University in my 50s Am I mad???

[Lyndyloo17]

Had the opportunity a few years ago to train as a speech therapist but husband was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer on the day I was to enrol. Nursed him till he died in the new year. Have now got the chance to study a masters in language but not sure what to do. My children are very keen for me to do it. They think it’s my time etc. However. most of my friends think it’s a waste of time and I should forget it at my age(54). I am ok financially but I will not have a big pension. I have the option to do it part time so I could probably work part time as well. I just don’t know what to do. Am I mad and am I wasting my time?

[PermanentTemporary]

Not mad... maybe needs a little thinking about though.

Do you mean the masters in speech therapy? Does the uni you are looking at definitely do part time? The only one I know does part time for undergraduate is Birmingham. But this is a few years ago and things are getting more flexible.

The course for speech therapy is great but God it's quite intense and that's undergraduate. The Masters is tough. By the time you have done a part time masters and your newly qualified year you will be almost 60 but you'd still have another 7 years of working life. It's far from impossible if you really want to do it but I'll be completely honest, it does sound quite demanding.

[Lyndyloo17]

Hi. Decided not to do the masters in speech therapy. As you say, it is VERY demanding. I have been offered a course on an Applied Linguistics course. I am sure it will not be easy but it has a variety of modules to choose from .

[sashh]

Go for it.

I didn't go to uni until I was in my 30s, I'm about to turn 55 and I'm doing a second undergrad via the OU.

[PermanentTemporary]

Oh that sounds brilliant! What an amazing subject and course. I really hope you go for it. I think part time sounds good - you will have lots of opportunities to spot projects and issues at work relating to your studies which should really help the academic development.

[YouJustDoYou]

Back when I was in uni we had a few ladies who were in their 50s studying the language units I was in too. Go for it - life truly is too short.

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

My dad did a full time UG degree when he retired at 60 because he wanted too. He loved it.
I am 52 and I start a part time UG diploma on Sat that may result in a completely new direction for me in a few years (it’s in a creative subject and I currently work in the City). Even if I don’t move into that sector I will enjoy pushing myself to learn something new.

Go for it. I feel that I have spent nearly 20 years providing for everyone and putting my interest on the back burner to some extent. Now my DC are older it’s time for me to do what I want.

[Cheesecake53]

Go for it! You will be older anyway, but with or without an MA :)

[IthinkIsawahairbrushbackthere]

I am 60 and in the second year of my Open University degree. My friend is mid 50's and is doing a full time degree alongside running a business with her husband. Studying never appealed to me when I was younger. Now it is my favourite thing to do!

[BrownEyedWoman]

Go for it! I'd recommend contacting the Uni's widening participation team - as there should be bursaries/extra funding available for mature students. I find that there is so much more support, mature student societies etc now that if it's the right course you will love it! Good luck

[toothpicklover]

I’m 49, studying a MSc part-time while working over 37.5 a week and a single parent with no input from the Dad.
If I can do it, you can 😁

[ArtfulPuss]

I am 49 and just started my masters degree this week. I am definitely not the oldest on the course – there are a few of us with undergraduate degrees from last century!

[DaisyBD]

I'm the same age as you and I'm applying to art school next year (part time as I have to work too - can't afford it otherwise). Go for it! I'm so excited about doing something new and we are not too old!

[Fetchthevet]

I'm very envious, I would love to go back to studying! I can't afford it at the moment, but I would go for it if I could. Good luck OP

[Draculahhh]

Do it, seriously, you only live once and have plenty of working life left after you graduate.

[Shehasadiamondinthesky]

Its never too late to learn, I went at 45 and one of my class mates was in her 60's. She now has a thriving podiatry business.

[Ozanj]

Masters are a substitute for 2-3 years experience for new to industry or to give you a step up to a leadership role. If you won’t be doing either with this degree then I would question the value of a masters specifically

[SpringSparrow]

To be honest, if it was the speech therapist course, I would think it was worth doing. But will the linguistics MA lead to a job? Or do you not need it to lead to a job?
Would there be other mature students? I did a vocational MA when I was about 27 and it already was not as sociable as an undergraduate course, but maybe because it was vocational?! We had a couple of older people in their 40’s.

[DPotter]

Go for it!!

[SparklyLeprechaun]

Is this something you want to do for fun or are you looking at a new career? If for fun and you can afford it, go for it, it sounds brilliant.

If new career, keep in mind you'll be looking for a new job in a new industry at the age of 60. It might work, it might not. Do you even know what kind of jobs you'd go for?

[PermanentTemporary]

I disagree about the value of studying. It is a new perspective, a new way of seeing. A vocational course may give you that but it is such an intense timetable (the speech therapy masters is pretty much taught 9-5 5 days a week plus the self study) that there is little time to read around the set reading, interact with other students and find your path.

[PooWillyNameChange]

Do it! Learning isn't just about careers, it feeds the soul!

[Cabbagepie]

My sister went in her late 40's. She was initially a bit in awe of the students who were fresh from doing A-levels whan she had left school almost 30 years ago but found her life experience, organisatiinal and time management skills stood her in good stead. Also my mum started studying with the Open University after she retired. She had left school at 14 and never passed anything before but got over 80% for her first module. So definitely go for it and don't be afraid to ask for advice/support with study skills etc. Good luck OP

[sloutside]

If you are interested in it and want to do it, then do it.
It's not up to your friends. It's not a waste of time if it's something you are interested in.
I know a woman who did a degree in sociology when she was 60, after she retired from teaching. She then went on to do a PhD and then continued in research. She had a whole new life attending conferences and presenting her work. She's 80 now and still researching. She can't get around as well now so the international conferences have stopped but she still goes into the university twice a week and works in collaboration with others there.

Your Masters doesn't have to lead anywhere - do it for the love of learning - but it will certainly open up a whole new world!

[RincewindsHat]

No, do it! At the risk of being very outing, my mum did her MBA recently in her 50s and loved it. She was the oldest one on the course, made a ton of new friends who are younger than her and who she's still in touch with, and it sounds like having someone with her perspective and years of experience working in the class made a huge positive difference overall. Go for it! I don't know why you wouldn't, to be honest.

[tofuschnitzel]

It's not mad at all! You won't be the only mature student on your course. I finished studying in 2019, and there was a really good mix of ages for both my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. I met my husband at uni, he was retraining in his mid thirties. You are a mature student if you are over 22 years old, so you won't be the odd one out. I would encourage you to think carefully about your course of study. For example, can you get a job in your field with an undergraduate degree, or would you need to have an MA?