Full time and part time degree

irishgirl101

Hello there,
I am considering starting a full time three year degree this year in early childhood education and also a four year part-time evening degree in business at the same time. It is just an idea and don't know if I will go through with it. I do not know what amount of study is required for early childhood education e.g for exams and how much work is required. I like the idea of graduating with both degrees near the same time but doing them at the same time is something I would need advice on. Has anyone ever done a full time degree and part time one? Or should I just wait till I finish the first one then go onto the second. Also if anyone has any information on the study/workload for both early childhood education and business that would be great
Thank you

MrWalsh

irishgirl101 wrote: »

Has anyone ever done a full time degree and part time one?

Yes, I did for a while. I had been made redundant and decided to go full time with a distance learning degree that I had already been doing part time. It was semesterised though and the redundancy happened in June so I didnt want to be sitting round waiting until September/October for something to do so I signed up for a module in a completely different stand part time course. I liked it so much that I decided to continue and keep it on part time alongside the full time degree.

I did both for 2 years (until the full time degree was finished) then I went back to work and took up a part time masters and didnt continue on with the part time degree. I can go back to it at any time, so maybe when Im finished the masters I will.

irishgirl101

MrWalsh wrote: »

Yes, I did for a while. I had been made redundant and decided to go full time with a distance learning degree that I had already been doing part time. It was semesterised though and the redundancy happened in June so I didnt want to be sitting round waiting until September/October for something to do so I signed up for a module in a completely different stand part time course. I liked it so much that I decided to continue and keep it on part time alongside the full time degree.

I did both for 2 years (until the full time degree was finished) then I went back to work and took up a part time masters and didnt continue on with the part time degree. I can go back to it at any time, so maybe when Im finished the masters I will.

Thank you for your reply I appreciate it . Did you find the workload a lot doing them both at once and also were there any exam clashes?

MrWalsh

irishgirl101 wrote: »

Thank you for your reply I appreciate it . Did you find the workload a lot doing them both at once and also were there any exam clashes?

It was a bit like having a full time job and then doing a degree part time in the evenings - that was how I treated it. And they were both very different disciplines so even though you might be tired thinking about one, youd be fresh to think about the other! The part time one had some practical aspects also.

There were some periods that were a bit hectic.

The full time one had summer exams each May. Of course this meant that it was fairly non hectic until after xmas each year!

The part time one was examined by assignments and an online multiple choice exam at the end of each module that you could choose to do at a time convenient to you in a given week. The modules took about 4 months each. I usually did 2 modules at a time but I think I had a period of overlap once where I was doing 3 at once. I was able to sort of organise things that Id less on towards the May exams of the full time one.

MouseTail

Why would you do this? Would you not just do a conversion course or post grad after the full time degree? What career are you aiming for?

MrWalsh

MouseTail wrote: »

Why would you do this? Would you not just do a conversion course or post grad after the full time degree? What career are you aiming for?

Can't speak for the OP but for myself it wasn't about aiming for a career, it was about studying things I'm interested in. I already have a successful career based on my original degree and post grad nearly 20 years ago, my second degree and masters are in a completely different area and the part time one that I've put on hold is in a different area again. Study is like a hobby for me. Doesn't hurt the CV either but primarily I'm following my interests.

MouseTail

Fair enough if its for personal reasons. But if the OP is doing this for professional reasons it is pointless, expensive and will not look good on a CV.

MrWalsh

MouseTail wrote: »

Fair enough if its for personal reasons. But if the OP is doing this for professional reasons it is pointless, expensive and will not look good on a CV.

Don't be ridiculous, are you really trying to claim that an extra degree looks bad on a CV?

MouseTail

Yep, certainly if its done concurrently. Progression looks much better.

MrWalsh

MouseTail wrote: »

Yep, certainly if its done concurrently. Progression looks much better.

Ok. You're wrong but ok.