OU Open Degree after named Foundation degree?

tanyalbeck

Hello!
I did my FdA in Early Years (level 5= 240 credits I think!) with Brighton Uni but am not sure I want to go on and get the full BA Hons in early years itself.

http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/qualification/pathways/qd-1.htm

I can transfer my credits to the Open Degree and just do stage 3 in a variety of modules with sounds FANTASTIC to me! However, I'd be jumping into stage 3 in some subjects I haven't studies before. Do you think this is possible? Has anyone else transferred credits to start and open degree part of the way through?

I can't do the whole thing as I really couldn't pay for all the stages.

All advice is welcome!! Also, does student finance pay for OU?
Tanya

Dunroamin

tanyalbeck wrote: »

Hello!
I did my FdA in Early Years (level 5= 240 credits I think!) with Brighton Uni but am not sure I want to go on and get the full BA Hons in early years itself.

http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/qualification/pathways/qd-1.htm

I can transfer my credits to the Open Degree and just do stage 3 in a variety of modules with sounds FANTASTIC to me! However, I'd be jumping into stage 3 in some subjects I haven't studies before. Do you think this is possible? Has anyone else transferred credits to start and open degree part of the way through?

I can't do the whole thing as I really couldn't pay for all the stages.

All advice is welcome!! Also, does student finance pay for OU?
Tanya

From this September, part time study (such as with the OU) is eligible for loans to pay the fees.

Some level 3 courses will have a requirement that lower level courses in the subject must have been studied first, others won't. In general, your success is likely to depend on whether you have any knowledge of the subject (A levels, for instance or employment experience) and the nature of the subject itself.

Have you any idea of the areas of study you might be interested in or any career aims you might have?

dizzyrascal

Have the OU said they will let you transfer all your points? You need to check that they will accept them all even for an open degree. It's not always a straight swop of 240 credits for 240 credits although it is easier if you're just going for an open honours degree.
Unfortunately, only a very small % of foundation degree students go on to successfully complete a full degree. This is mainly because when they encounter study at level 3 they are not prepared for the level of study required to gain a degree.
For that reason I think you are wise to worry about academic study at level 3. If you do go ahead with this, it might be worth doing a 20 or 30 credit module at level 2 to get a measure of what is expected. It will be harder at level 3.
I would ask you why, as you have the option of topping up to a named degree, you are not going down that route? You may dilute the effect of having a degree if it is a bit of a mish-mash of subjects.

tanyalbeck

Thanks!! I had a long chat with a lovely lady on the OU helpline and I can transfer all my credits across.
I'm not entirely sure I want to continue working with the under 5s much longer, making it harder (and possibly not as useful!) to go on and finish the named Ba (Hons) in Early Years.

I really like the idea of studying law and psychology as well! I know it's a bit late in the day (I'm 33) but I realise more and more how I should have gone into children's law instead of childcare. I think the Open degree gives me a chance to branch out and see what else is out there.
Tanya

dizzyrascal

tanyalbeck wrote: »

I really like the idea of studying law and psychology as well! I know it's a bit late in the day (I'm 33) but I realise more and more how I should have gone into children's law instead of childcare. I think the Open degree gives me a chance to branch out and see what else is out there.
Tanya

Can you elaborate on this a little more.
As you only have a further 120 credits to go in order to top up to a full honours degree you will end up taking 60 credits each of both psychology and law at level 3. Most level 3 courses are 60 credits per module.
It does depend on where you see yourself going, but this would not really add anything to your current study. As I said before it would be hard to prove what your focus was and difficult to say you have studied a subject in depth.

WelshSun

Doing an actual degree is really worthwhile, you want to make sure you can get an honours degree also.


After you finish your degree to become a solicitor you would have to:
Do the GDL, or Graduate Diploma in Law, which would last one year.
Then do the LPC, or Legal Practice Certificate.


For the two courses you would be looking at upwards of £20k. Plus, there's no loans from the government for postgraduate stuff.


Good luck, but be well minded it will be a difficult and expensive journey.

Dunroamin

WelshSun wrote: »

Doing an actual degree is really worthwhile, you want to make sure you can get an honours degree also.


After you finish your degree to become a solicitor you would have to:
Do the GDL, or Graduate Diploma in Law, which would last one year.
Then do the LPC, or Legal Practice Certificate.


For the two courses you would be looking at upwards of £20k. Plus, there's no loans from the government for postgraduate stuff.


Good luck, but be well minded it will be a difficult and expensive journey.

Your information is absolutely correct but not everybody who wants to work "in law" needs to be a qualified solicitor.

OP, these are the Stage 3 courses that would lead to you gettinga named Early Years degree.

"Stage 3
Stage 3 comprises two modules. The first focuses on supporting the development of a skilled, effective, integrated and interdisciplinary workforce for children. You’ll gain:

the knowledge and skills needed to work collaboratively, effectively and equitably
critical understanding of the ethical, social, legal, political and practice factors and frameworks as applied to work with children
the knowledge and skills required to improve children’s wellbeing and outcomes.
At this point you can claim the 300-credit BA Early Years if you wish.

To ‘top up’ to the BA (Hons) Early Years your final module is a practical project-based course that teaches you to undertake research with children including:

searching for and reviewing existing literature and theories
identifying research questions and hypotheses
selecting an appropriate research method
collecting and analysing data
interpreting and discussing results
presenting and writing up findings.
The module raises questions about children’s participation in society, and how they view their own worlds and understand their own experiences. It will help you design your own research project and introduce you to the wide range of methods and research projects that others have used."

Don't you think that they would cover both legal and psychological areas? Would that be enough for you?