabell1984

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Do you have the Scottish equivalent?

I do not know what the equivalent is. I have standard grades and a higher and an hnc

kittiwoz

Perhaps I'm overly suspicious but that site looks dodgy to me. The webdesign is very unprofessional looking, I can't find anything about accreditation and in calling itself the open college it seems like it is trying to claim some sort of affiliation with the open university or national open college network and it doesn't have one. The OCN do offer a programme Introduction to Social Care but they don't operate in Scotland. That doesn't mean that your local college won't offer a similar course though. It might be worth checking. If you want to do distance learning I think Olderntowiser's suggestions of taking some of the level one modules from the OU degree course is a good idea. There is no obligation for you to go on to degree with the OU or any other institution and the modules will be recognised as having a value in their own right.

From the order you put them in I infer that standard grades are the Scottish equivalent of GCSEs. You would need something that would be considered a good grade (C or above at GCSE). I would think that whatever grades would be required to allow you to do a highers in that subject would be appropriate.

clarabell1984

kittiwoz wrote: »

Perhaps I'm overly suspicious but that site looks dodgy to me. The webdesign is very unprofessional looking, I can't find anything about accreditation and in calling itself the open college it seems like it is trying to claim some sort of affiliation with the open university or national open college network and it doesn't have one. The OCN do offer a programme Introduction to Social Care but they don't operate in Scotland. That doesn't mean that your local college won't offer a similar course though. It might be worth checking. If you want to do distance learning I think Olderntowiser's suggestions of taking some of the level one modules from the OU degree course is a good idea. There is no obligation for you to go on to degree with the OU or any other institution and the modules will be recognised as having a value in their own right.

From the order you put them in I infer that standard grades are the Scottish equivalent of GCSEs. You would need something that would be considered a good grade (C or above at GCSE). I would think that whatever grades would be required to allow you to do a highers in that subject would be appropriate.

Standard Grades are graded 1-5, 1-2 being Credit 3-4 being General and 5 being Foundation (there may be a 6 also). Generally a 1,2 and maybe 3 will get you into a higher class.

I think my main problem is that I do not know for sure what I would like to do. I just know that I may not get a better job on the Qualifications that I have, so i would like to have something else to try anhd progress with.
Open University looks good, but it is alot of money for something I am not sure will better my career

RufusFrog_2

clarabell1984 wrote: »

I have seen similar websites such as Open University but they do not have any courses that I can do and they are extorshionate anyway.

I am puzzled by this statement. Although you cannot register for the social work degree at the OU there are plenty of Health and Social Care courses that are open to everyone.

Their Certificate in Health and Social Care involves a single level 1 course (equivalent to first year undergraduate study) with no entry requirements and would probably cover the topics you are likely to be asked about in a interview: http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?Q01D34.

If you wanted to take if further then the Diploma in Health and Social Welfare involves two level 2 courses and you can choose whether to concentrate on the health or social side: http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?Q01D10.

And yes they are not cheap (compared to the one you are looking at) but they are from a well-recognised institution and if you are on a lowish income some or all of the fees would probably be waived.

RufusFrog_2

clarabell1984 wrote: »

I think my main problem is that I do not know for sure what I would like to do. I just know that I may not get a better job on the Qualifications that I have, so i would like to have something else to try anhd progress with.
Open University looks good, but it is alot of money for something I am not sure will better my career

Sorry I posted my first reply before I read this. If you are not sure whether distance learning is for you or what you want to study then a good idea is to 'dip your toe in the water' with a short course and see if you like the subject matter / learning style. The OU does a range called 'Openings' (http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/search/showmeopeningscourses.shtm) but there are many other fine distance learning providers out there!