Open degree vs named degree, is it worth doing more courses

supersaverkerry

I'm looking for some advice about going forward with my Open University degree.


I was only 20 when I started and didn't think much about the qualification I would end up with, I wanted a degree in health related studies but I wanted to choose what modules I studied so went for an Open Degree with honours.


Now I am wondering if I made a mistake and should have gone for a named degree?


I have just applied for my diploma so only have 120 credit left to do, I looked at a named degree in older persons health which is where my interests lie and some of what I have done marries up, but I would need to do another 60 credit at level 1 and a 30 credit at level 2 to meet the requirements, I am fine for level 3 as the 2 courses are ones I have chosen to do anyway. And actually the 30 credit level 2 is one I wanted to do to get my end of life care certificate. So really it is just the level 1 course which would be extra.


I am really unsure whether it is worth the time and cost involved in doing those extra courses to get the named degree or whether employers are likely to be just as happy with an Open degree.


Any words of wisdom please?

Voyager2002

Do you have to decide now? I mean, suppose you complete the 'Open' degree and find that it is not what employers want, would you at that point be able to go back and do the extra modules?

Anyway, I suggest that you look at the sort of jobs and training schemes that attract you, and see whether either or both of these degree paths would enable you to meet the entry requirements. And of course you can contact employers and ask them what they think... an added bonus is that by doing so you will be building relationships that could lead to valuable work experience, or perhaps even a job.

supersaverkerry

Unfortunately going back and doing more modules isn't an option once I have the open degree as you can only count the modules towards a qualification once as far as I can tell.


When looking at prospective jobs, generally places are asking for nvq in health and social care or level 2,3,4,5 in health and social care. My open degree is totally made up of health, social care, social science and health science modules so all very relevant, I suppose I just worry that my application will be skipped over because it isn't directly called a health and social care degree.


None of the jobs are actually asking or a degree and actually my open degree would be higher qualifications than they are looking for as I believe degree is level 6, so it is just the name of the qualification which I worry will hold me back because the subject matter is all very similar.

Mrs_Ryan

I'm doing a named degree as I want to teach but there's been extensive debate about this on some of the Facebook groups with varying answers.
Essentially it's down to the individual employers. I believe with the Open degree you have to list the individual modules so I can see where the value would be in that. If I remember correctly (and I'm happy to be corrected here) isn't Level 5 the same as a Foundation Degree which I think is the same as a Diploma? I think it would depend entirely on what job you were applying for and what the individual employers were looking for. I kind of know where you're coming from, I have just graduated from an Advanced Apprenticeship in Health and Social Care which is supposedly the equivalent to NVQ3 but a lot of places haven't heard of it.
If you went ahead with the Open degree I would suggest stressing the relevant modules on your applications. This is what put me off an Open degree though, I know teaching is hard work to get into and I didn't want to stress which modules might be relevant- I'm just going to apply for my PGCE with an English Language and Literature BA degree, fairly self explanatory.
However after DD102 I will be very glad to get back to English!
Good luck.