Is there a way to do degee level study without paying so much?

[LegendaryReady]

I'd like to be better educated in a more rounded way. My Alevels were all science and my degree is in finance. There's a really big gap in the arts. I know nothing about history or literature for example.

I don't "need" a degree, I'm at a time in my life where a career progression has been and gone, but I'd like to be better educated iyswim.

I looked at doing something via the Open University, but it seems an awful lot of money just for fun.

Maybe I just need a reading list? But I think I also need some help to understand stuff with insight iyswim

Have you read much literature or history books (or on other arts subjects)? Is it that there's a gap in your knowledge, or that you want to be able to be more analytical about what you have read in the past?

I think you just need to read a lot more - alongside the texts themselves, you can read academic textbooks alongside?

But we can't know everything about everything - my science knowledge is hugely lacking, although I can't say I'm particularly fussed about plugging that gap .

Maybe check out Coursera? Since you don’t need the actual degree you don’t need to pay for it. You can just observe so to speak.

Look up MOOCS - prestigious universities often put some of their course materials online for free or run open access courses for free. Perfect for you.

Often, universities have events and talks you can attend for free - guest speakers etc. They're usually online just now.
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Just one example.

I really enjoy those. And courses on future learn- moocs- are sometimes designed by universities.

What I actually did, though, in addition to this, was sign up for a one-module course at a close-by University.
It was cheap without the assessment aspect but more if you wanted a paper to be graded.

I loved it so much I went back and did an msc with the postgrad loan while I worked.

Also I'm now doing a phd (funded) in a related subject.

The only time I've seen undergrad degrees with funding has been business apprenticeship degrees so possibly you're already well qualified in that area and it wouldn't help unless you did a couple of electives in an arty subject.

A while back I did a few courses purely for interest through OpenLearn - it’s OU material made available for free. The ones I did were History and History of Art related and were 10-15 hours long. I’m not sure it’s made me feel more well educated but it was interesting and I now know lots about Delacroix With Arts subjects I tend to find the more you read or study, the more you realise you don’t know.

For me -I'm all science and very specialised.

I buy DVDs from Amazon on the 'History of Jerusalem' etc and watch iplayer all the time Stonehenge etc

Start there and see what interests you. I find books heavy going after work but DVDs and podcasts etc are fine in the evening.

I second the recommendation of Coursera.

Also, the syllabus of university courses can usually be found online, so you can read/study at your leisure.

I also use EdX as well.

Interesting question.

Would love to have you on this thread, OP:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/site_stuff/4327788-Is-there-a-specific-Mature-Study-Retraining-board?msgid=110096218

@MaryTalbot

For me -I'm all science and very specialised.

I buy DVDs from Amazon on the 'History of Jerusalem' etc and watch iplayer all the time Stonehenge etc

Start there and see what interests you. I find books heavy going after work but DVDs and podcasts etc are fine in the evening.

I second this and is probably a good way of finding out what you are interested in and may wish to study at a more in depth level.

BBC and even Channel 4/5 has some surprisingly good stuff for the interested layperson. Things currently on my 'hopefully I'll get round to watching before it disappears' list

Ernest Hemingway

From tsarist rule to the Russian Revolution and beyond

5 programmes about ancient Greece and Egypt [[https://www.channel5.com/search/?q=bettany%20hughes]]

This also looks interesting with historian Mary Beard

Maybe also look for one of those '100 classic books everyone should have read' lists and read some of those?

I'm also a scientist and have read/watched a lot of 'history of science' type stuff, eg life and work of Marie Curie, Radium Girls.

Or you could get a National Trust/English Heritage membership and go and visit the sites/read the interpretation boards and take things further from that?

@EmmaStone

Have you read much literature or history books (or on other arts subjects)? Is it that there's a gap in your knowledge, or that you want to be able to be more analytical about what you have read in the past?

I think you just need to read a lot more - alongside the texts themselves, you can read academic textbooks alongside?

But we can't know everything about everything - my science knowledge is hugely lacking, although I can't say I'm particularly fussed about plugging that gap .

This is it though. My science knowledge is useless in polite conversation

Lots of great suggestions, thank you

You can get funded for open uni if your warnings are below the threshold.

Gosh - my hard science friends have found themselves using science knowledge far more than usual this past year or so.
Anti-vaccers aside, I feel like lots of people suddenly see the point of scientists.

Not free, but not as expensive as degree courses, but have you looked at the WEA? They're hoping to run face to face courses as well as Zoom this year. Advantage is that you get to interact with the tutor and other students.

FutureLearn Coursera and similar online platforms offer a lot of free courses - some of which are very good. You could maybe start with a couple of these to see how you get on.

Have you looked at Gresham College?
They have hundreds of lectures on line that cover every subject.
I am similar to you but I want to 'study' maths and engineering.

And the National Gallery has a series of 'Talks for All' on YouTube, about some of the paintings in its collection.

The British Library website has a lot of information, too.

There is a huge amount available online for free, just need to decide what subjects you are interested in:
www.thebestcolleges.org/free-online-classes-and-course-lectures/

MOOCs. Try Openlearn and future learn. Harvard, Oxford and Cambridge too have open access courses and offer shorter courses - weekend or a couple of years part time often in arts subjects. There's a cost to these but far cheaper than a degree

I've done several courses on Future Learn - free if. you don't want certificates. Some of their courses are run by Russell Group universities, and I'v found that many of the participants are very knowledgeable too, so that the comments and contributions are always thought-provoking.

OU do free courses on Future Learn.
Or a WEA course ?

Many of the top universities offer the course notes and lectures for free so you can audit the course without being assessed.
Alternatively have a look at The Great Courses. They have a really good range of American college level courses and they're really good value. If you're an audible subscriber you can use credits to buy them too.

If you work for a university several offer their own modules free, or reduced price, to staff.

A lot of courses on future learn are free (you pay if you want a certificate). I’ve done some great ones on there, and they are from beginners to advanced.

www.futurelearn.com/subjects