[Coriolanus]

Some of the stuff on the their FAQ for credit transfer might answer your questions.

http://www3.open.ac.uk/contact/faq.a...S&cat=1-1SDO4V

Failing that, or someone on here biting, fill in the form here:
http://www3.open.ac.uk/contact/contactus.aspx?cid=192

with all the details of your current quals and what you want to do etc and you'll get a very thorough answer. I mainly deal with my tutor now but when I was first mulling stuff over the general staff were extremely indepth in their help.

[Colours]

Hi All,

this is kind of a stab in the dark but I'm wondering if anyone might know for definite whether it is or is not possible to register for a module even though it's past registration date and you've missed the cut off dates for say 2 of the TMA's for the course?

What has prompted this somewhat bizarre question is that I am currently working towards a Maths degree with the OU in which I have just registered for the last 2 of the 4 compulsory level 3 modules required for this degree which commence this February. I have not yet done either the compulsory (and only) level 1 course MST121 Using Mathematics or the level 2 course Exploring Mathematics but I have done all remaining compulsory Level 2 modules for this qualfication.

I did previous Maths study in another university against which I have applied for credit transfer. Although I have not yet been formally advised about how many credit points this previous study will go towards my OU Maths degree - the maximum amount for this named degree is 80 credit points which is what I am hoping for - it has more or less been confirmed to me that I will still have to do the level 2 MS221 course because it is a compulsory course in the OU Maths degree course B31. I would however be allowed to be exempt from having to study the compulsory Level 2 MST121 component.

Hope I didn't lose some of you in the above palaver but it paves the way for the point of my post which is this: because 1) the next commencement date of the MS221 course is not till October 2012 and 2) I am very confident that nothing in this Level 2 course will present a challenge to me since I've been on Level 3 material for a few years now and 3) I am anxious to get my degree at the earliest possible juncture .... is it ever possible to enter an OU course half way through?

I would be willing to pay full fees and hopefully there could be a special arrangement for me to do the TMAs which I missed. That way I could sit th exam this June and get this compulsory component out of the way instead of having to wait a year and a half to do it.

Is this all just crazy talk or does anyone think that what I've proposed might be feasible?

Thanks :-)

[MYOB]

Everything on their website says there is absolutely no way to do that. Someone on a module can't even submit a TMA after the cutoff date without it being agreed in advance.

There is also a very real possibility that there was no free spaces on the course to begin with.

[Anyusername]

Thanks for that. I don't think I will get too many credits going from the website. Will give them a ring.

Anyway, how does the whole thing work, do I need to do 12 modules in year 1 from level 1 , same in year 2 and same in year 3 or is that in any way right.? Would like to do an open degree to get a Bsc in Social Science or just do a degree in Social Science, I'm not sure if I will get any credits for my IT diploma in business but I will give them a buzz this week.

Thanks guys for the advice. Lot of info on the ou website. Hard to know where to start!

[Coriolanus]

Example:
For a Degree in Edumacation you need 360 credits over 3 levels. Level 1 is entry level stuff, 2 intermediate, 3 advanced and so on. Modules are worth between 10 and 60 credits. Some of the modules are compulsory, like internet edumacation 101 and you have to do these ones and acheive a certain grade to qualify for a degree.

[Anyusername]

Originally Posted by Nevore

Example:
For a Degree in Edumacation you need 360 credits over 3 levels. Level 1 is entry level stuff, 2 intermediate, 3 advanced and so on. Modules are worth between 10 and 60 credits. Some of the modules are compulsory, like internet edumacation 101 and you have to do these ones and acheive a certain grade to qualify for a degree.

Thanks for that. Thinking of doing an open degree.does it have to be completed in 3 years? Is level 1s have to be done in year1 , level2 year 2 etc or could I do a level 1 module and a level 2 module at the same time? What is a pass mark is a cert diploma awarded at diff stages before completion of degree? Thanks

[pg633]

Originally Posted by Anyusername

Thanks for that. Thinking of doing an open degree.does it have to be completed in 3 years? Is level 1s have to be done in year1 , level2 year 2 etc or could I do a level 1 module and a level 2 module at the same time? What is a pass mark is a cert diploma awarded at diff stages before completion of degree? Thanks

No it doesn't have to be done in three years

Some level 2 courses require that you have already completed a relevant level 1 course before you start but that doesn't stop you studying a level 2 course in one subject you have already studied at level 1 along with a level 1 course in a different one. Would you be studying full time? The website gives guidelines on how many hours each subject would typically take.

