[kjglen24]

Hi

I have just enrolled to study Natural Sciences then to specialise into biology, was going to do chemistry but opt for biology instead.

Anyone doing this degree?
Is it any good?
Is it difficult?

Many thanks


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[Bleak Lemming]

(Original post by kjglen24)
Hi

I have just enrolled to study Natural Sciences then to specialise into biology, was going to do chemistry but opt for biology instead.

Anyone doing this degree?
Is it any good?
Is it difficult?

Many thanks


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

I done SK277 (Human Biology) a few years back and ended up dropping out I made the silly mistake of taking a 2nd year OU course as my first ever one. Got 71% in the first TMA then for some reason thought that I had to learn more than I did when to book labeled EVERY nerve in the spine.. So I got a half refund ;D Sold the books but wish I didn't cos there was some really interesting stuff in there.

What modules you starting with? S104 is a bit of a bore cos it's a mix of everything (ugh, geology aswell!) but worth sticking in. In hindsight it's really interesting actually You will enjoy!

PS: Welcome to the OU! Have you just finished school, or deciding on a career change?

[kjglen24]

Hi there

Yeah starting with S0104 looks pretty boring if I'm honest so glad you said it?! The physics side is probably the worst......

Thank you so much for your message though I am very excited to start. I am working full time and have been for a few years, I am 24.... I have always had an ambition to be a teacher so thought now is the time ( hopefully I'm not too old)

What you studying now?


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[Bleak Lemming]

(Original post by kjglen24)
Hi there

Yeah starting with S0104 looks pretty boring if I'm honest so glad you said it?! The physics side is probably the worst......

Thank you so much for your message though I am very excited to start. I am working full time and have been for a few years, I am 24.... I have always had an ambition to be a teacher so thought now is the time ( hopefully I'm not too old)

What you studying now?


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When I done S104 I had enough to pass the module so didn't even bother with the last 2 blocks, which I now regret! I love a bit of physics now Advice would to be stick in even the worst incase they appear on the transcription when you get your degree.

That's brill, I'm in a similar boat. I'm 23, tried to do my A-levels twice but didn't have any sense of direction and so I dropped out twice! I started with the OU a few years ago but didn't know what I wanted from them so I done a load of courses like S104, cardiovascular diseases, molecules medicines & drugs, human genetics, SXR120 (the science practical).. at one point I was enrolled on the open plus scheme to do physics full time at lancaster uni following completion of 1st year with the OU but dropped from that when the fees went to £9,000 per year.

On a whim I ended up deciding to do an engineering degree since I like physics and I'm OK at maths. Got an A at GCSE but dropped it at A-level cos it was too hard but now I'm doing L2 courses and getting >90% in assignments! Kinda have a sense of direction now so it's an incentive to actually do the work!

Got an exam tomorrow MS221 maths stuff.

I'd recommend going to tutorials, especially for science stuff because they will be able to advise you what you need to remember for exams. Don't make the same mistake as me in thinking you have to know every last fact it tells you. More advice would be when it comes round to doing modules with exams, get the past papers cos there's ALWAYS some sort of pattern in the questions

Not much social life with the OU but this forum is pretty good to have a bit patter with others alike so I'd stick about on here, and have look on facebook for groups (probably be one called 'S104 Oct start' if anybody has made one).

[Nitebot]

(Original post by kjglen24)
Hi there

Yeah starting with S0104 looks pretty boring if I'm honest so glad you said it?! The physics side is probably the worst......

Thank you so much for your message though I am very excited to start. I am working full time and have been for a few years, I am 24.... I have always had an ambition to be a teacher so thought now is the time ( hopefully I'm not too old)

What you studying now?


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

I've just completed S104. It's a hard slog but generally it's interesting. I think the life sciences modules look quite interesting although I know some think that they could easily be expanded. More genetics etc...

As for becoming a science teacher, there's people in my region in their 30s and 40s retraining for that, so you're one of the young ones!!

[kjglen24]

(Original post by Bleak Lemming)
When I done S104 I had enough to pass the module so didn't even bother with the last 2 blocks, which I now regret! I love a bit of physics now Advice would to be stick in even the worst incase they appear on the transcription when you get your degree.

That's brill, I'm in a similar boat. I'm 23, tried to do my A-levels twice but didn't have any sense of direction and so I dropped out twice! I started with the OU a few years ago but didn't know what I wanted from them so I done a load of courses like S104, cardiovascular diseases, molecules medicines & drugs, human genetics, SXR120 (the science practical).. at one point I was enrolled on the open plus scheme to do physics full time at lancaster uni following completion of 1st year with the OU but dropped from that when the fees went to £9,000 per year.

On a whim I ended up deciding to do an engineering degree since I like physics and I'm OK at maths. Got an A at GCSE but dropped it at A-level cos it was too hard but now I'm doing L2 courses and getting >90% in assignments! Kinda have a sense of direction now so it's an incentive to actually do the work!

Got an exam tomorrow MS221 maths stuff.

