to ask you what you think of OU Degrees...

[SilverDoe]

Trying to decide what degree to, and will be studying with the OU. I'm struggling to decide between a Law degree and a Business degree, and I wanted to hear some opinions on their degrees in general.

I don't technically need a degree for my dream career, but naturally it would be useful to have one. For context I really want to be PA/EA, so am thinking a Law/Business degree would be most relevant? Please correct me if I'm wrong!

TIA :)

I'm glad to hear you are both finding the degrees manageable, that is very reassuring :) Walking , do you think the disparity in standards could possibly be down to the Arts vs Science factor? I imagine that perhaps scientific subjects are a lot more rigid. Just a thought!

evilharpy thank you sorry to keep interrogating you but the point you raised about subject choice is really interesting - may I ask how you (or anyone else) think a degree like Business Management compares to something like Law in terms of being "traditional"? I genuinely don't know, I would assume Law would win there, but I'm not sure how reputable BM is. I have heard that Business Studies is considered a bit of a "soft" subject but I think that's a bit different from BM, especially if it's BM paired with Economics. But I'm just not sure.

I find Business and Law equally appealing and am still having trouble deciding.

I have heard that Business Studies is considered a bit of a "soft" subject but I think that's a bit different from BM, especially if it's BM paired with Economics. But I'm just not sure.

I've heard the same. FWIW, the very best horse in my stable has a business degree. Hored her because she's brilliant, not because of her diploma.

I'd personally not be bothered as much about a law degree as my employer has a dedicated department to take care of such matters. But that's company specific, in all fairness.

DH And I both studied with OU AND LOVED IT

I've not studied at OU but I did do a law degree, I was really passionate about it but it is very very dry. I ended up taking the bare minimum qualifying modules and the rest in psychology/social policy type subjects as I realised my real interest was in why people offend and what leads to those behaviours and whether they can be challenged/changed. I never did do my BVC as planned and now have a successful career elsewhere in the justice system. I'll never forget a friend and I signing up for 'the law of the sea' assuming piracy and warfare and the whole module was essentially about fishing quotas. I attended a long standing RG uni with a great academic reputation and some of our lecturers and professors were the top of their fields, so it wasn't a quality issue. Think very carefully about a law degree if you don't intend to practice law.

amusedbush I'm really glad you're enjoying it, it is a really great option isn't it, I'm very excited to start if I can ever pick a sodding subject!

TERFousBreakdown, that is so useful to know thank you, I think you're right and I would like to aim to complete within 4 years. Just out of curiosity, how do you glean that information? Like is the degree start and end date something that you should put on a CV, or would this be talked about in a covering letter?

Also, being really nosey here, but do you mind me asking what type of degree you generally find appealing for a PA to have - is there a degree specific to the role you find useful, is it more to do with what field the person the PA is working for is in, or does it noet really matter? Sorry for all the questions!

Sorry TERFous I cross posted with you, thanks for the advice!

Perhaps I am starting to invest too much in my choice of degree, when my focus should be on using it as part of my arsenal to demonstrate why I would be a good job candidate.

FASH84 yes I worry about finding Law a bit disheartening, especially considering I'm not even planning a career in law at the end. Maybe I should discount that choice :)

Of course I’m biased as I’m a solicitor with a law degree lol. But I actually only because a solicitor a few years ago. After I did my law degree finishing in 2006 I went into work. I found it very useful to get and understand jobs.

As a former employer, I’d be interested in interviewing candidates with OU degrees, all else being equal, because I think it takes discipline and determination to complete them and (until one or two posters on the this thread) I’ve only heard good things about their academic integrity. I have no first hand experience.
I think the OU has been a fantastic institution. Several friends’ mums used it as s route to rewarding careers (and freedom from shit husbands ).

No problem at all - I volunteered to answer:

In my field, it's the done thing to list time ranges when you did things on your CV, so I'd usually know from that. Or I might ask during an interview.

And, quite frankly: No, I don't really mind the type of degree my PA has at all (though I'm aware that certain subjects may make it easier for a CV to make it to my desk in the first place; hiring managers in large organisations don't tend to do their own screening and business administration seems to be a favourite with our HR folks). The best PA I've ever had had a degree in English Lit. I'm sad to say that I lost her to SAHMdom. I'd hire that woman back in a heartbeat If I ever got my hands back on her (preferably as a project manager, though, she was wasted on the side job of dealing with my schedule). I loved her for her keen analytical skills and her business acumen and for the fact that she made sure I could go on holiday for two weeks without the building going up in flames in my absence.

I am just about to finish my first 60 credit module.

I work 24 hours a week and have five children. My husband also has a MH illness so things sometimes get tough with that too. It has been tough going at times but manageable. I am doing 90 credits next term and I will see how I go with that.

In my TMAs I got one 80% mark and the rest were 87% and over. I am sure as time goes on it will be harder to achieve those scores but it has certainly helped me to feel more confident.

Now I am nearing the end I am struggling a little with motivation but many of us seem to be struggling with that right now.

I find the course materials well set out and the tutor support is good. The FB group has been invaluable though. They can't help with the actual assessments but it is great to get support from other students and celebrate our achievements.

6+ years for the same degree whilst working a PT position, OTOH, would not be regarded as highly; the impression might be 'hobbyist in terms of both academics and work' So if you work part time you're a hobbyist? Rather than someone who doesn't need to work full time but is possibly quite capable of giving good value in the hours of their life that they are prepared to sell?

