Open University Questions and Answers

sudzs · 07-09-2013 11:18am

breghall wrote: »

Don't know about short courses but for my first year course all my text books were posted out and also have access online to the same books via their student pages.

Thanks! Yes, I did a 60 credit course last year and got all my books and materials sent out and books were available online too which was handy. Was hoping I would be able to access the short course book online too. Time will tell!

mbiking123 · 14-09-2013 11:52pm

sudzs wrote: »

Can anyone tell me if the textbooks the short stand alone courses (10 credits) are available online? I did a short course a couple of years ago and can't remember if I could access the textbook online or not.

Thanks!

hello, probably not

Login at www.open.ac.uk/students with your username and password and you can check on your profile of courses completed. If you are lucky it may have a link to the course material. Certainly I no longer have access to the material

However why not google the course text book name nand author,a pdf maybe available online ?

Sin City · 04-02-2014 2:00pm

Has anyone done the msc technology management course?
Thinking of applying

brownmini · 04-02-2014 10:22pm

Sin City wrote: »

Has anyone done the msc technology management course?
Thinking of applying

I did T840 and T889 to get a PGC in TM.
They were OK but T840 was a bit waffly.
They've changed the first compulsory courses recently.
I think t840 has been scrubbed by now.
T846 used to dovetail with T840 or so it was said.
Perhaps/Suggest-that you survey which optional courses are common across several qualifications and do them first - that way you can choose which courses to do and gradually fall into line with a named-route later-on?

sweptwind · 25-03-2014 9:25am

This thread is very helpful. I'm considering studying with Open University at the moment but totally new to distance learning so it's been useful to hear other people's experiences. I'm looking at a 60 credit course that consists of the module MBA Stage 1. Has anyone done that? I just have some questions about the workload and applying workplace experience to the assignments. I looked at OU because of the flexibility but this course has to be done over 11 months so I imagine it's pretty intense.

2old4dacold · 16-06-2014 9:29am

would anybody happen to know if OU give credit towards BEng for trade qualification already received?

16-06-2014 12:29pm

I'd say you will have to contact the OU office here in Ireland to be certain.
If it is on the National Framework of Qualifications there is a good chance you will get some credit.

Crann na Beatha · 02-09-2014 5:55pm

This post has been deleted.

brownmini · 02-09-2014 9:22pm

2old4dacold wrote: »

would anybody happen to know if OU give credit towards BEng for trade qualification already received?

The OU does give credit for previous study.
Please see: http://www.open.ac.uk/study/credit-transfer/how-to-apply

And once your there start off with this one
http://www.open.ac.uk/study/credit-transfer/my-previous-study

But read the text under the big green yoke first

brownmini · 02-09-2014 10:13pm

sweptwind wrote: »

This thread is very helpful. I'm considering studying with Open University at the moment but totally new to distance learning so it's been useful to hear other people's experiences. I'm looking at a 60 credit course that consists of the module MBA Stage 1. Has anyone done that? I just have some questions about the workload and applying workplace experience to the assignments. I looked at OU because of the flexibility but this course has to be done over 11 months so I imagine it's pretty intense.

I haven't done that one but...
The OU is indeed flexible and in order to do the courses you too must be very flexible
and have a very flexible life (plus family and friends).
60 points at PG level is tough but if you make it then you will have a very big smile on
your face for years to come

Have a look at the 'student review' on what they thought of each course. These
(if there are any submitted) are tagged onto the bottom of each module description
or you'll find a leader on the right hand side of the webpage for each module under
the info box that tells you how many points/tma's/exam or assessment etc.

Also, there are a bunch of discussion groups for each course /subject/subject_group.
If you are a student then have a look under the OUSA section via the menu of your
'student homepage'. These can give you an indication too.

The course fees are also a stinger for people outside the UK.
They are higher and that course has a WOW! price tag on it.
(probably to pay for the residential school part too.)

Going by the number of awards that it is a requirement for, it seems to be a very
good course to do.

If you have the time, energy and determination to get through it then go for it!

