The Student Room Group

No formal Qualification & Uni

Hello everyone,

I would like to do Bachelor degree in Forensic Psychology, but my problem is that I had to drop my high school studies, because at that time a I had a lot of problems.
I lost my parents when I was 6 and my step-parents threat me very badly, they were abusing me, my step mother was beating me without reason, and she was also really good in manipulation. My step father wasn't much better and when I was child I found hidden a camera in my room to see my how I am getting underdressed before I went sleep, etc.

Even that, I had a good grades even in high school, but I wasn't able to handle it any more so I escaped from home when I was 17. I spent some time on streets, but I managed to survive and somehow I was able to "learn" English, get a job, save some money, and moved out from my country to left this behind.

I moved to Hungary (from the Czech Republic) in the begging I was working just for accommodation and then I was able to get also normal job, now I have finally quite normal life, but there is no future so in summer I would like to move to UK.

I am almost 27 now and I would like to get Bachelor degree, but the problem is that I already missed time period where I was able to graduate - I would have to start over and it would take me 5 years to be able graduate on high school, that's ****ing long time and most importantly I don't want go back to the Czech Republic - never ever.

I really miss that student times and uni atmosphere, so I would really like to go to Uni and I don't want to study for part time, but they wont accept me without formal qualification.

What would you do in my situation?

Someone recommended to me to do Access to Higher Education course, but I also found option to do Certificate of Higher Education at The Open University and after completing this I could go to normal university where I could be able to Bachelor degree in just two years, right? In this way I could save one year, because I wouldn't have to do ACH.

Thank you very much for your opinions, recommendations and sorry for long life story...
The usual way would be the Access course.

the Certificate of Higher Education at The Open University appears to be a qualification as you say equivalent to the first year for an OU degree. I think its for OU degrees only and am unsure/sceptical as to whether you could use it for any other university/ They might accept a transfer, but they might not. This is because the first year on a lot of degree courses are likely to cover different areas than those of your COH.

You seem quite impatient to get your degree, although ofc there is a finance issue. You do realise the OU is more a distance learning institution rather than a typical university? If you know what degree you wnat to do as your BA then check with the unis to see how they regard the COH for transfers.
No, its just because I am 27 now, so am not that young any more and you cannot be student forever.

I was just thinking that this could be good choice, because The Open Uni has Certificate of Higher Education in Psychology and I want to study Forensic Psychology, so its very close to that subject, or at least it will be useful for me - What I red about Access I would have to learn someone what wouldn't be that useful for me or what I already now, how I said I completed 4 years of high school with good grades - basically if I will convert it to UK grades it would be ABBB, but I just couldn't do it final exams - You have only 2 years to do it - than you have to start over.

But Certificate of Higher Education is rated as Level 4, but minimum entry requirements for Bachelor degree is completed level 3, so it should be enough - in worse case I would not just accepted credits, right?

I mean I do realise that The Open University is just distance learning, so thats why I think it would be better to take this one year course and after one year I would have at least something and I could continue at normal university, or am I missing something?
Think you miss both points I made.

1. Check with unis that offer Forensic Psychology whether they would let you onto their course with the COH from OU. I got the impression you want to go onto another undregrad course and jump into the second year ay a Uni other than the OU. Only they can tell you.

2, It may be that FP first year is really important and you would miss out on specialist teaching.
Well, I was thinking if I will choose this Certificate of Higher Education it will be proof that I have higher education than minimum is required for entry at normal university and there could be two possible options:

- they will offer me to transfer credits so I would be able to continue from the second year.
or
- they will accepted as proof of higher education than they require to be accepted but without credit transferring - so I would have to start from the first year (but most probably I would already know something so it would be easier (if I wouldn't find any university for the first option).

For OU its very easy, because first year of Bachelor course of FP is completely same as Certificate of Higher Education in Psychology, but I think its better to choose that certificate because after 1 year you have at least something but if I would choose Bachelor course after 1 year I would have only credits, nothing more, so I guess it would be even more complicated to go to different uni.


It sounds kind of logic to me, but maybe its too easy to be true...
Access to HE sounds like a good option for you. You could do your GCSE maths and English alongside it too seems as though most universities want these. Look only at ones near you and contact them :smile:
Original post by SimpsonHomer
Well, I was thinking if I will choose this Certificate of Higher Education it will be proof that I have higher education than minimum is required for entry at normal university and there could be two possible options:

- they will offer me to transfer credits so I would be able to continue from the second year.
or
- they will accepted as proof of higher education than they require to be accepted but without credit transferring - so I would have to start from the first year (but most probably I would already know something so it would be easier (if I wouldn't find any university for the first option).

For OU its very easy, because first year of Bachelor course of FP is completely same as Certificate of Higher Education in Psychology, but I think its better to choose that certificate because after 1 year you have at least something but if I would choose Bachelor course after 1 year I would have only credits, nothing more, so I guess it would be even more complicated to go to different uni.


It sounds kind of logic to me, but maybe its too easy to be true...


Just check with the relevant uni. It may not be as you think.
Original post by SimpsonHomer
snip


There are a lot of mature students in the UK, you won't be the oldest so I wouldn't worry about waiting a little longer before you can start your degree. It won't make any difference.

You can use an Open University CertHE to get into some universities (I did), but 999tigger is correct, you probably won't be able to transfer directly into the second year unless the modules match. You could use the CertHE as an alternative to high school qualifications and start from the first year. If you do this, you must not study with the OU for more than ONE year or else you won't get funding to do a full-time degree.

I suggest you email universities you like and give them details of the OU certificate/modules and ask them if they would be acceptable for admission.
Oh, thank you very much for all useful information.. If I wont be able to transfer credits directly into the second year, I guess its not a big deal, in worse case the first years would be easier for me and it will takes me one year anyway.

I already sent emails to some universities what do they think about this CertHe from OU.

Thanks again.

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