On your earlier questions - generally there are limits to the amount of credits from previous study you can use to gain a degree.

[Coriolanus]

You can usually use some of the modules for varying quals.

For example there's a cert I'm looking at that is composed of 2 x lvl2 @60 points modules. So I do that, and claim my cert, fine.
Later I decide to do my degree. When it comes time to calculate my credits, I can only use one of the modules that I used to claim my cert, not both.

But there's a lot of variation. Some have time limits on when you have to have done the course etc.

There's really only general principles so don't take any of this as gospel. You'll have to give a good read over of the prospectus for the area you're looking at.

[Anyusername]

Thanks will have a look at prospectus. Tbh not sure if going to do anything with them. Got a shock when heard the price 1320 per module to start now and jumps up to 2500 per module in oct. ! That is in sterling.

I think I am going to head the IT route and do two nights a week and maybe do a few fetac courses from cmit distance learning.

[Coriolanus]

Well, you have to remember it's not subsidized. But even if you take, say a degree in Trinity and a degree in the OU, the disparity isn't that big. And when you're like me and have used a couple of your "free education" years in previous aborted attempts, it's actually far cheaper to go the OU route rather than paying full fees in an Irish Uni.
Still horses for courses and all that.

[Slane Resident]

Originally Posted by Anyusername

Thanks will have a look at prospectus. Tbh not sure if going to do anything with them. Got a shock when heard the price 1320 per module to start now and jumps up to 2500 per module in oct. ! That is in sterling.

I think I am going to head the IT route and do two nights a week and maybe do a few fetac courses from cmit distance learning.

If you enrol now your fees are held at the current rate for the duration of your study. There will be some increases due to inflation etc but getting in now will avoid the price hike that's coming. I've just enrolled for that reason.

[SionnachOghma]

I was just on the OU website, glancing at their language courses. Unless I'm mistaking what their fees section says, a BEGINNERS Italian course (Level 1, 30 credits) costs £1250... can anyone confirm or refute this?

[MYOB]

Originally Posted by SionnachOghma

I was just on the OU website, glancing at their language courses. Unless I'm mistaking what their fees section says, a BEGINNERS Italian course (Level 1, 30 credits) costs £1250... can anyone confirm or refute this?

From September, all 30 module courses are going to be £1,250 for Irish students due to the UK govt removing block funding for English universities.

This is close enough to what people outside of Ireland paid before (its a bit more) but under the old block funding system, Ireland had lower fees than the rest of the world and the UK had lower fees than Ireland. Now England has equal fees to Ireland and R.O.W. whereas Wales/Scotland/NI still have subsidised ones.

As far as I know if you start a module before September you get in on the old fees (and anyone in on the old fees can keep them till the end) but there aren't many module starts before then anyway.

It'll be £1,250 for a level 3 advanced module as well, not that that helps the initial shock much...

[brownmini]

Originally Posted by MYOB

From September, all 30 module courses are going to be £1,250 for Irish students due to the UK govt removing block funding for English universities.

...

It'll be £1,250 for a level 3 advanced module as well, not that that helps the initial shock much...

Ouch!!
But this price hike might be fors brand new OU students who have just registered into the British system ????
If you are already in the OU the prices might be a little bit less (???).

I started when the Level 1 modules were around 600 pounds which I think ended up around 780 Euro.
Since then as you say, things just keep going up.
Last course was over 1200 Euro - but remember there is a ''tax back'' on OU courses.

Either way - I enjoyed all the OU stuff.
Even the "Orienteering around UCD" one year to find some ''rectory'' (or something like that) in the grounds when the exam hall had to be moved further in from the roadway. (sports all not available that day/week).

[MYOB]

Originally Posted by brownmini

Ouch!!
But this price hike might be fors brand new OU students who have just registered into the British system ????
If you are already in the OU the prices might be a little bit less (???).

If you're already in, prices are staying the same (plus inflation at UK CPI but no more); I did mention that. You need to keep doing at least one module a year and the exemption eventually runs out.

In theory if you managed to get on a May start course you should be classed as "in" but I'm not sure if that's even possible.