So if you work part time you're a hobbyist?

In all honesty: yes, in a professional, corporate setting where 60+h /week on a 40h basic contract are the norm for certain roles.

I'd be more than okay hiring someone doing a 6 year degree, working PT and also raising kids/volunteering/you get the drift. Working two days a week and taking 6 years to complete a bachelor's degree without anything else going on is not going to get you this type of job, though, unless you're unmistakably outstanding in every other respect. That's quite simply because you'll be up against other candidates who'll have all you do plus some.

Remember, though, that I'm talking a particular type of career - namely the type where being a mere middle manager's PA means being instrumental in 50+ million deals and which are compensated accordingly.

Big corporate is clearly not for everyone. And, FWIW, the trend may be changing in that current research suggests graduates don't find it as attractive as it used to be. But, at the present moment, that's basically my experience, yes.

ETA: at the present moment, what you need to demonstrate is an above average willingness to grind.

And, no, I'm by no means saying that's ideal. I'm saying that this reflects my experience of working in a corporate setting where people are basically all striving to make partner one day and the culture reflects this.

I wonder what an OU maths degree is like. Has anyone done one?

Silverdoe I'm not a manager/person who hires people so I don't know in all honesty but I have heard the same about a Business Studies degree being considered a softer subject than some others. I sit beside someone who does do recruiting so I'll ask his opinion when I'm back in the office tomorrow.

If I was going to do an OU degree, I mean me personally not "if I were you", I would look at something like maths, economics or business management but that's because it's what interests me and fits in with my work/industry. I wouldn't choose a degree just because a potential employer might be impressed if I didn't have a real interest in it, I would find it impossible to be arsed to do the work if I found I disliked the subject.

The OU does do some free short courses including some business related ones. Maybe do a few of those and see how you feel.

www.open.edu/openlearn/free-courses/full-catalogue

evilharpy you are lovely and I would love to know what your colleague thinks if you do get a chance to ask him :)

I was also wondering if anyone has any experience with a Maths degree! I am now deciding between, as I think you're right and I would like something that piques my personal interest a bit more than Law (although there is something very glamorous about Law to me ) and so have narrowed it down to either Business Management with a specialist route in Economics, or, I think it's called, Economics and Mathematical Sciences. To be honest though, the BM with Economics sounds much more up my street, even though I enjoy maths to an extent.

TERFous wow that sounds very exciting indeed! I'm glad to here that PA work can be as challenging and rewarding as I hoped it could, and it's good to hear from someone's personal experience how valuable they can be :)

SilverDoe

I've just realised I didn't actually say what I was studying! My bachelors is in Business Management and Marketing and I'm really enjoying it. My masters will be in Strategic PR and I'm excited about it, in a very nerdy way 🤓

I work as a university course admin (at a different uni to the one I'm studying with) and it's like the administrative equivalent of doctors making the worst patients

amusedbush I completely understand the nerdy excitement I haven't even really thought of a masters yet, except briefly considering an MBA, but Strategic PR sounds fascinating!

Ha ha I can imagine, I work in finance admin within Civil Service, it was such a gamble as they wouldn't even tell you vaguely what role you would actually have until you got the job!

I have done a Maths degree with the OU! My degree is actually an Open Degree because I hadn't intended to study for a degree until I was on level 2. Up until then I'd been casually studying units (old fee structure allowed this).

I've studied mostly a range of pure, applied and physics modules.

It's a great degree, I'd recommend.

SilverDoe i'm glad you started this thread, it's very interesting.

I remembered I have a husband who hires people so I asked him for his thoughts. He's a cynical bugger and declared he would not like a "shit and fluff degree" but I didn't manage to get a definitive answer as to what constitutes shit and fluff. The positions he recruits for are quite mathsy so he prefers a degree that would at least nod towards maths but if not he would look at A levels or even GCSEs. He would be interested in a candidate with an OU degree as he has seen me working my arse off for equivalent professional qualifications and understands how hard it is to work and have a family and study (for the record he has been amazingly supportive) and would bear that in mind. And he would not be put off by Business Studies.

I think you should aim to get the PA role sooner rather than later. A degree isn't necessary, and you sound really personable, together and organised. Do the degree, though, because it will open more doors down the road. And choose a subject you actually like/enjoy, because it's so much easier to stay motivated. If you don't necessarily want to stay in business, maybe think about another discipline? You sound like you could go in any direction and be successful.

evilharpy it has turned into a really interesting thread, hasn't it! Thanks for asking your DH what he thinks, that does make sense! I think maybe there is a tendency to view "newer" subjects as a bit fluffy too, for example media studies?

Changebags wow Good on you, I'm glad to hear you rate it :) Gosh that sounds hard though!

pigmcpigface thank you so much :) and honestly thank you all so much for being so helpful and forthcoming; this thread has honestly help me make a few pretty big decisions career wise. I think you're right, I have decided I definitely won't wait until I have completed a degree to apply for roles. I am coming back from maternity leave to come current admin role literally this coming Monday, so I will stay there for a while as they are really great and flexible. But in the next year or so I hope to start applying. Eek! :)

Gosh so sorry for the awful grammar there, baby feeding is indeed not compatible with typing

Go for it! I'd love to hear about your progress

SilverDoe

I also considered an MBA but honestly, the cost put me off. I work at a triple accredited business school and I know how good their MBA would look on my CV but the competition for a funded staff place is huge and the price tag to self fund is painful (£20k).