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Opinions on open university?

Sooo as the title says, I'd like opinions on open university courses.

Have you done one? Did you enjoy it? Was it easy to do whilst working? Realistically, how much time do they require?

I'm looking at starting one in October but I'll also be holding down a full time job whilst doing it :)

Any advice/tips would be fab.
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Comments

  • maman
    maman Posts: 29,993 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    bexiboo92 wrote: »
    Sooo as the title says, I'd like opinions on open university courses.

    Have you done one? Did you enjoy it? Was it easy to do whilst working? Realistically, how much time do they require?

    I'm looking at starting one in October but I'll also be holding down a full time job whilst doing it :)

    Any advice/tips would be fab.

    Others with more recent experience will be along soon with details of time taken but I'd say definitely go for it.

    I did mine with a full time job, small child and ex OH who worked odd hours and this was back in the day when you had to watch TV programmes at unearthly hours. DD1 did hers more recently also around a child.

    I'm the sort of person who likes a challenge and to keep the little grey cells working.

    Good Luck!
  • kittiej
    kittiej Posts: 2,564 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    I've done loads of courses with them, I'd suggest starting with a 10 or 15 point course to get you into the swing of it.

    I am currently doing a social sciences course and hate it as I find it too scattered but other courses I've done in business and sciences have been read the books, make notes of what you are learning and get an understanding and then complete the assignment.

    There are usually online cafes where you can discuss with other students on the course, strangely the social sciences doesn't have one though so maybe that's why I'm not liking it.

    What subject did you want to study?
    Karma - the consequences of ones acts."It's OK to falter otherwise how will you know what success feels like?"1 debt v 100 days £2000
  • Bangton
    Bangton Posts: 1,053 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    My friend does it and absolutely loves it but devotes quite a bit of time to it - she generally does her uni work all day on a Saturday with maybe a couple of nights a week. It's a course she really wanted to do though and she's excelling at it but I bet it's 10 hours a week she spends on it.

    My partner looked into it and the OU site suggested between 7 and 9hrs dependent on the course
  • skylight
    skylight Posts: 10,716 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Home Insurance Hacker!
    If you have self discipline, then go for it.

    I spent years doing different courses. Some I passed very well, others I have failed to get halfway through (no inbetween with me!) and I find it hard sometimes to find the time to commit.

    I would agree with the others, a smaller course to get you into it and of course, cheaper costs in case you find its not for you.

    I am starting another course in Oct after a 2yr absence; I'm ready again to deal with it!
  • bexiboo92
    bexiboo92 Posts: 348 Forumite
    kittiej wrote: »
    I've done loads of courses with them, I'd suggest starting with a 10 or 15 point course to get you into the swing of it.

    I am currently doing a social sciences course and hate it as I find it too scattered but other courses I've done in business and sciences have been read the books, make notes of what you are learning and get an understanding and then complete the assignment.

    There are usually online cafes where you can discuss with other students on the course, strangely the social sciences doesn't have one though so maybe that's why I'm not liking it.

    What subject did you want to study?


    Thank you.

    I'm looking into a course in education called learning and supporting in primary schools. It's to help me become a learning support assistant.
  • delain
    delain Posts: 7,700 Forumite
    bexiboo92 wrote: »
    Thank you.

    I'm looking into a course in education called learning and supporting in primary schools. It's to help me become a learning support assistant.

    I'm intending to do the same course. Do you know you have to be doing a minimum of 5 hours a week in a school on top of study time? That could be difficult with ft job!

    Also check if you can get access to success funding :) x
    Mum of several with a twisted sense of humour and a laundry obsession :o:o
  • bexiboo92
    bexiboo92 Posts: 348 Forumite
    delain wrote: »
    I'm intending to do the same course. Do you know you have to be doing a minimum of 5 hours a week in a school on top of study time? That could be difficult with ft job!

    Also check if you can get access to success funding :) x

    Ah that's cool.

    Don't feel so alone now haha.

    I get a day off during the week and one at weekends, so was aiming to go into a school on my day off during the week.
  • kittiej
    kittiej Posts: 2,564 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    You could be study buddies lol
    Karma - the consequences of ones acts."It's OK to falter otherwise how will you know what success feels like?"1 debt v 100 days £2000
  • skylight
    skylight Posts: 10,716 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Home Insurance Hacker!
    I was planning on taking the same course!

    Great minds and all that.

    But I'm doing the Arts one instead as I want a History degree - its something I enjoy so I swapped over after a long think about a career or something I have always wanted.
  • A lady I used to work with got her degree through the OU and she spoke very highly of it :) She worked part time (4 days a week) while completing it and said she enjoyed it a lot because it meant she got to learn and get a proper degree while still keeping her foot in the door at work. She did say she didn't think she could have completed it and been working full time though, because of it being so time consuming.

    Good luck! :)
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