2old4dacold · 03-11-2014 12:02am

anybody else having difficulty accessing their student home page ?

2old4dacold · 06-01-2015 3:43pm

I'm currently doing Discovering Mathematics and getting on grand. Thinking of starting Essential Mathematics 1 in the February slot. Has anyone on here experience of doing this? Is there a difficulty in being at different stages of two modules.

Secondly, I haven't yet chosen a qualification .... Is there much difficulty changing qualification if you change your mind? I think you need to have picked a qualification to claim tax back?

nibtrix · 06-01-2015 4:23pm

I've just finished 5 years with the OU and nearly always had 2 or more overlapping courses. In my opinion it's much better to have courses at different stages as it usually spreads out the assignments/exams better over the year.

If you're talking about starting a more difficult maths course when you haven't finished the easier one then it just depends on how confident you are with the material. I found the Level 1 and 2 OU courses were always very well-structured and usually built up from a basic level to more advanced so even if I didn't quite have the pre-requisite knowledge for a module it was easy enough to catch up.

For the tax relief with the OU you must be studying towards a degree. I don't think there is a problem with changing your qualification at a later date, except that some named degrees require very specific modules, while for others you have a certain amount of choice. You could always register for an Open degree. Don't take my word for that though, I couldn't change my selected qualification as I was studying under transitional fee arrangements (when the English universities lost a lot of govt. funding they increased all their fees) and I don't know what the rules are now.

Good luck with the maths, I did MST121 Using Mathematics back in 2011 and that module has been replaced with MST124 Essential Maths 1.

MELG102 · 10-01-2015 3:45pm

Has anyone done Bsc (Honours) psychology and councilling. Starting it in feb. I know the courses are recognized in ireland but just wondering if this particular course is??

MELG102 · 10-01-2015 3:47pm

Has anyone done BSc (Honours) Psychology with Counselling Starting it in feb. I know the courses are recognized in ireland but just wondering if this particular course is??

DM addict · 19-01-2015 8:31pm

I am currently doing the BSc in psychology with OU. It's recognised by the PSI, if you're interested in psychology accreditation. I don't know about counselling accreditation though, as I think there are a couple of different bodies for that.

heffo1 · 05-04-2015 4:16pm

Hi everyone,

Just had a query about the Open University that I'm hoping someone can help me with! I am almost finished my Bachelor of Arts degree and have accepted a teaching job in the United Arab Emirates which I don't need a teaching qualification for, but while I'm there, I would like to pursue a teaching qualification through The Open University. Has anyone done this before? Is it possible to study for this while outside of Ireland? Any info is greatly appreciated!

DM addict · 05-04-2015 6:45pm

heffo1 wrote: »

Hi everyone,

Just had a query about the Open University that I'm hoping someone can help me with! I am almost finished my Bachelor of Arts degree and have accepted a teaching job in the United Arab Emirates which I don't need a teaching qualification for, but while I'm there, I would like to pursue a teaching qualification through The Open University. Has anyone done this before? Is it possible to study for this while outside of Ireland? Any info is greatly appreciated!

It is possible to study with the OU while outside UK/Ireland, but there are some restrictions on what you can study and where. Your best bet is to drop them an email, as I'm not sure what the rules are for teaching or the UAE I'm afraid!

heffo1 · 05-04-2015 6:47pm

Cool, thanks for that!

nibtrix · 06-04-2015 1:22am

While you can definitely study outside the UK and Ireland with the OU, I think most teaching qualifications have an element of practical work (in fairness, they'd want to!) so it may not be possible to gain the full qualification you want. It might be possible to get started though.

I have to say that the student advice lines, and the office in Dublin if you happen to be close enough to drop in, are extremely helpful so it's well worth getting in contact.

heffo1 · 06-04-2015 4:35pm

Great thanks for the advice, hopefully I will be able to do something while working abroad!

John Mason · 07-08-2015 12:03pm

has anyone completed BA (Honours) Childhood and Youth Studies with OU ?

