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Open University Questions and Answers

245678

Comments

  • #52
    Lou2713
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭Lou2713


    Just wondering if anyone has any advice in relation to fees for studying with the OU from Ireland.

    I was all set to register for my first course at £630 for the module. I calculated this as €686.77 at today's rate. When I went to register, it said that the fee to sign up from Ireland was £1330 which is almost €1500!!
    I saw another thread where somebody said that its no longer expensive to study with OU due to the exchange rates but how can they justify this difference? Surely, the only difference would be in postage? It was fair enough when there was a huge gap between sterling and the euro but its rediculous now. Has anyone else queried this?

    I would appreciate any information as I was all set but I can't afford to pay more than double!


  • #53
    GerardKeating
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,711 ✭✭✭GerardKeating


    Lou2713 wrote: »
    Just wondering if anyone has any advice in relation to fees for studying with the OU from Ireland.

    I was all set to register for my first course at £630 for the module. I calculated this as €686.77 at today's rate. When I went to register, it said that the fee to sign up from Ireland was £1330 which is almost €1500!!
    I saw another thread where somebody said that its no longer expensive to study with OU due to the exchange rates but how can they justify this difference? Surely, the only difference would be in postage? It was fair enough when there was a huge gap between sterling and the euro but its rediculous now. Has anyone else queried this?

    I would appreciate any information as I was all set but I can't afford to pay more than double!

    €1500 is a fair conversion for £1330, as to the difference between £630 and £1330 cannot help, but the issue is not currency conversion...


  • #54
    Richard
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,439 ✭✭✭Richard


    Might the UK Government subsidise the course for UK residents but not those from the Republic?


  • #55
    claire h
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,056 ✭✭✭claire h


    UK government do indeed subsidise the courses for UK residents. The cost to study a module in Ireland or elsewhere in the EU is available on each course page - it will have said that £630 was the "UK fee", with a link underneath to see what it was for residents of the Republic of Ireland (usually 2-3 times more expensive).

    I am very surprised that someone who had looked into the Open University hadn't discovered this before deciding to commit to a course, honestly.


  • #56
    The Coach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ✭The Coach


    Hi all,

    Apologies in advance mods if my questions have been asked/answered here plenty of times already. :o I have checked stickies and whatnot but im still not sure. Just wondering has anyone here managed to be succesful as a result of obtaining an OU degree? Also is it recognised like any standard degree worldwide? Places like USA, Oz and the likes.
    Basically i'm just trying to weigh up an OU degree compared to a normal degree (not online). I'm finding that the whole college life probably isn't for me so i'm seriously considering this. I'm a couple of years shy of being able to apply as a mature student in college and also the fees are looking like there going to be too expensive for me!
    The OU itself looks expensive enough, working out at about the best part of 10 grand for the 360 points worth in total so it's a big investment in itself.

    Ok i'll try to stop rambling on now! Do you think the OU degree is worth it as something to help build a career on as opposed to a normal degree here in some college in Ireland??
    I Really would like to do one with the OU, just not too sure would it be a wise move, OU or a normal college?

    If anyone could give me their views on this it would be much appreciated. :)


  • #57
    Fergus08
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 49 ✭Fergus08


    Relax, very well respected by nearly all of academia. All OU qualifications are "mapped" on the National Framework of Qualifications here, so are fully recognized as on a par with the NUI, TCD etc. So, no worries, really, from that angle. One the other hand, some employers are still a bit sniffy about OU - not in the public sector but in our absolutely wonderful and enlightened private sector. Those employers who, for instance, routinely bin all CVs from applicants who aren't TCD or UCD, and they do exist.

    The OU experience, in my opinion, surpasses most of the conventional college experience (I've done both OU and UCD). You'll be tutored almost exclusively by people who have a PhD and who are either full-time tutors with OU or lecturers at other universities/colleges. I'm my 12 courses with the OU all of my tutors had a PhD and several were lecturers at other universities - including a reasonably prominent 'name' in sociology. While at a bricks-and-mortar uni you will, in all likelihood, be tutored by a PhD student the same age or younger than you. From an undergraduate perspective OU, I think, has the edge. But you won't have a full circle of friends (or enemies, either), nightlife, societies. However, from your post it looks like you wouldn't really miss that.

