Anyone done an OU degree?
Discussion
I am thinking about retiring. Maybe not this year but hopefully in the not too distant future. One thing I would like to do is get (another) degree in something completely unrelated to my first degree. Realistically the best way would seem to be via the OU. We have a house in the UK and so not really free to move around and although my wife is ok with me doing a degree I suspect disappearing to live in halls in another town probably won’t go down too well! I am also just doing it for fun so doing it part time over 6 years is probably better than squeezing it into three.
Anyone on here done an OU degree and can shed some light on how it was doing a remote degree?
Anyone on here done an OU degree and can shed some light on how it was doing a remote degree?
Not OU but I did my MSc remotely and different departments in the same uni can be wildly different. It was a bit easier because I could watch YouTube videos of the lectures and the notes were high quality. Only having to think about one or two modules at a time was a bit easier to let ideas percolate, rather than being bombarded with content from several different modules at the same time. The hardest part was managing around working full time, but if you are retired you won't have to do that.
You might be able to do a full time degree in a local uni if you are willing to commute (depends on where you live) and plan your modules around only being in a couple of days a week or be able to skip some lectures. Most students only work 20 hours a week anyway and my lecturers loved mature students because we actually had a work ethic and a professional attitude. If you do a course that makes a profit for the uni and are a mature student then I think you would probably get some options. Worth having a conversation if you live near a uni that does a course you are interested in IMO.
You might be able to do a full time degree in a local uni if you are willing to commute (depends on where you live) and plan your modules around only being in a couple of days a week or be able to skip some lectures. Most students only work 20 hours a week anyway and my lecturers loved mature students because we actually had a work ethic and a professional attitude. If you do a course that makes a profit for the uni and are a mature student then I think you would probably get some options. Worth having a conversation if you live near a uni that does a course you are interested in IMO.
Skeptisk said:
I am thinking about retiring. Maybe not this year but hopefully in the not too distant future. One thing I would like to do is get (another) degree in something completely unrelated to my first degree. Realistically the best way would seem to be via the OU. We have a house in the UK and so not really free to move around and although my wife is ok with me doing a degree I suspect disappearing to live in halls in another town probably won’t go down too well! I am also just doing it for fun so doing it part time over 6 years is probably better than squeezing it into three.
Anyone on here done an OU degree and can shed some light on how it was doing a remote degree?
I haven’t studied online for a degree but I have worked in the industry for decades. Anyone on here done an OU degree and can shed some light on how it was doing a remote degree?
You’re doing the right thing studying for an undergraduate degree over 6 years. But it’s a long old slog and many don’t make graduation. To be successful you really need to be highly organised and disciplined, and have your family onboard to allow you the time to study and take assessments. Also, it’s important you are happy studying alone and do engage as much as possible online with other students, lecturers, and support people/facilities.
Having said this, given you are retiring I’d expect you to be eligible to study a masters which would take around 2 years. Don’t be put off by it being a masters even if you don’t have a degree. I think you might find an undergraduate degree a bit basic and some of the students less experienced/mature. I had a similar conversation with someone in the summer who’s in their 40’s that didn’t have a degree and he’s now studying a MBA online.
As well as the OU also take a look at Arden University. There are other subject specialist online providers out there too.
https://arden.ac.uk/
OU alumnus here. Did a degree but in the 2000's so not massively recently. I found the first year modules to be somewhat basic - and 6 years is a long time to commit so it might be worth buying old materials relating to your subject online and getting a feel for if you could be a bit more full on initially to knock time off? Obviously YMMV but if you already have a degree you will be au fait with the level of critical thinking etc that is expected?
They materials are often available on ebay in complete bundles - something like https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/315130746201?hash=item4... so you can always dip a toe risk free and see if you think youll get on with the reference material etc?
Overall I found the course interesting with reponsive tutors. I actually started a masters with Portsmouth university though binned that off as didnt find it anywhere near as engaging. I much preferred the way the OU did things - though, of course, maybe I was just in that 'mould'?
They materials are often available on ebay in complete bundles - something like https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/315130746201?hash=item4... so you can always dip a toe risk free and see if you think youll get on with the reference material etc?
