90 credits could be manageable

Original post by PlGLET

Ah, nice! Is this degree to supplement your work in some way? I'm doing a complete career switch; I've reached the pinnacle & don't fancy doing it for rest of my life. I hope this degree will at least allow me to find some related work (to pay off the loan debt :-D)

Don't say that! :-o I'm starting this in my early 30's! I did ask for 3 years, but was recommended to take 2 years for the first section. I suppose I can change the latter sections if need be!
I hope I'm not too old to be doing this :-(

PlGLET

If anything, your greater career experience will be an advantage.

Not technically, but I'm using that as an advantage. I could probably shadow some of my colleagues when doing some of my modules. I'm lucky it's a fairly laid back office, so I'm sure they wouldn't mind.

Reply 24

Original post by RhaegoTarg

If anything, your greater career experience will be an advantage...

I hope so! :-( Those are my only worries; Am I too old to do this, & will I even be able to find work after? I don't want to be 4-6 years down the line & be unable to get a related job & pay off the debt. Maybe I need to rethink it all before I sign on the dotted line. :-(

PlGLET

Reply 25

I've just had a reply from the OU;
"I have forwarded your query onto your Student Support team who will be able to discuss this in more detail. A member of this team will be in touch within 10 working days."

Will update ASAP with regards to the Mathematics courses! I've asked about how choosing a certain paper may affect marks, future reference or the ability to get a higher final grade (overall degree).

PlGLET

Reply 26

sputum

9

Original post by PlGLET

Cheers for clearing that up, sputum! I presume FT study & a FT job are out of the question then, unless I wanted to run myself into the ground. I suppose it'd be possible but not desirable.

PlGLET

It is incredibly person-dependent and very difficult to predict before you get stuck in. fwiw I went part-time at work to get the last 280 points of a maths degree 'as quickly as possible' just over five years ago and graduate in June.

You don't have to worry about years 2 and 3 yet. With year 1 your best guess is as good as anyone's but if you jump in full time and come a cropper it's not the end of the world. Check the Y1 timings going forward because 60 Oct/60 Feb is easier than 120 at once but I thought the Feb starts were going (?)

Reply 27

Original post by PlGLET

I've just had a reply from the OU;
"I have forwarded your query onto your Student Support team who will be able to discuss this in more detail. A member of this team will be in touch within 10 working days."

Will update ASAP with regards to the Mathematics courses! I've asked about how choosing a certain paper may affect marks, future reference or the ability to get a higher final grade (overall degree).

PlGLET

As a Level 1 course, The Discover mathematics is a minimum requirement as in the Maths it teaches is considered the basics needed to complete the degree. Some of the later units (algorithm + data structures for example) may test your math ability if you only have the minimum.

I don't think it impacts your grade, but I guess it would look more impressive on your final degree (that you've done a higher level maths module).

Reply 28

Reply from the OU:
"MU123 and MST124 are separate modules, and one of them needs to be taken on your Computing and IT degree. The grade you obtain does not feed into your overall class of degree. Most students take MU123, with those of a more mathematical bent taking MST124. Which one you take does not affect your later module choice."

PlGLET

Reply 29

Original post by sputum

It is incredibly person-dependent and very difficult to predict before...

Thank you for the advice! I will just wait & see. :-) They changed my first section to part-time, so I would be doing at least 4 years total. I was looking to start the degree this October.

PlGLET

Reply 30

Balor

Original post by PlGLET

Ah, nice! Is this degree to supplement your work in some way? I'm doing a complete career switch; I've reached the pinnacle & don't fancy doing it for rest of my life. I hope this degree will at least allow me to find some related work (to pay off the loan debt :-D)

Don't say that! :-o I'm starting this in my early 30's! I did ask for 3 years, but was recommended to take 2 years for the first section. I suppose I can change the latter sections if need be!
I hope I'm not too old to be doing this :-(

PlGLET

It may be recommended that you take the first part in two years but you don't have to adhere to that recommendation if you don't want to. That is, unless the course structure is such that the recommendation is really the only practical way of completing it.

Original post by RhaegoTarg

Don't think you can sign up for part-time applications until May anyway.Have this nightmare that I won't be accepted. Don't think it'll be an issue, but I have technically had a student loan before. No qualification gained from it as I dropped out, and according to them, I'm still eligible if this is the case.Guess we'll see in a couple of weeks time!

The rules for previous qualifications still apply, so as long as you do not have a degree you will be fine there. Part-time funding works differently to full-time funding so, in theory, your previous funding should have no effect at all on your current entitlement. As with all related things, you should defer to what SF tell you but this is certainly my understanding.

Reply 31

Original post by RhaegoTarg

I don't think it impacts your grade, but I guess it would look more impressive on your final degree (that you've done a higher level maths module).

Posted the OU reply above :-)
If it doesn't affect the degree then I guess the MU123 would be the obvious one to go for, but I'm also guessing the maths we'd learn in MST124 would be beneficial when doing our specific subjects in section 2 & 3.
I think I'll go for the MST124.

PlGLET

Reply 32

Original post by PlGLET

Posted the OU reply above :-)
If it doesn't affect the degree then I guess the MU123 would be the obvious one to go for, but I'm also guessing the maths we'd learn in MST124 would be beneficial when doing our specific subjects in section 2 & 3.
I think I'll go for the MST124.

PlGLET

Same, I like a challenge!
MST123 seems like it would be fairly simple.

Reply 33

kido4you

OP

I would like a chalange and also I would like to learn new things so I will rather go for MST124. I am a little bit scared and I don't want to fail this module :-s... Undecided, but still got time. Anyone starts maths module this October?

Reply 34

Original post by kido4you

I would like a chalange and also I would like to learn new things so I will rather go for MST124. I am a little bit scared and I don't want to fail this module :-s... Undecided, but still got time. Anyone starts maths module this October?

RhaegoTarg suggested a good idea of choosing the Computing part first, then the Mathematics part second, allowing us to start revising the topics (available to see on the OU module info page). :-)

PlGLET

Reply 35

Original post by Balor

It may be recommended that you take the first part in two years...

I think it may be the safest option so I can get my head round it all & not struggle like sputum suggested. :-)

PlGLET

Reply 36

kido4you

OP

Original post by PlGLET

RhaegoTarg suggested a good idea of choosing the Computing part first, then the Mathematics part second, allowing us to start revising the topics (available to see on the OU module info page). :-)

PlGLET

That was my thoughts as well. I am starting with TU100 and TM129 and leave Maths for later in the year

Reply 37

kido4you

OP

Also the scores you get in the 1st year doesn't count for your final classification...

Reply 38

The module info page for MST124 on the OU student home contains a site with practice tests etc. In the description it also mentions some topics we'll cover. :-)

I guess this is it! Sign me up to that huge debt! TU100 & TM129 it is! :-))

PlGLET

Reply 39