What is your opinion on OU courses?

Well if you do something theoretical like the mathematics and physics course then it's fine.

Try to be honest with yourself. One module one-week-residential school.
How can it be compared with those who spend 5-8 hours every week during three years in a lab? Science is very competitive.

This was what I was thinking. I'm doing the physics pathway in October and although I would rather go to a brick uni (I can't right now for personal reasons), I'm not too worried as I've heard a lot of universites do accept OU science degrees. If they accept them then it can't be that bad.

This was what I was thinking. I'm doing the physics pathway in October and although I would rather go to a brick uni (I can't right now for personal reasons), I'm not too worried as I've heard a lot of universites do accept OU science degrees. If they accept them then it can't be that bad.

This was what I was thinking. I'm doing the physics pathway in October and although I would rather go to a brick uni (I can't right now for personal reasons), I'm not too worried as I've heard a lot of universites do accept OU science degrees. If they accept them then it can't be that bad.

Studying in Germany and in Spain is not that expensive as in the UK. Apply to German or Spanish Universities directly, go to study there and take your OU books with you.

It would be interesting to know how well received OU language students are by employers.

I'm pretty sure you can't do that. The OU does not have any Erasmus or Socrates exchanges so if an OU student did organise an independent exchange with a foreign university (assuming its possible, which I don't think it is), they would be liable to pay fees, and they would receive no funding or EU grants for living costs.



Hard to say, I personally don't rate the degree very highly because it focuses entirely on spoken language, vocabulary and grammar. There is hardly any cultural content, no history, literature, linguistics etc. I'd be interested to know what level of proficiency can be gained through an OU language degree.

Are you doing the natural science physics pathway or the mathematics and physics one?

I think they're pretty well respected, and I can't wait to do one. I have 2 years still, and I actually can't wait!

I'm doing the natural science physics pathway. I can't wait either, I've been studying physics since I was about 14 so I'm really excited to actually start the degree.

I wish you good luck. If you made your mind, do it. And proceed to your goal, what I wanted to say - consider it thoroughly all advantages and disadvantage. Good luck!

Maybe I surprise you but undergraduate studies in Germany will cost you from 0 to 600 Euro (maximum) per term. The student pays per term, not per course. It is not that expensive as in the UK.

You have to pass German language test (either DHS or testDAF), your A-levels matter and possibly you have to pass the admission interview.

You can email your tutors all the time or attend the tutorials if you wish, they are usually four hours long or a day school on Saturdays. It is a lot of independent learning that you will have to have the discipline to do yourself x. And depending on the subject depends on whether you have tutorials or if they are required to pass. You have to really be strict with your time and discipline yourself.

Hard to say, I personally don't rate the degree very highly because it focuses entirely on spoken language, vocabulary and grammar. There is hardly any cultural content, no history, literature, linguistics etc. I'd be interested to know what level of proficiency can be gained through an OU language degree.

This was what I was thinking. I'm doing the physics pathway in October and although I would rather go to a brick uni (I can't right now for personal reasons), I'm not too worried as I've heard a lot of universities do accept OU science degrees. If they accept them then it can't be that bad.

I've seen labs advertised that want people for an apprentice like scheme that gives lab experience for people who are studying at degree level.

Got a link to that ?

Got a link to that ?

If you check the OU's career (sciences) pages, there's a big section on how to get practical experience for the sciences. Includes interviews with employers who can offer it.

Here's one that asks for beginners http://www.gsk.com/uk/careers/apprenticeships/science-apprenticeships.html

Here's another one but don't know too much about this one http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/Types-of-Apprenticeships/Engineering-and-Manufacturing-Technologies/Laboratory-Technicians.aspx

There are loads that I've heard about because I know someone who's an employment coach and she hears of loads of these kinds of things at different levels for different sciences.

If you check the OU's career (sciences) pages, there's a big section on how to get practical experience for the sciences. Includes interviews with employers who can offer it.

But don't some courses offer residential school? Don't know exactly what you'll do though.

Like someone else said, you can make up for it by doing masters and I know a lot of brick uni do accept OU degrees in science.