Overall I found the course interesting with reponsive tutors. I actually started a masters with Portsmouth university though binned that off as didnt find it anywhere near as engaging. I much preferred the way the OU did things - though, of course, maybe I was just in that 'mould'?
I was in the same situation as you, wanting to take a degree in an unrelated subject to what I had previously studied. I had a Bachelor's, Master's and Ph.D. in science (marine geology) and I enrolled in the OU to do arts courses - music, literature and popular culture.
It was, I think, by far the biggest intellectual challenge of all my degrees. I eventually came to the conclusion that taking geology all the way to a Ph.D. was largely a matter of sticking with it and having the determination to see the research through. The reading and written work for the OU was much harder in comparison.
Then, there is the matter of finding time at home to do it all, plus some evening classes locally and a few trips away for summer schools. A lot of discipline is involved there, especially as I was still working at the time and had a couple of young children at home. But I really enjoyed doing it, as for the first time I felt that i was doing something where my views on a topic (even if eccentric) were as valid as anybody else's, and it wasn't just a matter of fitting my work into a pre-existing corpus of accepted opinions. And I did quite well at it.
I am probably more proud of my BA from the Open University than anything else I have done. I was impressed by the standards the university sets for itself, and I have nothing but respect for the whole thing.
It was, I think, by far the biggest intellectual challenge of all my degrees. I eventually came to the conclusion that taking geology all the way to a Ph.D. was largely a matter of sticking with it and having the determination to see the research through. The reading and written work for the OU was much harder in comparison.
Then, there is the matter of finding time at home to do it all, plus some evening classes locally and a few trips away for summer schools. A lot of discipline is involved there, especially as I was still working at the time and had a couple of young children at home. But I really enjoyed doing it, as for the first time I felt that i was doing something where my views on a topic (even if eccentric) were as valid as anybody else's, and it wasn't just a matter of fitting my work into a pre-existing corpus of accepted opinions. And I did quite well at it.
I am probably more proud of my BA from the Open University than anything else I have done. I was impressed by the standards the university sets for itself, and I have nothing but respect for the whole thing.
Thanks for the comments.
I did a BA and MPhil but looking to do Maths and Physics this time around so taking my time probably best. Having said that if I find I do have enough time to do it full time I could swap later in the course.
I would love to study at my local uni but I wouldn’t get in.
Not sure there is another university (offering maths and physics) close enough to commute to (there would be London but the thought of commuting is too off putting not to mention expensive).
I do worry that I will struggle with online. I prefer to not work from home. It will just make more sense.
I did a BA and MPhil but looking to do Maths and Physics this time around so taking my time probably best. Having said that if I find I do have enough time to do it full time I could swap later in the course.
I would love to study at my local uni but I wouldn’t get in.
Not sure there is another university (offering maths and physics) close enough to commute to (there would be London but the thought of commuting is too off putting not to mention expensive).
I do worry that I will struggle with online. I prefer to not work from home. It will just make more sense.
Sorry to hijack, but I’d appreciate input on the subject, too.
I don’t enjoy work at the moment so I’d appreciate a change. I’d never considered university before.
I don’t have any A levels so I thought that would automatically rule me out?
What would be better to study for either Ecology or Archaeology:
OU or similar
Actual Uni (near to several)
Full or part time
Undergrad or straight to postgraduate?
Realistically I’d still have to work. Or could I get a loan instead to help with living costs?
Complete university novice, as you can probably tell, apart from having watched Inspector Morse
Thanks
I don’t enjoy work at the moment so I’d appreciate a change. I’d never considered university before.
I don’t have any A levels so I thought that would automatically rule me out?
What would be better to study for either Ecology or Archaeology:
OU or similar
Actual Uni (near to several)
Full or part time
Undergrad or straight to postgraduate?
Realistically I’d still have to work. Or could I get a loan instead to help with living costs?