    As regards proceeding to post-grad (MSc/PhD). Again, no problem at all. Dozens of lecturers in the UK, and some in Ireland, started off as OU students. That includes several at Oxford and Cambridge. So, it is possible to go to the very top by starting at the OU, if you're determined enough. Alas, there are patches of sniffiness still here in Ireland regarding OU, but I think that's declining.

    Don't be deterred by a snideness you may hear about OU. It's up there with most Universities. Objectively, it's ranked close to DCU, UCC, NUIM in the various rankings. And it was ranked in the top third of research universities at the last UK research assessment exercise - a few notches down from QUB. It's an excellent teaching university, a good research one and it more than holds it own against conventional unis. I hope this is of some assistance to you and best of luck. It will be worth it.


  • #58
    The Coach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ✭The Coach


    Fergus08 wrote: »
    Relax, very well respected by nearly all of academia. All OU qualifications are "mapped" on the National Framework of Qualifications here, so are fully recognized as on a par with the NUI, TCD etc. So, no worries, really, from that angle. One the other hand, some employers are still a bit sniffy about OU - not in the public sector but in our absolutely wonderful and enlightened private sector. Those employers who, for instance, routinely bin all CVs from applicants who aren't TCD or UCD, and they do exist.

    The OU experience, in my opinion, surpasses most of the conventional college experience (I've done both OU and UCD). You'll be tutored almost exclusively by people who have a PhD and who are either full-time tutors with OU or lecturers at other universities/colleges. I'm my 12 courses with the OU all of my tutors had a PhD and several were lecturers at other universities - including a reasonably prominent 'name' in sociology. While at a bricks-and-mortar uni you will, in all likelihood, be tutored by a PhD student the same age or younger than you. From an undergraduate perspective OU, I think, has the edge. But you won't have a full circle of friends (or enemies, either), nightlife, societies. However, from your post it looks like you wouldn't really miss that.

    As regards proceeding to post-grad (MSc/PhD). Again, no problem at all. Dozens of lecturers in the UK, and some in Ireland, started off as OU students. That includes several at Oxford and Cambridge. So, it is possible to go to the very top by starting at the OU, if you're determined enough. Alas, there are patches of sniffiness still here in Ireland regarding OU, but I think that's declining.

    Don't be deterred by a snideness you may hear about OU. It's up there with most Universities. Objectively, it's ranked close to DCU, UCC, NUIM in the various rankings. And it was ranked in the top third of research universities at the last UK research assessment exercise - a few notches down from QUB. It's an excellent teaching university, a good research one and it more than holds it own against conventional unis. I hope this is of some assistance to you and best of luck. It will be worth it.

    Cheers for the honest reply Fergus, i'll take what you said on board. The OU is looking pretty decent to me overall so far. Just hope the price doesn't increase drastically over the years for whatever reasons.


  • #59
    mimmi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 119 ✭✭mimmi


    The OU is funded by the UK exchequer, so there is indeed an element of subsidy for fees, in the same way as there are no fees for OU study in the UK if your family income is below £30k, it's social policy to encourage part-time learning, the RoI has always dealt part-time students a raw deal on that score.

    A 60pts course is €1444 at todays exchange rate, as 120pts is equivalent to one year of full-time study that is just under €3000 for a year - including materials, tuition etc and no registration or exam fees, not bad really.

    I think when people start to see the figures for tutition fees for full-time study, the OU may look even more competitive.

    When people say the OU is expensive, I do wonder if they have looked at fees charged by other colleges for part-time degrees. In my experience the OU is on par and sometimes cheaper when you factor in materials and no requirement for attendance a few nights a week.


