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'Open Degree' title, is this a potential pitfall when applying for teaching courses?

I'm wondering if I'm likely to have a fair chance if I apply to either a primary or secondary biology course (apples and oranges with regards to the answer to this question I know.)

My concern is that I have an Open degree (from the open university), it is 1st class honours, but obviously not a named degree, also for some reason it is called a BA, even though I studied roughly 50% science. I'm personally not bothered by this, it was my choice to do an open degree as I could not find a top ranking university anywhere in this country that would let me combine my two primary interests or even do a major/minor type combination in them! Surprisingly for me even combined honours degrees consider a faculty jump from humanities to sciences a jump too far; timetabling? My interests were History and Biology, and I didn't want to specialise in a subject like psychology just to tick the humanities and science boxes. So rather than go to a university that wasn't really worth getting into debt for I chose to work and study with the OU which let me choose whatever subjects I wanted so long as I didn't care about my degree title (so minimal debts thankfully).
I studied roughly 50/50 of each subject, maybe a little more humanities than science because of the credit waiting for individual modules.
I got straight As at A-level and good GCSEs so that isn't a problem.

Has anybody had experience of applying to teach with an Open Degree, or any thoughts on the matter?

Somebody has suggested I should try getting on a specialist masters in my chosen subject area to boost my chances, but to be honest I can't see that I wouldn't be facing the same potential barrier when I apply for that regarding my degree title. Also, I was hoping to study a masters in population genetics later part time when I have an income and a 'proper job' to fall back on.

Thanks for your advice.
Original post by maryspansies
I'm wondering if I'm likely to have a fair chance if I apply to either a primary or secondary biology course (apples and oranges with regards to the answer to this question I know.)

My concern is that I have an Open degree (from the open university), it is 1st class honours, but obviously not a named degree, also for some reason it is called a BA, even though I studied roughly 50% science. I'm personally not bothered by this, it was my choice to do an open degree as I could not find a top ranking university anywhere in this country that would let me combine my two primary interests or even do a major/minor type combination in them! Surprisingly for me even combined honours degrees consider a faculty jump from humanities to sciences a jump too far; timetabling? My interests were History and Biology, and I didn't want to specialise in a subject like psychology just to tick the humanities and science boxes. So rather than go to a university that wasn't really worth getting into debt for I chose to work and study with the OU which let me choose whatever subjects I wanted so long as I didn't care about my degree title (so minimal debts thankfully).
I studied roughly 50/50 of each subject, maybe a little more humanities than science because of the credit waiting for individual modules.
I got straight As at A-level and good GCSEs so that isn't a problem.

Has anybody had experience of applying to teach with an Open Degree, or any thoughts on the matter?

Somebody has suggested I should try getting on a specialist masters in my chosen subject area to boost my chances, but to be honest I can't see that I wouldn't be facing the same potential barrier when I apply for that regarding my degree title. Also, I was hoping to study a masters in population genetics later part time when I have an income and a 'proper job' to fall back on.

Thanks for your advice.


It all comes down to how you convince them in your personal statement that you've studied relevant modules. People get onto pgces with irrelevant degrees sometimes (myself included) so if you have so many credits worth of science or biology credits then I don't see why you couldn't put forward a convincing personal statement. I don't know much about what is looked for in primary but I'd imagine in a way, your open degree would be pretty good actually. History and biology are both national curriculum subjects and I think they like to see a link to the n.c so you'd be good there.

Off topic but - I don't blame you for doing an open degree. No need to justify it so heavily like you have. It highly appealed to me when I realised I had many interests rather than one sole passion, but I'd sort of passed a point of no return in my degree so couldn't change because of finance.

Well done on your first. I believe that is 80+ at the OU?

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How did you get on with the open degree? I'm due to graduate in June with 240 modules in biology and 120 In health and social care, looking to go into primary school direct? But would also consider secondary biology..thanks :smile:

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