The Official 'Ask a Current Open University Student' Thread

Hi, I'm 30 and haven't studied since school. I've just signed up for an access course with the OU on People, Work and Society and I hope to study in Psychology and Counselling in the future.
I am so nervous, as I have spent the last 8 years raising a family and I feel like it's going to be impossible. But I really want to do this!
Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

I’d get stuck straight into the degree if I were you and save a year. Level 1 prepares you for study and doesn’t count towards your final classification.

Hi, I'm 30 and haven't studied since school. I've just signed up for an access course with the OU on People, Work and Society and I hope to study in Psychology and Counselling in the future.
I am so nervous, as I have spent the last 8 years raising a family and I feel like it's going to be impossible. But I really want to do this!
Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

I did consider going straight into the degree but I don't feel confident regarding my study skills. It's been too long since I've read a text book! It is unfortunate that it doesn't count towards the degree but I'm using this access course as a taster for the degree course and hoping it will prepare me for the real thing!

Hey!, I'm currently looking into a psychology course with the Open University on a part time bases, would you reccomend it? I have seen very mixed reviews and It's a little confusing.

I live in Egypt. I want to ask you about the payment. Did you take each module and pay for it one at a time?
If I decided to take 3 modules a year, would I be required to start all of them at the same time and pay all of them in advance?
I've contacted the university regarding this matter, but I received an irrelevant response that seemed almost automatic.
I do appreciate your help. Thank you so much.

Hi , I'm looking to apply possible in a few years for history ( can't decide to go for a apprenticeship, physical university or work for a bit )
Do we need to get a reference as I will be out of education probably about 2 years when I apply?
Does anyone regret it over physical university and has anyone been to both and which do they prefer ?
Thank you

I'm not sure how it will work for you seeing as you live in Egypt, but modules are considered like separate things but if you do 2 or 3, their price would be combined into one price per year. I used student finance to pay though, so I'm not sure what they expect in terms of paying for them outright, but I would assume they expect payment before the modules begin. Hope this helps.



You don't need a reference to apply. Anyone can apply to the OU! I've seen a few people move from the OU to a brick university and some have returned back to the OU or have shared the fact that a brick uni offers less support than the OU. So if you want a lot of support, cheaper fees and the ability to continue working, the OU is for you, whereas a brick university is more expensive, you may have to move to a campus so you won't be able to continue working but the main benefit is the socialisation with others. But you do get plenty of opportunities to meet other students with the OU.

I started my own discussion but wanted to know if anyone who is a current/graduate student has done the Open MA/MSc (Open) degree where you can mix and match subjects? I want to do this but am concerned that having the phrase "Open MA" on my certificate is somehow less than having a specifically named degree. What does anyone think?

What happens if you struggle with certain TMA questions and submit them with some questions answered and some not, like if you were doing an exam at school and you just left them out? Would the whole TMA be rejected?

I'm thinking of joining the OU after july. Is it good? can the qualifications you get there really change your life like they say? Im on my last life here, in poverty and unable to transfer to any other physical unis.

Hello,

The OU is great in the respect that it offers pretty much everyone access to higher education no matter their personal circumstances. Can it change your life? I think it really depends on what you want to do or achieve. If you have a particular goal and need a specific qualification to get you on your way, then yes it definitely could be life changing. However, if you study a subject with no real career outcome in mind you'll still have a great degree, but whether you could apply it into a life changing situation depends on your next steps. Like any qualification, it has to be relevant to your chosen field in order to be really useful.

Ben

Hi Ben, thanks for answering!! I have a second dumb question for you - I really dont know much and only started looking into it today, but I'm assuming what you get after completing the course is a full degree right? like an undergrad degree etc? does it work the same as any other uni, with stuff like thirds, 2-1s, firsts and all the rest of it???

Hi again,

Yes it’s exactly the same degree as any other university, with classes of honours as you describe up for grabs depending on your performance.

No question is a dumb one. Need any further help just ask.

Ben

In that case - one last thing! I read the psychology course starts in February instead of September. Assuming this is the case for all courses, when do you apply for them, and when does an academic year for the open university end???