Complete university novice, as you can probably tell, apart from having watched Inspector Morse
Thanks
Skeptisk said:
I am thinking about retiring. Maybe not this year but hopefully in the not too distant future. One thing I would like to do is get (another) degree in something completely unrelated to my first degree. Realistically the best way would seem to be via the OU. We have a house in the UK and so not really free to move around and although my wife is ok with me doing a degree I suspect disappearing to live in halls in another town probably won’t go down too well! I am also just doing it for fun so doing it part time over 6 years is probably better than squeezing it into three.
Anyone on here done an OU degree and can shed some light on how it was doing a remote degree?
Anyone on here done an OU degree and can shed some light on how it was doing a remote degree?
I was in your situation ten years ago. I took a pharmacy degree in the 70s and worked as a pharmacist for just under forty years, running my own business for much of the time. I sold our remaining pharmacy in 2014 and retired age 60.
I’d always been interested in history so as a retirement project signed up to take the OU’s introductory humanities module (AA100 at the time), thinking that if I didn’t get on with it then it’s only one module.
I absolutely loved it, so carried on studying Early Modern, 19th century, 20th century history as well as the history of colonisation across the world.
I studied part time, which in OU terms is one module a year, so it took six years. It’s perfectly doable at home and I soon found a routine that suited both me and my wife.
There’s plenty of help and support from the OU through their tutors who are well used to dealing with people in their sixties. If anything I found it easier studying than I’d done 40 years ago as I was more organised, focused and there were fewer distractions.
I’ve made some good friends through the experience, we met up only last week for lunch and despite really only having the OU in common we still get on together really well.
To sum up-I found the OU a like affirming experience and can’t recommend it enough
Welsh_horsepower said:
Sorry to hijack, but I’d appreciate input on the subject, too.
I don’t enjoy work at the moment so I’d appreciate a change. I’d never considered university before.
I don’t have any A levels so I thought that would automatically rule me out?
What would be better to study for either Ecology or Archaeology:
OU or similar
Actual Uni (near to several)
Full or part time
Undergrad or straight to postgraduate?
Realistically I’d still have to work. Or could I get a loan instead to help with living costs?
Complete university novice, as you can probably tell, apart from having watched Inspector Morse
Thanks
I can’t advise you about what to study, but the Open University is open entry so you don’t need A levels. I don’t enjoy work at the moment so I’d appreciate a change. I’d never considered university before.
I don’t have any A levels so I thought that would automatically rule me out?
What would be better to study for either Ecology or Archaeology:
OU or similar
Actual Uni (near to several)
Full or part time
Undergrad or straight to postgraduate?
Realistically I’d still have to work. Or could I get a loan instead to help with living costs?
Complete university novice, as you can probably tell, apart from having watched Inspector Morse
Thanks
My history qualifications are O level (1970) and BA (Hons) 2020
Paul Dishman said:
I was in your situation ten years ago. I took a pharmacy degree in the 70s and worked as a pharmacist for just under forty years, running my own business for much of the time. I sold our remaining pharmacy in 2014 and retired age 60.
I’d always been interested in history so as a retirement project signed up to take the OU’s introductory humanities module (AA100 at the time), thinking that if I didn’t get on with it then it’s only one module.
I absolutely loved it, so carried on studying Early Modern, 19th century, 20th century history as well as the history of colonisation across the world.
I studied part time, which in OU terms is one module a year, so it took six years. It’s perfectly doable at home and I soon found a routine that suited both me and my wife.
There’s plenty of help and support from the OU through their tutors who are well used to dealing with people in their sixties. If anything I found it easier studying than I’d done 40 years ago as I was more organised, focused and there were fewer distractions.
I’ve made some good friends through the experience, we met up only last week for lunch and despite really only having the OU in common we still get on together really well.
To sum up-I found the OU a like affirming experience and can’t recommend it enough
Despite having an ordinary degree in Psychology from a bricks and mortar University I went back and studied via OU around 2016. I transferred my credits gained with my first degree and only had to do the final year of an OU degree to get my honours. I loved it. The modules I was able to choose were relevant to my next phase of study but the way modules are organised online really help you stay on track with progress. The online platform is very easy to navigate and tutors are easy to contact.
The format was very much like this:
Week 1: Introductory materials, read up to chapter 2.
