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Open University

Milton Keynes

Open University: Engineering The Future

So I am planning to do an Open University: Engineering The Future alongside my a-levels.

Any one done this course and able to give an insight as to what the course is like?

Reply 1

morecambebay

I havent done it, but one of the modules is available free of charge on this website:http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=1329, you can also see the course materials here: http://www.ouw.co.uk/bin/ouwsdll.dll?COURSET173 you dont need to buy them though...you will get them free if you sign up.

Open University

Milton Keynes

Reply 2

Moggs

I finished this one earlier in the year. Not really a difficult course overall, though it does ramp up a bit in the final two blocks.

Be careful of the OL material. It doesn't really give you a good overview of the course. The list of the books and the content does a much better job of that as MB linked above.

Each block is self contained. It begins with a history and overview of engineering and some basic maths and engineering fundamentals. It then progresses through some non technical bits like design and patents. From that point it moves on through manufacturing methods, material properties, and then the more maths heavy testing methods, electronics, PV cells and batteries, and finally future tech.

If you have any specific questions about the content, ask away :smile:

Reply 3

smoker_dave

Someone is selling the full course on eBay for £20 at the moment. In case you want to get a sneak preview:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Open-University-T173-Engineering-future-/230497188635?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Non_Fiction&hash=item35aab3fb1b

Reply 4

s25s

Moggs

Thanks for the info. much appreciated!
what are the assignments like and what do they involve doing?
one more quick thing, do universities look upon these courses as being good?!

Reply 5

s25s

EierVonSatan

I've moved your thread to the open university forum, you should get a better response here :smile:

Thanks

Reply 6

Moggs

s25s

Thanks for the info. much appreciated!
what are the assignments like and what do they involve doing?

The assignments are like mini exams more than coursework at level 1, without the exam time limit. They're out of 100 marks, and usually have 3-4 questions each, some with sub questions.

There's not much writing to do. They're usually either 1, pure maths questions like figuring out what x has to be to provide enough y under z conditions. Or 2, longer justification style questions where a general scenario is given instead of all the numbers you need to do a straight out maths question. It's then up to you to justify your figures and assumptions, do the maths and draw conclusions. These are small scenario's though, not far reaching research projects :smile:

There's the odd short 'essay' style question, but word limitations are set at 400-800 mostly, making them more a few sides rather than a full blown essay.

You can submit them online instead of by post. Everything can be done within the course material if you wish as it's a level 1. Aside from that, I can't think of much else to say.

s25s

one more quick thing, do universities look upon these courses as being good?!

I would hope so. It's 30 credits out of 120 towards year 1 of undergrad stuff. Best contact your prospective university though. See what they say to be sure.

Reply 7

s25s

my first assignment is due in on Friday! I've been ill for the past two weeks and wasn't able to make it to the tutorial!!

i have started some of the questions, but not sure if i am getting correct answers?is there anywhere i could get some reassurance??

Reply 8

Moggs

Original post by s25s

You could check the T173 forum from your StudentHome. Usually there's discussion in there about TMA sticking points. Though it's just clarification rather than the answers, it's a very handy tool for reassuring yourself that you're along the right lines.

Other than that, your tutor is there to assist if you need them, and the TMA feedback is very good in that it will help significantly with future assignments. Bear in mind that it's a level one course and they're well aware that for some it will be their first OU experience. They don't expect you to be master of the TMA right off the bat and a lot of your feedback is likely to be guidance about presentation, length of answers and depth of mathematics required.

Finally, you could always use WA to check your calculations for errors, KhanAcademy to brush up on the maths, and the knowledge that they will not ask anything of you that isn't within the course materials.

It's also worth getting ahead if you can. I found it quite frustrating working on an assignments near to the due dates, yet far more comfortable after working up to a few weeks/months in hand depending on how much time you have.

Good luck :smile:

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 9

s25s

Original post by Moggs

once again thanks for your great advice :smile:

Reply 10

berwick53

What level of maths would be required for this course??

Reply 11

Moggs

Original post by berwick53

What level of maths would be required for this course??

I think it's designed for an introduction to engineering fundamentals from an intuitive perspective rather than heavy maths. You could complete this one with a good GCSE I reckon - that or MU123 from the OU. With an A-level or MST121, it'd be a walk in the park (the numbers bits anyway)

It ramps up significantly for T207 and beyond though, so if you're considering taking that at some point, it's well worth picking up at least MST121 if not MS221 alongside.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 12

Ruiluxor

Hi guys,

Ill be starting the T173 at the OU this February.

I really hope to complete the BENg within the "normal" time frame, i do however have a problem....

Im not good at Maths.

Will this make it impossible to do the course?

Thank you for all the answers you can give to me.

RF

Reply 13

Moggs

Original post by Ruiluxor

Ello,

As long as your algebra is up to scratch, you'll be fine for T173. It focuses more on concepts rather than the numbers.

For the rest of your BEng, it depends what you want to do. You can make it anything up to 50% maths, or not require anything beyond MST121 (which is compulsory for the B65 BEng anyway) if you go for say the design or environmental route.

If you intend to go for the B24 BEng which doesn't require MST121, bear in mind that the final date for that is December 2014, so you'd have to get the full 120 points per year in there.