Postgraduate Open University Courses - help!!!

twinkle162

:eek:I'm keen to do a postgraduate degree. The Open University seems to be offering the best course for my needs. However, it seems very expensive, (1200 or 980 per module) with a masters degree requiring 8 modules. I've read that postgraduate grants aren't given so much anymore. I also know that the OU doesn't give lectures etc - therefore the expense is greater magnified in my mind. Am I missing something?

I thought that the OU was supposed to be accessible to all (or whatever) but at these prices, I'm having to weigh up the investment!! ;-)

All help appreciated, I need to make a decision by Thursday! :eek:

jack7

What masters are you hoping to do Twinkle? I am just over half way through an MA in Social Policy and Criminology with the OU. You require 180 points to obtain a masters and most modules are either 30 points or 60 points. I have completed two 30 point courses, which cost about £500 each and one 60 point which was just over £1000. I start my penultimate course next week:eek:

For the foundation module and the 60 point course I did have a few tutorials and a day school I could attend but they did involve a little travelling - although they were invaluable. You also have an allocated tutor who you can contact through email or by phone. Some courses also offer phone tutorials although I haven't yet taken part in one of those. The OU forums are also a good source of support.

I hope this helps.

Zziggi

What programme of study are you looking at? You need 180 credits for a MA/MSc. 60 credit courses are about £1100 and 30 credits are £550 (or was last year). There's VERY little funding for post-grad courses generally anyway and certainally the OU is no exception in that. If you want to do post-grad then expect to find it completely. OU post-grad courses generally does not do any face-to-face tutorials although *some* postgraduate courses do have these in regional centres. If a course does not have face-to-face tutorials then they ALWAYS have phone tutorials (conference calls). This is in addition to e-mail contact and opportunity to phone your tutors if you need help.

Which courses are you looking at?

twinkle162

It's a Masters in networking. The course prices I quoted are true for this course this year, I rang to find out.

I have the option of doing a Masters at a standard university, unfortunately even though they offer these part time, they don't timetable them to accommodate normal working hours. If I did it part-time it would probably cost 1300 a year (x3) --> 3900. Alternatively I could do it in a year full-time, but then I would have to give up my job & lose a salary for a year...

twinkle162

I'm in N.Ireland, so I would be very impressed if they offered tutorials here! Usually these things only accommodate people on the mainland, but perhaps!

Thanks, I wasn't sure how much the forums would be of assistance.

cazziebo

I'm on my second Masters through the OU and I've found it to be a great experience. there are some tutorials and day schools and with cheap flights it didn't cost me too much to travel. (I live in Scotland and have attended classes in Manchester, Crewe and Amsterdam).

They offer a budget account system which means you can pay monthly with reasonable interest rates. All the courses have different prices depending on faculty, duration, subject and whether there is a residential school. My last course was £995, my next (and final!!) one is over £2k! :eek: I've also done some undergrad courses and they have been around £600. It has been a huge outlay but I'm hoping my company will sponsor this last course. Have to say, been great for my career so well worth the investment

As for learning support - I think I actually got more support than some of my friends who did the same degree in a bricks and mortar Uni (MBA). Your tutor is always on the end of a phone or email, and I'm still in contact with a couple of my tutors now several years later. There are also online tutorials but I haven't any experience of those. For quite a few of my courses some of us formed informal study groups and supported each other.

Good luck with what you decide.