Week 2: Revisit and discuss points from chapters 1-2, here's an exercise where you can apply that knowledge to a scenario. Check your learning against the identified learning outcomes. Now read up to chapter 4.
Week 3: Revisit and discuss points from chapters 3-4, here's an exercise where you can apply that knowledge to a scenario. Check your learning against the identified learning outcomes. Now read up to chapter 6.
Week 4: Revisit and discuss points from chapters 5-6, here's an exercise where you can apply that knowledge to a scenario. Check your learning against the identified learning outcomes. **Be advised that there is a two week block here to revisit the last 6 chapters, an online meeting with coursemates and tutors to discuss the chapters, raise any questions and generally get to know each other. Advice will be given on the forthcoming TMO (usually a small essay type exercise) assessment due in Week 6.
Week 5: Self-study and TMO preparation.
Week 6: TMO deadline.
And so ends the first block and you move onto another learning block in that module which generally follows the same format. There are a couple of blocks then an EMA (end of module assessment and your overall grade is determined by that and your TMO assessment performance during the module. The tutors are there to help you and if things in life get in your way then deadline extensions and other support is available to you. I had a massive family crisis at my final assessment that determined my overall degree classification and the OU bent over backwards to assist me even though I ended up submitting it a few weeks later.
I would pick up the phone and speak to someone about your thoughts and life experience, it may well be that they advise you to drop in at level 2 rather than the very beginning as they will be able to generally determine your skill and knowledge level.
I loved my time studying with the OU and it was transformative for me. Before that I actually dipped in and out of two University courses, did third year three times and am still paying the price (I was juggling a lot of other things at the time, unsustainable) now. I wish I had known more about the OU previously as studying there gave me back all my academic confidence and allowed me to join a masters course at a physical university which has since led to good things.
Funding is also available through the Open University on their own platform/terms and it isn't too expensive.
Good luck and do check in again to let us know how you proceed! I may well go back myself some day...
The format was very much like this:
Week 1: Introductory materials, read up to chapter 2.
Week 2: Revisit and discuss points from chapters 1-2, here's an exercise where you can apply that knowledge to a scenario. Check your learning against the identified learning outcomes. Now read up to chapter 4.
Week 3: Revisit and discuss points from chapters 3-4, here's an exercise where you can apply that knowledge to a scenario. Check your learning against the identified learning outcomes. Now read up to chapter 6.
Week 4: Revisit and discuss points from chapters 5-6, here's an exercise where you can apply that knowledge to a scenario. Check your learning against the identified learning outcomes. **Be advised that there is a two week block here to revisit the last 6 chapters, an online meeting with coursemates and tutors to discuss the chapters, raise any questions and generally get to know each other. Advice will be given on the forthcoming TMO (usually a small essay type exercise) assessment due in Week 6.
Week 5: Self-study and TMO preparation.
Week 6: TMO deadline.
And so ends the first block and you move onto another learning block in that module which generally follows the same format. There are a couple of blocks then an EMA (end of module assessment and your overall grade is determined by that and your TMO assessment performance during the module. The tutors are there to help you and if things in life get in your way then deadline extensions and other support is available to you. I had a massive family crisis at my final assessment that determined my overall degree classification and the OU bent over backwards to assist me even though I ended up submitting it a few weeks later.
I would pick up the phone and speak to someone about your thoughts and life experience, it may well be that they advise you to drop in at level 2 rather than the very beginning as they will be able to generally determine your skill and knowledge level.
I loved my time studying with the OU and it was transformative for me. Before that I actually dipped in and out of two University courses, did third year three times and am still paying the price (I was juggling a lot of other things at the time, unsustainable) now. I wish I had known more about the OU previously as studying there gave me back all my academic confidence and allowed me to join a masters course at a physical university which has since led to good things.
Funding is also available through the Open University on their own platform/terms and it isn't too expensive.
Good luck and do check in again to let us know how you proceed! I may well go back myself some day...
I took a BA Hons in management and leadership with the OU. I started in 2012 and finished in 2020 with a break in the middle.
When I started, I only had my GCSE's. My highest grade at GCSE was a C. Educational achievements are not a barrier to entry.
