Open University

Milton Keynes

Anyone else nearing the end of their OU degree and considering postgrad options?

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Sorry, I should have made myself clearer. I meant for applying for postgraduate study outside of the OU and any funding that may be assosciated with those courses. My final exams should be in either May or October 2012.

Ah I see - if you want to apply for autumn 2012 then you might want to think about applying any time from November 2011 on. If you're applying for scholarships, the earlier you get your application in, the better (as a rule). Keep an eye on the deadlines (eg the OU's Crowther Fund has a February deadline).

If your final exam is in October 2012 this means you won't graduate until mid-December which might mean you have to wait until autumn 2013 to start your postgrad course (unless it has an earlier start date, but most of them start in September). I don't know if it's possible to start a postgrad course before you have your final result: probably not, but it might be worth asking the admissions office at the universities you're applying to.

Open University

Milton Keynes

Reply 21

Juno

Original post by lupinpooter

It depends on the programme you're applying for and when you want to start - do you mean OU courses?

I just heard that the OU is dropping all of its postgrad social science courses in 2014 :eek:

I just read that and I'm quite upset. I want to do postgrad :cry:

Reply 22

HLS

Original post by Juno

I just read that and I'm quite upset. I want to do postgrad :cry:

This is probably because government subsidy is being axed for these subjects.

IMO the OU at Postgraduate level is much less competitive anyway. The University of Manchester (down the road from me) is cheaper to study at part time and there is much more brevity in what modules you can select.

Reply 23

lupinpooter

Original post by HLS

I agree with that - an OU Master's isn't any cheaper than the average Master's at a conventional uni, and there's a poor choice of soc sci modules (the range has been shrinking over the last few years). Apparently the soc sci modules were nearing their expiry date, so the OU would have had to invest in producing an entire range of new ones; a cost they can't afford to cover any more. I guess it makes sense for them to focus resources on where they are competitive, i.e. undergrad provision.

It's a shame though for those people who can only study by distance learning for whatever reason, and, although the OU was no cheaper, you could spread your Master's study over a longer period which made it more accessible for some people.

Reply 24

HLS

Original post by lupinpooter

It's a shame though for those people who can only study by distance learning for whatever reason, and, although the OU was no cheaper, you could spread your Master's study over a longer period which made it more accessible for some people.

Yes they were obvious advantages.

I am sizing up postgraduate opportunities but am increasingly concerned by the central government funding cuts. As I say I have fairly low-cost options close to home, but how long they will remain low-cost for is obviously in doubt.

I think central government made a big mistake in not reforming the funding for postgraduate study, such that (at the very least) loans to cover the cost of tuition might be available.

At many Universities (particularly Oxbridge) postgraduate academia is largely the preserve of the rich.

I was astonished the other day in reading that only 1/3 of Oxford's postgraduates are from the UK - I presume finance has a lot to do with this.

Reply 25

SunburnedCactus

education is a playground for the rich

as somebody probably said.

Reply 26

DouglasBrown

I think the Oxbridge stat is partly because an Oxbridge grad rarely needs a masters to get a good job, partly because some get given masters by default with no further study and partly because with an Oxbridge degree they can pretty much take their pick of any university in the country so may as well go somewhere that specialises in whatever they wish to study.

Reply 27

ukclean

Does anyone know how much the Crowther fund awards?

Reply 28

lupinpooter

Original post by ukclean

Does anyone know how much the Crowther fund awards?

Each award is 'up to £1000'

Reply 29

ukclean

Original post by lupinpooter

Each award is 'up to £1000'

Thanks lupinpooter,
Do you know if you take three years to do an MA, whether it is possible to obtain the crowther fund for 3 years running?

Reply 30

lupinpooter

Original post by ukclean

Thanks lupinpooter,
Do you know if you take three years to do an MA, whether it is possible to obtain the crowther fund for 3 years running?

It is possible, but you'd have to make a fresh application each year: I don't know if having received an award previously puts you at an advantage in the following year (I've got a feeling it does, but may be wrong) :s-smilie: