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Student at the Open University
Open University
Milton Keynes

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BSc (Hons) open degree Open uni current students and anyone starting this October??

Anyone currently studying the BSc open degree?. If so, how are you finding it ?. Is anyone starting it this October?.

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Yup, kinda! I'm currently registered on Open but swinging between that and sticking to the one subject (Primary Education Studies)
Student at the Open University
Open University
Milton Keynes
Reply 2
Avatar for Mysterious92
Mysterious92
OP
Aww kwl. How you finding it?. How many modules have you done so far?.
Original post by Mysterious92
Aww kwl. How you finding it?. How many modules have you done so far?.


Sorry I meant I'm signed up for Oct. What ones have you been doing?
Reply 4
Avatar for Mysterious92
Mysterious92
OP
Hey. My application at the moment is being processed. I am signing up for This Oct aswell.
Hi, I am starting this October too. I am doing a physics degree following the IOP accredited pathway.


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Reply 6
Avatar for Bexx9
Bexx9
11
Hi, I'm starting october too! I'll be following a health science path but without all the psychology
What modules are people doing this year? I am doing S111, MST124 and MU123.

It would be great to find some people doing the same modules.
I don't understand why people choose an open degree, surely its a degree with no prospects. I cant begin to fathom how you would explain an open degree in an interview. Its a nice idea in theory picking a bunch of different modules to earn a degree, well I guess people take the open degree as a hobby instead of a view to get a job in specific sector. However, you get one run of funding and it seems silly to waste it on open degree.
Reply 9
Avatar for Bexx9
Bexx9
11
Original post by hububalli
What modules are people doing this year? I am doing S111, MST124 and MU123.

It would be great to find some people doing the same modules.


You are doing 3 modules in 1 year?!

I'm starting with SDK100 and if I can handle it I'll see how I feel about adding either S142 or MU123 in January. Then the other will be done next year.
Original post by Davidswift9
I don't understand why people choose an open degree, surely its a degree with no prospects. I cant begin to fathom how you would explain an open degree in an interview. Its a nice idea in theory picking a bunch of different modules to earn a degree, well I guess people take the open degree as a hobby instead of a view to get a job in specific sector. However, you get one run of funding and it seems silly to waste it on open degree.


There are plenty of reason why someone might do an open degree. To satisfy your own specific interests, or as a hobby, or in theory if the modules are chosen carfully, a degree suited to your specific career. I don't see why it would any different

For me I can follow the institute of physics accredited pathway giving me a physics degree that would be widely recognised. The OU only offer a physics and mathematics option which is not what I wanted to do.
Original post by Cy4nide
You are doing 3 modules in 1 year?!

I'm starting with SDK100 and if I can handle it I'll see how I feel about adding either S142 or MU123 in January. Then the other will be done next year.


Yep, I will be doing it full time. I won't be working while I'm studying so think I will be fine. I've done a few intense distance learning courses so think I will be OK.

I will be starting MST124 in January to space them out a bit.
Reply 12
Avatar for Bexx9
Bexx9
11
Original post by hububalli
Yep, I will be doing it full time. I won't be working while I'm studying so think I will be fine. I've done a few intense distance learning courses so think I will be OK.

I will be starting MST124 in January to space them out a bit.


Ah well it sounds like you'll be fine then :smile: I'm working full time so only have evenings and weekends, plus I've been out of education for 10 years so never done anything like this before.

If I remember I'll come asking how MU123 is, I bought myself one of those maths sets today with a protractor and compass and stuff in just incase :grin:
Original post by Cy4nide
Ah well it sounds like you'll be fine then :smile: I'm working full time so only have evenings and weekends, plus I've been out of education for 10 years so never done anything like this before.

If I remember I'll come asking how MU123 is, I bought myself one of those maths sets today with a protractor and compass and stuff in just incase :grin:


I hope so! I have had a look at the MU123 units and they look very gentle. Feel free to ask.

Can't do any harm being prepared! :wink: Reminds me actually, I need to buy a calculator!
Reply 14
Avatar for Bexx9
Bexx9
11
Original post by hububalli
I hope so! I have had a look at the MU123 units and they look very gentle. Feel free to ask.

Can't do any harm being prepared! :wink: Reminds me actually, I need to buy a calculator!


Oh yes, I bought one of those when I did a huge shop on Ebuyer. Scientific don'tcha know! Apparently I need one for S104 so figured I might as well buy it now
Original post by Davidswift9
I don't understand why people choose an open degree, surely its a degree with no prospects. I cant begin to fathom how you would explain an open degree in an interview. Its a nice idea in theory picking a bunch of different modules to earn a degree, well I guess people take the open degree as a hobby instead of a view to get a job in specific sector. However, you get one run of funding and it seems silly to waste it on open degree.

I can only assume you're really bad at explaining things, then. It's not like people doing an Open Degree just chuck darts at a list of modules and take whatever ones they hit; it's about building a study pathway that works for the individual. I just completed an Open Degree, and though I'll grant I did it largely for my own amusement, the modules I picked complemented each other better than any of the named pathways in terms of my further study goals, and should be a good foundation for the Master's I'm starting in a couple of months, and some further goals I have beyond that. Why would I want to pick a worse option, when I can tailor-make my own?
Reply 16
Avatar for Dowie
Dowie
7
It seems like a reasonable option if you've got a clear path in mind... perhaps if you want to study one main subject but also with a minor interest in another but that isn't catered for in the dual hours options available. It might have some issues when marketing yourself to employers though and having to explain what exactly you have done... perhaps better if you were aiming to complete a named masters degree afterwards.

The thing that has crippled this option recently though is the ridiculous requirement to complete 120 credits at each of level 1, 2 and 3. Some of the level 1 courses on offer by the OU are not really university level courses at all but revision of GCSE and A-Level - a good use of an Open degree in the past might well have been to avoid wasting time with unnecessary courses and crack on with the subjects that interest you at level 2 and 3.
Hi

Thinking of starting the open degree at level three due to credit transfer. I am thinking this would be a good option as not sure where I want to career wise, but concerned that it would hold me back with regard to employers/further study. Has anyone got experience of this? It seems that alot of people are doing the open as a personal goal rather than towards a future career?
Thanks!!
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 18
Avatar for Dowie
Dowie
7
I've not got direct experience as I completed a named degree however I think if you were doing it for further study then it might well be less of an issue (assuming the transferred credits were relevant too) as your transcript (which you'd presumably send from the OU and the previous institution?) and personal statement + references from tutors will all be looked at.
Original post by ruthiewig
Hi

Thinking of starting the open degree at level three due to credit transfer. I am thinking this would be a good option as not sure where I want to career wise, but concerned that it would hold me back with regard to employers/further study. Has anyone got experience of this? It seems that alot of people are doing the open as a personal goal rather than towards a future career?
Thanks!!

Work-wise, a pretty large percentage of graduate jobs are for graduates in any discipline. So, for those roles, an Open Degree would certainly be fine. For roles where they want graduates in particular subjects, or for further study, you'd be able to evidence having studied that subject through your transcript (assuming you had, indeed, studied it). To be honest, the thing that's a problem here is that you don't know what you want to do in future - not in the sense that that's inherently a bad thing, I actually think it's very normal and reasonable; but because it's not really possible to answer your question about whether the Open Degree might meet your future needs without knowing what you want to do in the future. If you have some vague sense of what you might be interested in studying at postgrad level in future, then one thing you could do is reach out to a few universities and ask how they would view an applicant with an Open Degree - they'll be able to give you much better information about that than we will.

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