  • #60
    AdvancingOn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6 ✭AdvancingOn


    The Coach wrote: »
    Do you think the OU degree is worth it as something to help build a career on as opposed to a normal degree here in some college in Ireland??
    :)

    Hi, I found this particular post by Boardie's http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055320288 to be the most informative when i was in the process of changing over to the OU ...from a course in Oscail DCU

    Hope This Helps though i am sure there are plenty of posts on OU recognition by search
    AD


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  • #61
    Ciderboy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19 ✭Ciderboy


    I am looking to upgrade to a level 8 Honours degree, i currently have a diploma in electronics which i completed in 94.
    I am hoping to get a BSc hons degree and i'm considering the below courses.
    T307 Innovation: designing for a sustainable future
    T325 Technologies for digital media
    T324 Keeping ahead in information and communication technologies.

    Has anyone here studied these courses, if so how tough are they. Is there any prep work i could do to prepare for these? The courses do not start until Feb 2010.
    Any info would be appreciated. Thanks


  • #62
    UrbanFox
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 472 ✭✭UrbanFox


    Lou2713 wrote: »
    Just wondering if anyone has any advice in relation to fees for studying with the OU from Ireland.

    I was all set to register for my first course at £630 for the module. I calculated this as €686.77 at today's rate. When I went to register, it said that the fee to sign up from Ireland was £1330 which is almost €1500!!
    I saw another thread where somebody said that its no longer expensive to study with OU due to the exchange rates but how can they justify this difference? Surely, the only difference would be in postage? It was fair enough when there was a huge gap between sterling and the euro but its rediculous now. Has anyone else queried this?

    I would appreciate any information as I was all set but I can't afford to pay more than double!

    There are three tiers of OU fees ; U.K., Republic of Ireland and Continental Europe.


  • #63
    rainbowtrout
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,382 ✭✭✭✭rainbowtrout


    Lou2713 wrote: »
    Just wondering if anyone has any advice in relation to fees for studying with the OU from Ireland.

    I was all set to register for my first course at £630 for the module. I calculated this as €686.77 at today's rate. When I went to register, it said that the fee to sign up from Ireland was £1330 which is almost €1500!!
    I saw another thread where somebody said that its no longer expensive to study with OU due to the exchange rates but how can they justify this difference? Surely, the only difference would be in postage? It was fair enough when there was a huge gap between sterling and the euro but its rediculous now. Has anyone else queried this?

    I would appreciate any information as I was all set but I can't afford to pay more than double!


    The UK government subsidise UK students for OU fees which is why their fees are much less, otherwise they would probably be paying similar to us.


  • #64
    lolli
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,173 ✭✭✭lolli


    Does anyone have a copy of the email that contained the schedule for tomorrow graduation in the Helix. I tried the link to print it off but the webpage is gone.


  • #65
    gavkm27
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 512 ✭✭✭gavkm27


    Sorry if this Question has been asked already,but why are the Uk and ROI prices nearly doubled for these courses,can't i just get the books etc. sent to Uk and passed on,or am i just thinking like a tight c**t


  • #66
    rainbowtrout
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,382 ✭✭✭✭rainbowtrout


    gavkm27 wrote: »
    Sorry if this Question has been asked already,but why are the Uk and ROI prices nearly doubled for these courses,can't i just get the books etc. sent to Uk and passed on,or am i just thinking like a tight c**t

    see post 63


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  • #67
    gavkm27
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 512 ✭✭✭gavkm27


    rainbowtrout wrote: »
    see post 63

    oh jaysus thats pretty shameful,i could have at least read back 2 posts,cheers :o


  • #68
    D.Mar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 62 ✭✭D.Mar


    Hi my question is about the PGCE with the Open University. I'm just wondering if this course is respected by employers? I'm worried just because it's an online/distance course. I want to be a secondary school teacher, so is this course just as respected as doing the PGCE with one of the NUI universities? thanks in advance


  • #69
    Moonbeam
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,968 Mod ✭✭✭✭Moonbeam


    Yes it is a respected course .
    You need to be a UK resident to do it.

    Info about becoming a teacher in the UK -
    http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/secondary_school_teacher_job_description.jsp


  • #70
    mimmi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 119 ✭✭mimmi


    DaisyPem wrote: »
    Hi my question is about the PGCE with the Open University. I'm just wondering if this course is respected by employers? I'm worried just because it's an online/distance course. I want to be a secondary school teacher, so is this course just as respected as doing the PGCE with one of the NUI universities? thanks in advance

    OU PGCE is only in certain Secondary Subjects e.g. maths, science, geography, modern languages, CDT.

