To start a degree

[BipolarSunset]

I'm thinking of starting a degree in Business Management via open university.

Something I really want to do but not sure if it'll be too much and not sure if I'm BU to think I can manage this.

I currently work full time and have a 6 year old DS. Can I really manage this in the 6 year timeframe they give?

Thanks.

And can you afford it?

DH and I did ours both working full time and having three children.
You have to be strict with yourself, we used to take turns to go out of the house on a Sunday to study, we had to leave otherwise we would get sucked into family life and not study.

It's worth it, my advice is to just go for it. Good luck!

@Singlenotsingle I would be going for student finance so should be ok.

@TheMonkeyMummy thank you for your reply, I'm just so scared of failing due to not enough time etc. It's obviously a big commitment but would be very worth it once completed.

Recent OU graduate here.

The 6 years is a guideline on how long it would take if you studied at 50% over six consecutive years. Depending on the qualification (and whether you are asking for any previous study to be counted towards the qualification), you can generally take up to 16 years.

This allows for you to take a break of a year or two between modules if life gets in the way.

Also, the modules are generally broken down into 30 and 60 credits - 60 credits being equivalent to half of normal full time study. I'm not sure about the Business route, but if they offer 30 credit modules for that, you could study it over 12 years.

I started when my eldest DC was about 8 months old. I took a 60 credit module and was initially on maternity leave but returned to work (0.8 FTE) part way through the module. If you're organised and disciplined, it's certainly manageable (especially at the earlier stages). I went on to have DC2 whilst studying/working and took an extended maternity leave to enable me to complete my last 120 credits in one year. This was definitely a challenge given I had two kids to prioritise, but not impossible.

With regards to fees (as another poster mentioned), OU courses are now eligible to be covered by a SFE loan - as long as you yourself are eligible.

I would strongly recommend you contact the OU student support line to discuss your options. They are really helpful and will be able to talk you through things you won't have even thought of. There is also a really active and supportive OU Facebook group.

Good luck!

Just take it course by course. You can take breaks between courses if you have a busy period. As PP said, there is an active, supportive community and help groups. I loved it and will do my masters this way too.