I'd recommend going to tutorials, especially for science stuff because they will be able to advise you what you need to remember for exams. Don't make the same mistake as me in thinking you have to know every last fact it tells you. More advice would be when it comes round to doing modules with exams, get the past papers cos there's ALWAYS some sort of pattern in the questions

Not much social life with the OU but this forum is pretty good to have a bit patter with others alike so I'd stick about on here, and have look on facebook for groups (probably be one called 'S104 Oct start' if anybody has made one).

Thanks for all your help and advise... Glad your doing well? Any career path?


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[kjglen24]

(Original post by Nitebot)
I've just completed S104. It's a hard slog but generally it's interesting. I think the life sciences modules look quite interesting although I know some think that they could easily be expanded. More genetics etc...

As for becoming a science teacher, there's people in my region in their 30s and 40s retraining for that, so you're one of the young ones!!

:-) young!! This has made my day!!! Roughly how many exams per module?

What you going to
Specialise in?


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[Bleak Lemming]

(Original post by kjglen24)
Thanks for all your help and advise... Glad your doing well? Any career path?

Something to do with engineering I suppose! That's all I know as yet.

[Nitebot]

(Original post by kjglen24)
:-) young!! This has made my day!!! Roughly how many exams per module?

What you going to
Specialise in?

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Yes young. The 18-25 age group is officially classed as the young students age group by the OU.

A lot of people with the OU who've already had one career are retraining to become teachers. Some post here!! I intend to follow the Earth and Planetary Sciences route for personal interest.

The old S104 I took had no exams. The new S104 has 6 rather than 7 TMAs (Tutor Marked Assignments) and one exam. We suspect outside agencies who use S104 as an entry qualification asked for the change. Until recently, all or certainly nearly all L1 modules had no exams. But under the new set up, that's changing. Nearly all L2 and L3 modules have at least one exam but some have EMAs (End of Module Assignments) or projects. The OU states what's required in the full module description.

[wolfman_rick]

Hi all I will be doing S104 in october & just wanted to know if anybody could send me the PDF's so I can have a look to get an idead at the type of thing I will looking to

My email is Your email has been removed for privacy reasons - if you wish to exchange contact details, please use the Private Messaging system.

Thanks

[L.O.V.E.]

You have to start with S104 and S155.

I thought S104 looked boring as well but it's brilliant!! I know a few people that have done it and they all enjoyed it. The textbooks are well written and my tutor was really good.
I thought S155 was terrible.

(Original post by Nitebot)
The old S104 I took had no exams. The new S104 has 6 rather than 7 TMAs (Tutor Marked Assignments) and one exam. We suspect outside agencies who use S104 as an entry qualification asked for the change. Until recently, all or certainly nearly all L1 modules had no exams. But under the new set up, that's changing. Nearly all L2 and L3 modules have at least one exam but some have EMAs (End of Module Assignments) or projects. The OU states what's required in the full module description.

There used to be an exam when S104 was S100, S101, S102 and S103.

[dg2009]

I hated S104, I dropped out/failed it and didn't want to repeat it so moved to health & social care instead.

[Nitebot]

(Original post by L.O.V.E.)
You have to start with S104 and S155.

I thought S104 looked boring as well but it's brilliant!! I know a few people that have done it and they all enjoyed it. The textbooks are well written and my tutor was really good.
I thought S155 was terrible.

There used to be an exam when S104 was S100, S101, S102 and S103.

Ah right. I think I heard there was an exam. I'd rather have revised for that than spend ages doing the EMA to be honest. S155 isn't in the new Q Natural Sciences degree. I think they cover that area in the new S141 Investigative and mathematical skills in science.

[kjglen24]

(Original post by Nitebot)
I've just completed S104. It's a hard slog but generally it's interesting. I think the life sciences modules look quite interesting although I know some think that they could easily be expanded. More genetics etc...

As for becoming a science teacher, there's people in my region in their 30s and 40s retraining for that, so you're one of the young ones!!

Decided to Study S104 and S141 (maths) which is 90 credits so I can get a quicker start in my degree rather than doing just one year.

[Nitebot]

(Original post by kjglen24)
Decided to Study S104 and S141 (maths) which is 90 credits so I can get a quicker start in my degree rather than doing just one year.

I think if you can find the time then it's a good thing. Each year you spend after your third, another set of science graduates hits the job/postgrad market.

[Sally Syrup]

I started doing the S104, but honestly, found it so boring i dropped out. It was too general and i found myself having to study areas of science which i'm just not interested in. But, i've since found out, to get the natural sciences degree I have to go back and do it, so now i just wish i'd gritted my teeth and got on with it as i'd be 60 points better off now!

[dg2009]

I hated S104 I didn't even finish it, hated the earth/environment stuff but found I really like quantum physics as I never got on with physics as school but the astro/quantum stuff is interesting.

[dg2009]

(Original post by Sally Syrup)
I started doing the S104, but honestly, found it so boring i dropped out. It was too general and i found myself having to study areas of science which i'm just not interested in. But, i've since found out, to get the natural sciences degree I have to go back and do it, so now i just wish i'd gritted my teeth and got on with it as i'd be 60 points better off now!

yes I changed to a degree which didn't need S104

[Christiek0310]

I'm planning on doing this in Oct. I plan to specialise in biology and am doing it to keep my options open for either primary or secondary teaching.


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