For anyone thinking about it, go for it. It is hard and you'll need to manage your time, but it really changed my life for the better.
Some modules were more of a slog then others. But support was always there. Tutors were amazing and the learning material was high quality.
When you start a module, you'll need to complete a number of tutor marked assignments (TMAs). The assignments all have a submission deadline. You can ask for extensions if you really get stuck. There is 1 big end of module assignment (EMA) at the end of each module too.
Find a degree and sign up. Go to all the lectures and do your best to avoid falling behind.
When I started, I only had my GCSE's. My highest grade at GCSE was a C. Educational achievements are not a barrier to entry.
For anyone thinking about it, go for it. It is hard and you'll need to manage your time, but it really changed my life for the better.
Some modules were more of a slog then others. But support was always there. Tutors were amazing and the learning material was high quality.
When you start a module, you'll need to complete a number of tutor marked assignments (TMAs). The assignments all have a submission deadline. You can ask for extensions if you really get stuck. There is 1 big end of module assignment (EMA) at the end of each module too.
Find a degree and sign up. Go to all the lectures and do your best to avoid falling behind.
Maniacs said:
When you start a module, you'll need to complete a number of tutor marked assignments (TMAs). The assignments all have a submission deadline. You can ask for extensions if you really get stuck. There is 1 big end of module assignment (EMA) at the end of each module too.
Find a degree and sign up. Go to all the lectures and do your best to avoid falling behind.
The EMAs are marked by any tutor rather than your own. Four out of the six modules I took had exams at the end, which you take at a local location. I believe that the OU are moving away from exams in humanities subjects and I know some people pick modules with EMAs rather than exams. Personally I picked the modules I liked the look of and dealt with the exams as they came up. Find a degree and sign up. Go to all the lectures and do your best to avoid falling behind.
phumy said:
I'm retired and have loads of free time, how quick could you do an undergrad degree in Mech Eng. I have 45 years of experience but would still love to have a decent qualification.
My question is how quick can I do one if I give my all into it, one year, two years or even less?
Check the OU website. It looks like 6 years as it doesn’t seem to have a full time option but probably best to speak to them in case there are quicker options.My question is how quick can I do one if I give my all into it, one year, two years or even less?
Good luck!
Welsh_horsepower said:
Sorry to hijack, but I’d appreciate input on the subject, too.
I don’t enjoy work at the moment so I’d appreciate a change. I’d never considered university before.
I don’t have any A levels so I thought that would automatically rule me out?
What would be better to study for either Ecology or Archaeology:
OU or similar
Actual Uni (near to several)
Full or part time
Undergrad or straight to postgraduate?
Realistically I’d still have to work. Or could I get a loan instead to help with living costs?
Complete university novice, as you can probably tell, apart from having watched Inspector Morse
Thanks
https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/what-and-where-study/choosing-course/foundation-degreesI don’t enjoy work at the moment so I’d appreciate a change. I’d never considered university before.
I don’t have any A levels so I thought that would automatically rule me out?
What would be better to study for either Ecology or Archaeology:
OU or similar
Actual Uni (near to several)
Full or part time
Undergrad or straight to postgraduate?
Realistically I’d still have to work. Or could I get a loan instead to help with living costs?
Complete university novice, as you can probably tell, apart from having watched Inspector Morse
Thanks
I knew some overseas students on foundation degrees, the uni wanted their inflated overseas fees, but they didn’t meet the academic requirements. No prior qualifications required.
Also OP, might be worthwhile going somewhere with a large mature student contingent, I think Birkbeck were advertising this ‘specialism’. Nothing worse than having a spotty teenager slacking during group assignments, wondering what the hell an old fart is doing at uni.
Said spotty teenagers might wonder why the old fart won’t take a chill pill, coz they wouldn’t have traded that particular club night for anything, let alone a poxy assignment. Oh and think, Jeez, your not my mum / dad when lectured about the importance of pulling your weight. Lol.
Can’t you get a pied a terre in London, stay down for few nights when there are lectures, get a break from the other half? Lol.
Edited by wyson on Sunday 4th February 06:39
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