IA's Debt/Life/Little bit of Everything Diary...

mrsspendalot

Debrag,

Honestly? It depends on the course and the level. You get more support on level 1 courses than level 3 for example. On some courses you get telephone tutorials, on some you attend face to face tutorials (if you want). There are online course forums too with other students and tutors sometimes run tutorials online.

I have never had a problem throughout all the years studying with them - there is always someone to turn to for help.

mrsspendalot

barnaby-bear wrote: »

Mrs. Spendalot will be along and explain it.... from what I know OU works on a modular system... each course is standalone and has points. For certain qualifications you need enough points from the right courses...

Most people link it to a general degree because you can choose any course pretty much (so many points at level 1, so many at level 2 etc)
http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?Q01BD

to start with bt then some people specialise..
http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?C01DB123 is suitable and one of a few course you have to take to get a specific business studies degree
for the specific degree you need to choose from a limited menu
http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?Q01B04

I think people start off doing general courses and ones specificically interest and then specialise if they follow it through...
The maths one is included for a huge range of courses
http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?C01MU120

Yep, that is pretty much how it works. But you can get Certificates and Diplomas if you don't want to do a full degree. It reall depends on the subjects you are interested in and what you want to get out of it.

I have 3 Certificates, a Diploma and a Degree from them.

barnaby-bear

mrsspendalot wrote: »

Yep, that is pretty much how it works. But you can get Certificates and Diplomas if you don't want to do a full degree. It reall depends on the subjects you are interested in and what you want to get out of it.

I have 3 Certificates, a Diploma and a Degree from them.

How much did it cost you - just might be of general interest....

(apart from your sanity, free time etc)

mrsspendalot

barnaby-bear wrote: »

How much did it cost you - just might be of general interest....

(apart from your sanity, free time etc)

Zilch! I got full funding

Timewise ... it cost me 3 years of my time as I studied at full time equivalent rate (120 credit points per year instead of the usual 60 credit points for part time students). I did start with OU in 2000 but not a course that was part of my degree or any of my other Certs.

Sanity ... I was looking forward to getting that back, lol, but instead I signed up for more courses this year :rolleyes: as it was my last year for funding as I graduated at Christmas.

debrag

So your certs & diploma don't make up your degree then, are then on different subjects or did you just claim them each time?

your refers to mrsspendalot not in general lol

barnaby-bear

immoral_angeluk wrote: »

So what kind of qualification is the you and your money course then? I've got a BTEC ND in photography and an NVQ in childcare but no nothing about Degrees and all that malarky!

A lot of CVs I've seen use the OU as a way of demonstrating on-going progression - this guy has obviously only taken a couple of courses but describes it as working towards the degree, it's pretty common for people to list completed course but say they are working towards x eventually...
http://www.newsnetworks.co.uk/

Especially common in IT and fields for people to be adding courses to CVs, OU is credible awarding body too - those dubious "correspondence courses in home decorating that guarantee a visa" aren't...

immoral_angeluk

Oooh I think I get it... so I could do this you and your money one... then maybe do the open mathematics one (:eek:*gulp*).. and then I would have 60 points at level 1 towards something else?

Lucy1982_2

Hi does anyone know when you actually qualify for funding? I would love to do and ou course but can't afford it and have no idea if I would get funding.

mrsspendalot

Some of the courses for the certs also counted towards the degree in the end, but some didn't. It all depends on the combination of courses and what is needed for each degree.

immoral_angeluk

barnaby-bear wrote: »

A lot of CVs I've seen use the OU as a way of demonstrating on-going progression - this guy has obviously only taken a couple of courses but describes it as working towards the degree, it's pretty common for people to list completed course but say they are working towards x eventually...
http://www.newsnetworks.co.uk/

Especially common in IT and fields for people to be adding courses to CVs, OU is credible awarding body too - those dubious "correspondence courses in home decorating that guarantee a visa" aren't...

OH cool got you... but if I wanted to do something like debt counselling for the CAB or something what other courses would be useful?