    You can do the programme as an RoI resident and you will pay a fee, but your placement will be in Northern Ireland as places on the scheme are controlled by DENI.

    I doubt there are many people in the RoI who have done the programme, and those that have are probably around the border areas. I know that the TC has approved this programme, but they apply the 'individual case' assessment preocedure - as they do for all PGCE applicants. It is a very well designed and highly valued programme but it's just the logistics of doing placements that is a fundamental hurdle for RoI people.


  • #71
    mimmi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 119 ✭✭mimmi


    gavkm27 wrote: »
    Sorry if this Question has been asked already,but why are the Uk and ROI prices nearly doubled for these courses,can't i just get the books etc. sent to Uk and passed on,or am i just thinking like a tight c**t

    Your not paying just for the books though, your fee covers tutor support and assssment of a course/programme that is validated at degree level - I assume you want a qaulifcation that stands up to scrutiny and has met quality assesment standards.

    Essentially the UK government funds, subsidises and encourages part-time degree learning where as in the RoI there is bugger all support apart from tax relief.


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  • #72
    zesman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 92 ✭✭zesman


    I'm thinking of doing a degree in Arts and Humanities in the Open University. Has anyone out there taken this course in the past and how did they get on?


  • #73
    BuffyBot
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,924 ✭✭✭✭BuffyBot


    Yes, and fine :)

    Any specific questions? Might help folks narrow down their answers! ;)


  • #74
    Fiona500
    Registered Users Posts: 120 ✭✭Fiona500


    Has anyone used the OU's disability services? I would just like to know if you found them polite and easy to deal with? I have had some problems with this service in other schools in the past and want to make sure that they fully explain what one is entitled to and work to ensure that you get it?


    Also wondering if anyone has gotten a job using their OU degree , or if anyone has met with difficulties get a job because they don't have a degree from a traditionally uni?

    Cheers! :D


  • #75
    BuffyBot
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,924 ✭✭✭✭BuffyBot


    From what I heard from other students, they had nothing but praise for OU's disability services team. Never had any reason to use them myself, but any interaction I heard of seemed to be pretty positive. Unlike many other institutions, they've been dealing with disabled students since day 1, and been dealing with a lot of them due to the nature of the university.

    As for job prospects - people, in my experience, have either been a) fine about it or b) fascinated with it and the work/commitment it involved. I also got offers (from pretty good universities) of further post-graduate study, so I'd say it's pretty well regarded/recognised. :)


  • #76
    env.student
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭env.student


    motherfunker wrote: »
    Just wondering if anyone here has completed either the Environmental control and public health (T210) or the Environmental monitoring, modeling and control(T308) courses. I'm trying to decide on whether to do these courses or do a fire engineering level 8 course in my IT. One of my lecturers told me OU courses were very hard and not to take it on without being ready for a hard slog. I dont mind a bit of hard work, I've been in college for the last 3 years so I am used to it but I dont want to get in over my head, I dont think I would be though btut I'd love to hear from anyone who has completed either of these courses.

    Hi Motherfunker
    I completed T210 last year and am half way through T308.
    Your lecturer is right; it is a hard slog! But I'm working f/t. If you're not working f/t then its managable. I am really enjoying the course but a good grounding in science is a necessity.
    t210 was tough going with a lot of experiments to do at home and there was an exam at the end
    T308 is really hard going I find at the moment. BUT it has a project which replaces an exam which is better for I.
    Its also VERY expensive. Its about €1400 or more for T210 and the same again for T308.
    PM me if you've any questions.
    For the record, I work for a prestigious company and a lot of my peers have OU qualifications!


  • #77
    tolteq
    Closed Accounts Posts: 495 ✭✭tolteq


    Has anybody done this course? I have a BSc in Psychology and am wondering if it is a good post-graduate course to do. I would like maybe to do a PhD after.


  • #78
    eth0_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,846 ✭✭✭✭eth0_


    Well it's up there with masters in psych research methods from "real life" uni's, so I would go for it if I were you.

