Open University advice please?

[52andblue]

I started an Undergrad Psychology degree at Edinburgh Uni in 1991.
Unfortunately I was attacked in halls by another student in Y2 & had to stop my course as there was no support available to me then.

Fast forward a bit to 1997. Having gone to college to do a counselling access course I then passed 1 year Undergrad Diploma in Counselling at Strathclyde Uni.

I worked for a few years but since 2001 a combination of ending up aa a sole parent to two disabled children & my own mobility disability has meant I have not been able to work or study. But now I am able to.

So, I want to return to study. I assume I'd need to start from scratch with an undergraduate degree. I called the OU but still wasnt clear if my Diploma is too long ago to count as a study credit? (they say they have no limit of time by phone but on their website I thought it said it must be 16 yrs or less?) Does anyone know please?

Any other advice for a 50 something who is planning on p/t study in addition to Carers duties? I am nervous, it's been a long time!

What will you do after the degree? If you plan on academia or another competitative career path then they will need detailed transcripts - can you get them for your previous study? How were your past grades?

I would contact the Student Support Team via email through the website.

I am studying with the OU and love it - very supportive and happy to take into consideration life challenges you may come across during your journey.

Good luck!

You're right about anything over 16 years can't be counted for credit transfer on the website, I'd ring again to double check but Im pretty sure the website is the correct info.
For advice just get stuck in! I was so nervous and kept registering and cancelling for a couple of years but now I've started and wish I'd just got over the worry of beginning sooner. Keep track of your work and don't let it pile up until deadlines, which is very easy to do given the remote nature of the uni.
Join the WhatsApp, discord, Facebook groups, it's nice to talk to classmates and keep each other going

@Ozanj - I doubt I could get transcripts, no.
The Strathclyde Uni course (which was a pass/ fail) no longer exists.
The Edinburgh Uni Psych degree has probably changed since 1991.

I expect I'm probably best to start from scratch, but it'll take forever.

I did all my first year modules together in one fell swoop while working f/t lol. It wasn’t that bad and as you said they are only pass/fail. Then when it counted from second year I did one module at a time. Do you have the time available do do that?

When I studied with the ou about 10 years ago they did some extremely basic short level 1 module that built up in very easy layers how to do academic writing, paraphrasing, quoting, citing and referencing. I already had a 2:1 degree from 10 years previously and still found this really helpful.

Other than that, time management and self motivation is the main skill to studying with the ou if you already know that you are academically capable.

Good luck, enjoy it.

I understand I'm allowed to study up to 21 hours a week with my Carers allowance. So I think it would take 6 years to achieve an Undergrad degree?
the other thing I am trying to decide is whether to do Psychology again (didn't like all the statistics in Yr 2 iirc) or joint Psy / counselling or Psy / criminology OR whether to go for an Open Degree (I didnt realise Psy was a Stem subject!). I think that an Open might be less use in the workplace, but, realistically, what chance do I have of entering the workplace with an undergrad degree in 6 years aged 59 (!) so maybe I should just cherry pick the courses I fancy anyway?

There are a few OU threads on the new Mature Study and Retraining board, here:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mature_students

You may find some useful thoughts ...

And countless people are taking undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in their 50s! It can be an absolutely revelatory experience.

I did have 2 health science degrees (changed profession) one from a brick uni and one from the ou, and the way the ou teaches research methods is so different to the awful way it was taught at the brick uni, they make it really interesting and accessible.

I have not sure what the did appeared from.

I meant to say, it can be a revelatory experience if one is able to bend domestic life into a new shape. You do need to carve out chunks of time where you can prioritise academic work - which is harder for mature students. And you need to overcome the inevitable crisis of confidence after a long gap from study.

After that it’s wonderful.

Do have a look at the new board. Several people taking similar courses to those you’re considering.

I'm starting my degree with the OU in February, im 38 with two young children. I'm so nervous as I haven't studied in years. There are lots of FB pages you can join for support and WhatsApp groups for different modules. Go for it and Good Luck!

I dis two years degree at red brick and then third year at OU, did my masters with OU, whilst pregnant and then with a baby- loved it.

I'd agree with previous poster, do call up the Student Support Team and discuss it. Carrying previous credits in is quite specialist, so you'd need to discuss it with them anyway. But the OU is a friendly place, loads of support, and very inspiring students. Good luck.

I suspect that the person on the phone was a bit befuddled as the OU has been bringing in tighter limits on how old transferred credit can be, and how long you can take to obtain a degree, for some time. This process started some time ago and rules have varied depending on the degree pathway and what your previous study was.

(Back in the day where there were just Open degrees, it was much easier to transfer credit in any subject over, and the study could be older. Things change.)

I suggest you ring back, explain the inconsistency, and ask whether it is worth you filling in a Credit Transfer application or not. You'd have to do this before registering for your first module anyway, if you were going to get Credit Transfer.

You also need to find out whether you can get a Student Loan (if you might want one) for your fees, given that you didn't achieve a full undergraduate degree - they might be available for part or all of your study. The rules around second qualifications have changed several times since the ELQ rules were brought in and of course the OU wasn't in the Student Loans system until quite recently. Some people are also entitled to bursary help from the OU if they have low income, especially if they are also a carer or have a disability. So it is definitely worth asking about that as well if there is the remote possibility that you might fit the criteria. And you may also be entitled to Disabled Students Allowance, whether or not you are having a Student Loan, to help with paying for things you need to be able to study as a result of your disability (non-medical help). Read up on those on the site and then ring them back with your questions.