[Sapphire_Eyes]

Hey I've wrote in here before and received some lovely advice which im really thankful for.

Heres the background to this I've now reached a point in my life where I'm going to be 20 in a few weeks (July) and i missed out on my place to study Geology at University at 18, for the last couple of years or so, i've been stuck in a routine, of finding/applying for jobs not getting them, been bored and a bit depressed to be honsent, I missed out with my Sciences which i've failed but due to reasons out of my control i cant go back and re-do them. I have managed to now get my GCSE's to C grade its taken me this long because of learning problems.

I'm going back to education this september either though an Access course at Derby University where i'll study though my long term degree.

Now i'm currently trying to find work, an i've decieded if i find myself a full time job i'm not quiting after 3 months and living off my savings but do something though Open University however i'm a bit confused about how the point system works. I'm currently thinking of doing Natarul sciences/Geosciences or Enviromental studies. I love paleontoogy and how and why things work and did work and stuff and science is one of my favourite subjects.

For the Enviromental sciences degree, http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?Q01B19 - link there.

How do i go into it? What modules do i need to do?

Enviromental Studies
Enviroment (U216) at Level 2 60 points
Then do the level 3 course the enviromental web
(U316) also worth 60 points

or do i need to do (120 points needed here)

Living in a globalised world (DD205) 60
Earth’s physical resources: origin, use and environmental impact (S278) 30
Energy for a sustainable future (T206) 60
Environmental control and public health (T210) 60
Understanding systems: making sense of complexity (T214) 60
Environmental science (S216) 60
International development: challenges for a world in transition (U213) 60
Our dynamic planet (S279) 30

then to i need to do (only need 60)

Earth in crisis: environmental policy in an international context (DU311) 60
The geological record of environmental change (S369) 30
Environmental change: the record in the rocks (SXR369) 10
Environmental monitoring, modelling and control (T308) 60
Managing complexity: a systems approach (T306) 60
Innovation: designing for a sustainable future (T307) 60
Oceanography (S330) 30

or do i need to do these:
If you’re new to study or to the OU, we recommend that you start with a course from the Openings programme.
For this degree we particularly recommend Understanding environment (Y161).
You should also complete at least one other Level 1 course chosen from An introduction to the social sciences: understanding social change (DD100)
(or the equivalent two 30-point courses An introduction to the social sciences: understanding social change Part 1 (DD121) and
An introduction to the social sciences: understanding social change Part 2 (DD122));
Working with our environment: technology for a sustainable future; (T172) or Exploring science (S104)
(or the discontinued course S103).
We also recommend two 10-point courses: Archaeology: the science of investigation (SA188);
or Volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunamis (S186).
If you complete this Level 1 work successfully you’ll have a firm foundation for future studies as well as credit points to count towards your degree.

the bold is from the page but if i do the stuff in bold first what do i do after that?

[SunburnedCactus]

Right, basically a degree comes to a total of 360 points. This is split up into the Level 1, 2 and 3 courses from which you usually have a few choices for each.

So yes, you have to do Environment (U216) and The environmental web (U316). Then you choose courses adding up to 120 points from the next section and 60 points from the section afterwards. That takes you up to 300 points.

After that it's up to you how you get the remaining 60. If you do one of the Level 1 courses that would give you 30, then you could either do another or any other OU course that counts towards a BSc.

Does that make sense?

[Sapphire_Eyes]

yeah ort of makes sense does it matter if the remaining points comes from a subject that irrelant or not an example i do the geosciences and my remaining 30 comes from a math or an english area?

[SunburnedCactus]

As long as it counts towards a Bachelors degree then it doesn't have to be the same subject (it should say this on the page of the course, if not e-mail or give them a call and they'll check for you).

[Sapphire_Eyes]

Could you do more then the 120 from the level 2 could i do up to 150 or more? If i could afford it and be able to fit it in?

[SunburnedCactus]

Yeah you could do another level 2 or even level 3 course if you wanted. But it would be more work, people often choose a level 1 course because it is making up the numbers easily.

[Sapphire_Eyes]

does it have to add up to 360? because the one i want if i do this add up to more then 360 points

[SunburnedCactus]

Well there's no reason why you can't do more... but your degree can only come from courses totalling 360 points. I'm not quite sure what happens if say you do a 60 point one somewhere and that takes it all to 390, whether they take the 30 from that or not. That you would have to ask them I think.

[Sapphire_Eyes]

ok then thank you loads SunBurnedCactus

Which subject are you doing though the OU?

I'm thinking of several

oh and another question

does it matter how long it takes? does it have to take 3 years or can you do it as long as you need?
and if you dont get a high mark in one can you retake the whole module to get the grade up?
is it all essey or is it all exam?

[SunburnedCactus]

I'm doing BSc Computing at the mo, done one level 2 course and currently in the middle of three level 1 courses.

Heh that's another few questions But to answer

1. I think there's some limit to how long points are valid but it's in the region of 10 years. A lot of people take 6 years to do a degree if they are working full-time otherwise.

2. You can do resits etc. as any other uni, I don't think you would have to do the whole course again if an exam didn't go well. For your assignments that you do during the year you can substitute a mark if one goes really badly.

3. Depends on the course, they all have some work to hand in regularly that counts towards the final mark but not all have an exam. The amount of essay type work depends on the course, as I'm doing computing I don't have that much (at the moment).

[Sapphire_Eyes]

ooo thank you loads SunBurnedCactus

I'm thinking Enviromental studies/Geosciences at the moment

What about the sciences how do you get hold of labs to test out the skills needed in a lab?

such as Life Sciences/Molecular Sciences and the other two named above?

[SunburnedCactus]

Ah, well for science courses you attend a residential school (usually in summer) for doing lab work, which takes place at a local university.

[Sapphire_Eyes]

so for me that would be derby uni

or would be in surrounding derby sheffield/nott trent?

[SunburnedCactus]

Again, you'd have to ask the OU themselves that.

[Sapphire_Eyes]

ok then thanks a LOAD Sunburned Cactus and ive just realised ive been flipping your name wrong sorry!!!

EDIT: you got somthing coming your way dont worry its all good

EDUT again: i have learning disabilities so would i be allowed more time in exams and coursework or again would i have to talk to the OU?

[SunburnedCactus]

Originally Posted by Sapphire_Eyes

ok then thanks a LOAD Sunburned Cactus and ive just realised ive been flipping your name wrong sorry!!!

EDIT: you got somthing coming your way dont worry its all good

EDUT again: i have learning disabilities so would i be allowed more time in exams and coursework or again would i have to talk to the OU?

Hehe thank you, glad I've been able to help.

And you would be able to make arrangements for both I believe, you can specify when you apply so that they will take it into account.

[Sapphire_Eyes]

great sounds cool

noticing up the convosation you have been the only one to help! so thought it be nice

[SunburnedCactus]

The other OU people are mysteriously elusive, I don't know where they are all hiding

[Sapphire_Eyes]

lol o right

i had another couple of questions but i forgotten them already!!