    It'll be really helpful for getting onto a further postgrad course as a lot of psych grads tend to be weak in that area, which is a disadvantage if doing a PhD :)


  • #79
    Stay_in_Kampuchea
    Closed Accounts Posts: 119 ✭✭Stay_in_Kampuchea


    Just a quick question, are the degrees actually worth anything for the OU my brother just ripped the piss outta me for considering it...please tell me they are....


  • #80
    BuffyBot
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,924 ✭✭✭✭BuffyBot


    Same as any other UK university (and better than many). If you read this thread, even more so in some peoples eyes.


  • #81
    coup1917
    Closed Accounts Posts: 262 ✭✭coup1917


    Stay_in_Kampuchea wrote: »
    Just a quick question, are the degrees actually worth anything for the OU my brother just ripped the piss outta me for considering it...please tell me they are....


    You're brother obviously aint working in the real world too long if at all.....
    If you are working full time, OU is probably one of the best qualifications you can have. Employers also view those who study OU while working as having a high level of self discipline....

    P.S.... I work for a company with a significant number of employees having moved up the ladder through OU quals.......


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  • #82
    Fergus08
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 49 ✭Fergus08


    Stay_in_Kampuchea wrote: »
    Just a quick question, are the degrees actually worth anything for the OU my brother just ripped the piss outta me for considering it...please tell me they are....

    Read throught the whole thread you'll see get plenty of answers to this particular question.


  • #83
    Coco chanelle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ✭Coco chanelle


    Hi
    This is my first time on the site, is there anyone studying cognitive psychology with the Open University at the moment or perhaps last year?


  • #84
    hayser
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 394 ✭✭hayser


    Coco chanelle wrote: »
    Hi
    This is my first time on the site, is there anyone studying cognitive psychology with the Open University at the moment or perhaps last year?

    I haven't studied cognitive psychology but I have just recently started the Applying Psychology module with the Open University. If you're thinking of studying with them I can't recommend them highly enough.


  • #85
    Coco chanelle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ✭Coco chanelle


    Thanks for the reply, I am on the home straight with the OU as it were and my last module for the post grad (conversion) diploma is cognitive psychology and while my grades have been very good for my previous modules I am finding level 3 hard. I had been warned that level 3 was not comparable with level 2, as this is my last module and will mostly determine my final grade I was looking for grinds from someone who has already completed this module to ensure a first or a 2:1 grade. Your right the OU are great to study with but I must say I find distance learning isolating somtimes. Anyway if anyone can help please let me know.
    Thanks


  • #86
    Stay_in_Kampuchea
    Closed Accounts Posts: 119 ✭✭Stay_in_Kampuchea


    What's the story with this Open degree thing?
    Do the Public Appointments Service here recognise theese aswell?!


  • #87
    BuffyBot
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,924 ✭✭✭✭BuffyBot


    Stay_in_Kampuchea wrote: »
    What's the story with this Open degree thing?

    An open degree is just that - instead of choosing to study one or two specfic areas (for example English or Biology to get a named degree [i.e. BA in English Literature or BSc in Biology], you choose any courses you wish (within certain restrictions). So you could do some English courses combined with Biology or IT or Maths etc and you get a BA or BSc depending on what kind of courses you choose.

    While academically it'll all be of the same standard as named degrees, for career purposes I'd imagine a named degree would be more relevant if you want to pursue a certain career path or gain entry into a specific Masters course etc.
    Do the Public Appointments Service here recognise theese aswell?!

    Well again, they're the same as any other degree from the OU, but as with anything life, check it with them, then check it again to be sure.


  • #88
    mimmi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 119 ✭✭mimmi


    All OU degrees are mapped onto the National Qualifcations Framework by HETAC, so if an employer just asks for a Level 8 degree, an OU degree would be the same as any other. Obviously depending on the job role an employer may want to ask for a specific degree e.g. applied social care fro care worker.

    In my expereince named degrees are not the be all, it's context and relevance to a job and more importantly the skills you have developed e.g. critical thinking, problem solving, self directed working etc that are generally what employers are often interested in. In terms of the Public Appointments Service only specialist roles may require a specific degree but for CO,EO and AO entry, aptitude testing is clearly key to the selection procedure and a degree just ckecks an educational level box.


