Open University?

[julesapple]

The BH and I are contemplating O.U. courses......

I know some of you are currently studying at OU, and some of you have completed your degrees.

Tell me all you know, please? Was it hard, a financial strain, a personal goal? I've read through some of the paperwork so far but I'd love a more personal spin on it - this will be a huge step for both BH and I.

Jules

[cardiffsteve]

Not used OU myself but did look into it a few years ago and it did seem quite an expensive way to get a degree.
I'm sure other grapes will prove me wrong.

[Mikey]

I remember a lad from my home town going on university challenge as an open university collective. I wondered how they met?

I've never done OU but if its as expensive as CS says, then you can always give them an IOU.

[Thelma Sanders]

It is quite expensive but wonderful when you pass exams each year

The downside, I found, was that their academic 'year' runs through the summer, so you have to do quite a lot of work indoors when you'd rather be outside. I remember taking coursework to Spain to read around the pool because I had to get an assignment in the post a couple of days after I was due back

It's a really big commitment time-wise and you also need to be able to book time off work for to go away tosummer school(s)as well and they can be miles from where you live, so transport is another cost for those

[rinabean]

It's hard but the materials and the tutors are excellent. You absolutely need good time-management skills. I can't comment on the cost now, as it used to be so much cheaper.

[veggiechicken]

I did 4 credits* years ago, only stopped to get the professional qualification I needed for work.
It took a lot of time, especially with a full time job and a house and garden to manage, but it was good fun and very rewarding. It was also pre-computer days so assignments were hand-written and OU TV programmes were on very late at night.
Do you want to do it because its there, or do you want to use the qualification for a specific job?
I did mine as a challenge so chose subjects that interested me - like Arts and History.

EDIT * Just looked at the OU website and the credit scores are a lot different now! I have the equivalent of 4 years study out of 6 - NOT 4 measly credits!!

[julesapple]

We want to do it to stop brain atrophy! So, yes, the challenge.

BH is stuck at home with his spinal problems and I look after him. We both feel like we're almost wasting away.

I started my English degree back in 1985, and had my son halfway through, finished in 1988. I popped him into the Uni creche whenever I had a lecture. I expect that's all changed now. I think the creche was something like 75p an hour then...but I digress.

The cost is quite a worry. Friends and family we've chatted to have said there's no point in starting a degree at our ages (45 and 49) which I thought was insulting our intelligence.....we should, apparently, 'leave it to the young people'. Well, I am young, thank you!

[veggiechicken]

It does seem expensive, Jules. I was subsidised by my employer. I set myself the challenge when I was 40 to get a degree by 50. I did, but not through OU in the end. So ignore the ageist comments.
I'm sure you would enjoy the mental stimulation, it does focus your mind!
Can you get financial support towards the costs?

[Seahorse]

I'm shocked at the expense! There don't even appear to any concessions if you're disabled or not well off. That's not very Open, is it!?

Is your BH housebound, or could you travel locally? Your WEA might be worth a look. They're not academically rigorous like a uni, more learning for pleasure but they're reasonably cheap (free for lots of people). I fear brain atrophy as well, so I try and do two or three short courses a year.

[julesapple]

The BH is wading through the financial bits...he's better with numbers than I am. We have some savings, but hopefully we can get grants or loans.

The ageist comments did give me the grump, I'm not old, I don't feel old. Surprisingly, those remarks came from older members of the family - the most positive support has come from our children. My delightful MinL told us both to grow up.......charming woman. Not.

The oldest has a Chemistry Masters, the DD handed her dissertation in today with exams to follow in June, second son is (hopefully) starting Hull Uni in October and the youngest is doing his GCSEs.

[cardiffsteve]

Dont let the age thing bother you. Im sure you both are more than capable of doing it.

I couldn't do it at the moment poor concentration and poor concentration.
My time management skills are not very good either.

[Farmer_Gyles]

go for it ... can be a lot of hard work, but if you knuckle down and do it, you'll enjoy it ... and you can make a whole new load of friends through it ...
farmer gyles BSc (Hons) 2.1 (through the OU)

[SarzWix]

I'm in the middle of an OU degree right now. The financial thing has all just been turned upside down by the government, like all Uni's they've had their funding slashed. On the plus side, they've managed to get part time students included in the Student Loans system, which if you aren't working you won't ever have to pay back. So although it looks bad at first glance, for those who are on a low income or retired it isn't that much different to the grant system.

As to the teaching etc., I've been really happy with it. The materials are comprehensive and come in lots of different formats, you get access to forums and sometimes online conferencing. There's often a number of face to face tutorials in the nearest city or big town. They are unbelievably helpful if you have disabilities or health issues too. You make loads of friends too, all over the country

[SarzWix]

What sort of things were you thinking of studying Jules? If its Arts/Humanities stuff, I might be able to send you an example of the Level 1 course materials? I can't help on the science/maths side of things, but you can have a look at OpenLearn, which is small parts of the courses available for free. You can also download some OU audio/visual materials for free from iTunesU

[Thelma Sanders]

Are there more courses now that don't include Summer Schools? cos in my time they weren't something you could opt out of and it sounds as if you'd have trouble going to them