HND and an OU qualification?

Gemmzie

I really need some advice on this and I'm not really sure who to ask and don't really know how to explain it without sounding totally up myself

I'm enrolled for an HND in Applied Psychology this year (entry requirement 80 UCAS points) and I actually did a whole load better on my A Levels than expected (expected D's due to poor health and missing about 45% of the year - got ABB) So now I'm not sure it's going to be enough academically.

Moving away and doing something else is not an option because of a new job opportunity and I wouldn't want to mess up my student finance (I'm 19 and living at home for my studies).

So I thought about doing an OU qualification alongside. I get long holidays (obv) and my job is likely to be primarily school terms too so I figured I'll have the time easily. But I'm not sure which level to go in at?

Also, could I fund the OU qual out of my student overdraft? Or would I get financial help for it anyway?

Any thoughts / ideas / comments would be hugely appreciated.

student_advisor

Congratulations on your exam results.:j

Are there any other courses you could do at the same institution? It shouldn't really affect your student finances as long as you fill the right forms in.

You could also consider doing an OU course instead of the HND. There is funding for OU HE courses in the form of grants for tuition fees and course costs (see their website for info). Whether you would qualify for this funding as well as your full-time student finance I don't know, you'd need to contact the OU.

Consider a careers appointment to help you think over your choices.

eira

OU have very helpful counsellors (no in phone directory/on web site ) They will talk you through OU points needed for a first degree/funding etc. Can heartily recommend the OU

pollyskettle

I've just had my funding grant for a course with the OU. They completely covered the course fees of £2145 (Govt grant is £765, OU paid the rest) and I should be getting a £250 grant for extra expenses (yet to hear about that).

They were really quick dealing with this (took about 2 weeks from applying for financial help to receiving award notice) and I start my course officially on 29th Sept - actually I've just received the 1st 4 weeks prep work and I'm about to start it to get ahead as I have 3 children and I know that at some point in the next year I shall have 'emergencies'!

There is a calculator on the OU site (https://www.open.ac.uk) in which you input your incomings and they assess online and instantly advise how much grant you could get.

Gemmzie

Thanks for the input, going to ring them next week once I can speak properly (had an op on my jaw so not the most affluent speaker at the moment!)

CIS

I've just had my funding grant for a course with the OU. They completely covered the course fees of £2145 (Govt grant is £765, OU paid the rest) and I should be getting a £250 grant for extra expenses (yet to hear about that).

are you by any chance starting the certificate in accounting ?

Lauraza_2

What are your future career plans? This may affect the qualification you want to consider doing.

You may wish to re-apply for a degree course commencing September 2008 and have a gap year, using this year to gain valuable experience and build up your finances. I have found that when I left university, there was little to set yourself apart from fellow graduates and work experience can be an excellent way of doing this. Your grades from your A Levels are excellent and you should thoroughly congratulate yourself!

Other than that I would advise you to look at the National Qualifications Framework wish allows you to see where qualifications lie on the scale.
http://www.edexcel.org.uk/quals/nqf-grid/

You will see that a HND is just below a degree, but only just. Therefore many institutions offer a 'HND top-' up' course, usually one year which allows you to convert your HND to a full degree.

I hope this helps, I'm planning to become a Careers Advisor so love helping people in this area!

Let me know how you get on

Laura

pollyskettle

CIS wrote: »

are you by any chance starting the certificate in accounting ?

Yes Just got to find time to study now! Quite excited actually, I worked in 'lower level' accounting and quality auditing before I had the children, but have had a few years of 'mum-mush' brain! Got my head round most of the pre-study book (although reciprocal numbers took 3 times of reading before it registered lol (this could be because I was reading it whilst making lunch and discussing the virtues of papier mache with a 5 year old!)).

I'm intrigued as to why you asked....

CIS

I'm intrigued as to why you asked....

I'am just starting that course this year - it was when you stated the course cost that I knew you where either doing the law or the accountancy course.

I,ve done chemistry and astronomy over the last few years so its quite a change.

pollyskettle

Excellent! I shall know who to come to when I get in a right tiz then lol! Apparently this OU study is addictive, I'm already in mind to do the diploma in economics next year and have a list of about 10 courses I'd like to do eventually for various reasons. I did consider the law course, but thought that I'd start with something I know relatively well, but have no qualifications in, and then progress to the more unknowns when I'm back in the swing of studying. How did you find fitting study in initially?

Gemmzie

Lauraza wrote: »

What are your future career plans? This may affect the qualification you want to consider doing.

You may wish to re-apply for a degree course commencing September 2008 and have a gap year, using this year to gain valuable experience and build up your finances. I have found that when I left university, there was little to set yourself apart from fellow graduates and work experience can be an excellent way of doing this. Your grades from your A Levels are excellent and you should thoroughly congratulate yourself!

Other than that I would advise you to look at the National Qualifications Framework wish allows you to see where qualifications lie on the scale.
http://www.edexcel.org.uk/quals/nqf-grid/

You will see that a HND is just below a degree, but only just. Therefore many institutions offer a 'HND top-' up' course, usually one year which allows you to convert your HND to a full degree.

I hope this helps, I'm planning to become a Careers Advisor so love helping people in this area!

Let me know how you get on

Laura

Thanks that's really helpful. This HND allows immediate acceptance to Plymouth University to their Psychology degree in the second year if there is a certain percentage passed at merit/distinction.

I'm not really sure, something counselling / psychology related, I know it sounds sappy but I want to do a job that makes a difference.
I fell into working with young people by accident really but I enjoy it and there's a possibility of my volunteer work becoming a paid role which really should require the FdA in Working with Young People and then the top-up to Health and Social Care Management.

The HND is a way to keep in with education without making a degree choice this year to be honest. I've already had a sort-of gap year and I need to keep learning or I get very bored.
I'm also working towards two NVQs a Level 3 and a Level 2.