  • #89
    mimmi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 119 ✭✭mimmi


    tolteq wrote: »
    Has anybody done this course? I have a BSc in Psychology and am wondering if it is a good post-graduate course to do. I would like maybe to do a PhD after.

    In the UK you cann't get onto a PhD is social science without an M.Res, but in Ireland it is different, you can go from UG to PhD study and your OU degree has certainly given you very good research skills. You don't say what class of degree you have, but if you have a 2:1 or above I wouldn't bother with the Research Methods course, try and focus on the area you want to conduct research and look at college websites and see what's happening in their research areas or maybe look at a more specific applied psychology courses or research masters.


  • #90
    theprizelamb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 37 ✭theprizelamb


    Hi all

    Just a quick question on the points criteria.

    Was looking up a course on maths and stats, where the degree is awarded on gaining 360 points, accumulated from a the various tiers.

    For instance it states that the degree is awarded provided that 30 points are from level 1, and 90 are from compulsory level 2 courses. However, there is only one course in level 1 and 3 courses in level 2, all worth 30 points each. Does this mean i need to get 100% in these courses to get the required standard.

    I was thinking that perhaps it means that i need to of participated in courses that add up to 360 points, and then the level of the qualification is awarded on on how many points i gained out of the amount available.

    Any clarification on this would be of great use.


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  • #91
    rainbowtrout
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,382 ✭✭✭✭rainbowtrout


    theprizelamb wrote: »
    Hi all


    I was thinking that perhaps it means that i need to of participated in courses that add up to 360 points, and then the level of the qualification is awarded on on how many points i gained out of the amount available.

    Any clarification on this would be of great use.


    This is exactly what it means. you need 360 credits and each module is assigned a number of credits (30 or 60 normally) so you need to complete X amount of modules to total 360 including compulsory modules like you pointed out. I'm doing that degree at the moment. I've done MST121 (30), MS221(30) and M208 (60) so I have 120 credits worth of modules completed. I'm doing M248, M373 and MT365 this year. Each is worth 30 credits, so that's another 90 I'll have at the end of this year. So that totals 210 credits completed. I've accumulated another 60 from my previous degree, so that makes 270, so I need another 90 which I'm going to get from doing another 3 modules next year worth 30 credits each.

    Credits essentially tell you how much work is in each module, a 60 credit module has twice as much work in it (volume wise) as a 30 credit module.


    The qualification you get is awarded based on the grades you get in each module which are averaged. You get a Grade 1/Distinction, Grade 2, Grade 3 or Grade 4, which are equivalent to an A, B,C, or D in a module depending on how you do in your assignments and end of year exam in each module. It's the average of these grades that determines the qualification you get. i.e A First Class Honours Degree, Second Class Honours Grade 1, Second Class Honours Grade 2 or Pass.


  • #92
    theprizelamb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 37 ✭theprizelamb


    Thanks for that - am looking to get a degree in maths and have been looking every where for evening/partime courses in maths but cant come across any, and literally just stumbled across this thread last night!

    How do you find the course? Did you have to contact them directly to see what credit transfer you would be allowed?


  • #93
    rainbowtrout
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,382 ✭✭✭✭rainbowtrout


    theprizelamb wrote: »
    Thanks for that - am looking to get a degree in maths and have been looking every where for evening/partime courses in maths but cant come across any, and literally just stumbled across this thread last night!

    How do you find the course? Did you have to contact them directly to see what credit transfer you would be allowed?


    It's great, the materials are excellent and the tutors are helpful, can't really fault it at all. If you have a look at the course description again you'll see that 60 out of the 360 credits you need for the degree are a free choice. That means you must take 300 credits from the compulsory modules and electives meeting all the requirements, eg a minimum no of credits at different levels. The final 60 credits can be more maths modules of your choice at any level OR any other modules offered by OU at any level - so if you have an interest in learning something else eg Beginners Spanish you could do that etc OR you can use the credit transfer system and be awarded credit for previous 3rd level study. I did this because it cost's nothing and I'm still getting the degree at the end of it. I brought my original degree and transcript to their office, they took a photocopy and gave me back my original and they award 5 credits for each module completed up to max 60 credits for the maths module. So it saved me having to pay for 2 more 30 credit maths modules. You can apply for the credit transfer any time during your studies and it doesn't matter what your previous degree was in. It's a bit like taking First Year Arts and choosing four subjects to fulfill requirements and dropping 2 at the end of the year. It's basically the equivalent.