I am just wondering how respected this course is - I am not looking to be a childcare work but more in the development of policy/Better Start/County Childcare Committees etc.

thanks

twibbles · 30-11-2015 11:23pm

Howdy,

I presume that I have come to the right place. I am thinking of doing a Masters in Computing with the OU potentially (as opposed to studying part-time on campus in Dublin).

I was just wondering if anyone else has done a postgrad with the OU and what their experience was like?

The cost of the OU M.Sc. is a bit on the pricey side I reckon. However, I gather that I would be able to claim tax relief (at 20%) on the cost. I am in full time employment by the way.

I just find the idea of being able to study according to my own schedule and not being committed to attending lectures to be appealing.

Anyway, any thoughts would be appreciated.

Twibbles

Drexel · 30-11-2015 11:29pm

twibbles wrote: »

Howdy,

I presume that I have come to the right place. I am thinking of doing a Masters in Computing with the OU potentially (as opposed to studying part-time on campus in Dublin).

I was just wondering if anyone else has done a postgrad with the OU and what their experience was like?

The cost of the OU M.Sc. is a bit on the pricey side I reckon. However, I gather that I would be able to claim tax relief (at 20%) on the cost. I am in full time employment by the way.

I just find the idea of being able to study according to my own schedule and not being committed to attending lectures to be appealing.

Anyway, any thoughts would be appreciated.

Twibbles

I'm doing a computing degree with OU atm. Applied for my tax relief this year and didn't get anywhere near the 20% I got in previous years. I rang revenue and the woman told me the rules had changed. I'm not sure if it's just Ive claimed for a few years and reached a limit or the allowance has been decreased.

Be worth confirming before u take the plunge. The 20% back was great and always helped with the next years fees

twibbles · 30-11-2015 11:50pm

Thanks Drexel. I will try to find out for sure.

sponsoredwalk · 31-01-2016 9:28pm

Say a person 1 year into their 3-year OU undergraduate degree simultaneously re-did the LC during their second year, applied to Irish colleges through the CAO and was accepted. Would this affect the Irish free fees scheme that reduces the fees from something huge to only the student contribution? Seems to me like section 6 here
http://www.studentfinance.ie/mp9377/course-fees/index.html
says it would not affect the free fees scheme, i.e. you would get your fees paid for if you got into UCD at the end of your second year of the OU. Thoughts?

Also, do you think that if you did the 3rd OU year and finished it, say, 2 years into your UCD course, it would end the free fees scheme because you now have a degree?

jaqian · 26-06-2016 2:05am

Looking at doing the top-up IT degree in the OU but am a bit concerned about these modules. How much work us involved in doing one 30 credit module is it workable to do two a year or am I taking on too much?

DM addict · 26-06-2016 2:22am

jaqian wrote: »

Looking at doing the top-up IT degree in the OU but am a bit concerned about these modules. How much work us involved in doing one 30 credit module is it workable to do two a year or am I taking on too much?

Are you working full time? If so I wouldn't recommend doing more than 60 credits a year.

The actual workload varies a bit between the modules - and depends on how disciplined you are at study. This year I did my final module - 60 credits - and found it pretty easy to balance with full time work. However I also don't have kids/other major commitments.

I think some of the modules/somewhere on the website there's a guide to how many hours a week you can expect a module to be. I'll see if I can find it.

jaqian · 26-06-2016 11:27am

Thanks DM Addict, yeah fulltime job, kids, wife the whole package lol

DM addict · 26-06-2016 8:43pm

jaqian wrote: »

Thanks DM Addict, yeah fulltime job, kids, wife the whole package lol

I wouldn't recommend more than 60 credits then.

There's often facebook groups for various modules - see if you can find one for the module you're thinking of studying and ask some questions of the people who are doing/just did it. You'll probably get a mix of responses, but it should give you an idea of how challenging the course is.

The OU says 60 credits is about 16-18 hours a week http://www.open.ac.uk/courses/do-it/finding-time . That is going to vary depending on your course though. I've had 60 credit modules that took way less than that, and 30 credit modules that took over the 9 hours you'd expect.

Open University Questions and Answers

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