  • #94
    Agent J
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,909 ✭✭✭Agent J


    Question on the exemptions.

    Do they have to be a full completed course (cert/dip/Degree)
    or do you know if you can use completed modules credits?

    I have about 1.5 years worth of a science/IT degree that i'll never be able to finish but would like to try and use the ECTS for something prodductive.

    I've looked at the Open Uni site but cant seem to find the info i need.


  • #95
    BuffyBot
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,924 ✭✭✭✭BuffyBot


    They should be able to count it towards something - contact the OU Credit Transfer office. They're normally pretty good and answering any questions you might have


  • #96
    mimmi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 119 ✭✭mimmi


    Agent J wrote: »
    Question on the exemptions.

    Do they have to be a full completed course (cert/dip/Degree)
    or do you know if you can use completed modules credits?

    I have about 1.5 years worth of a science/IT degree that i'll never be able to finish but would like to try and use the ECTS for something prodductive.

    I've looked at the Open Uni site but cant seem to find the info i need.

    The OU can assess incomplete study - you need a Transcript of Results - ECTS points helpful and if you want credit towards a specific degree i.e not the Open degree, you will need a syllabus for the matching assessment.


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  • #97
    Dinkers
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14 ✭Dinkers


    I got a BA Hons in Humanities in 2005. It was sometimes a very hard slog trying to complete essays with a deadline looming up. I managed to do this by studying most evenings and weekends while working and commuting. It was'nt easy but each year brought a huge sense of achievement when the exams were over in October. Sometimes it was difficult trying to plan family holidays around TMA deadlines.

    However, it was a wonderful experience. The tutors were great. The OU staff were always very helpful. I made some great friendships along the way. My family were a huge support to me. And we had a wonderful reason to celebrate after my conferring in the Helix.

    Since then my studies have opened up a huge appreciation of the world around us through the buildings on the streets, going to plays, art exhibitions and concerts. Even just selecting CDs and books in the library or shops has been influenced by my studies.

    The whole experience was life enhancing.

    Good Luck.


  • #98
    BlackEdelweiss
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,542 ✭✭✭BlackEdelweiss


    I am considering moving to england for the duration of my OU course to avail of the cheaper fees, is there a minimum time I must be in residence there in order to qualify for the sterling rate? Do I have to be on the english system, i.e. tax, prsi etc, to be able to avail of it?


  • #99
    Tacpot
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1 ✭Tacpot


    I'm hoping to study for BA Humanities with the OU.

    The recommended first course is AA100 "The arts past and present" which starts in October 2009 and finishes in June 2010.

    Every other module seems to have a start date in February each year which means that I will either have a long gap between modules (from June 2010 to February 2011) or will have to start my second module in February 2010 while I am only half way throught the first.

    I am reasonably confident that I won't be struggling with AA100 as it will cover topics I am familiar with and have a strong interest in but I don't want to get overwhelmed as I work fulltime.

    Has anyone else taken on two modules together without regrettting it?


  • #100
    BuffyBot
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,924 ✭✭✭✭BuffyBot


    AA100 starts in either October or February (so you can begin on either sitting).

    Some popular courses have two sessions a year - but many just still offer one (starting February).

    You could always wait until the February presentation, then do the other courses as you wish Two courses + full time work isn't something I'd really recommend, even if you're familiar with some of the material on the first one.


  • #101
    mimmi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 119 ✭✭mimmi


    BlackEdelweiss wrote: »
    I am considering moving to england for the duration of my OU course to avail of the cheaper fees, is there a minimum time I must be in residence there in order to qualify for the sterling rate? Do I have to be on the english system, i.e. tax, prsi etc, to be able to avail of it?

    No minimum time, no proof of tax, you just sign a declaration on the registration form.


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