Is this just a Mickey Mouse degree? (OU course)

[DESGUSTANG]

Name changed. God only knows why, though.

Considering doing an Arts & Humanities degree - Philosophy and English Lit specifically with the OU.

Can't get out of my head that it's a Mickey Mouse degree (thanks, middle class education system!) but I'm really interested in the subject matter. Anyone have any experience in the OU, Philosophy degrees or general life advice?

(FWIW, I'm in Scotland so I think tuition would be free with SAAS, if I'm not mistaken).

It is free in Scotland if you earn under £25k. You just apply for a part time fee grant through SAAS, even the full time option at Open University is eligible as SAAS class it as part time. Go for it!

If you think philosophy is easy....you might get your eyes opened, so that’s something!

Its not a Micky Mouse degree, and if you are happy to learn on your own and not expect a lot of support OU is fine. I haven't been very impressed with them though - lots of the tutors/lecturers are not happy, same as rest of the sector with same pay for higher workloads. The attitude of the OU during the strike wasn't great either and there are some ridiculous aspects - like final assessments being sent in in Jan when there is no-one on site to receive them. Basically the courses are good, lecturers good but the management is not great. Its very isolating and there was never a lot of chat between students on my course so you are pretty much studying alone. If its free and you are doing it for interest then it sounds like a good option. If you were in England and paying full price for a course to build skills for a job, I would say explore other options if you can.

Currently also a mature student doing the foundation year at a bricks and mortar uni to go on to do a phil and lit degree.

They are both very traditional, very well thought of subjects, definitely not mickey mouse and even the foundation year is pretty intense. Currently got a 10 min presentation on a freud subject to do, a data set to analyse, an essay comparing 2 very well known short stories, an extended project on gothic literature, an essay on either the apocalypse or utopian fiction and excel to learn how to do. Also done a maths exam, another 3 academic essays and sussed out various online platforms and online seminars. Only had 2 face to face lectures since starting.

It's been a lot of things, but definitely not mickey mouse!

Don't know about the OU, but I did English Lit with a philosophy minor (though dropped the minor). Went on to do a Masters and work in a good related field.

Never been suggested to me that the subject is 'Mickey Mouse'.

Good writing skills, analytical and research aspects as well as self-motivation, critical thinking. You learn a lot doing English Lit.

These days with funding the way it is that terminology is rarely, if ever used. Early 2000s there were (literally) degrees available in knitting and surfing.

The OU did need to overhaul some of their qualifications because they weren't in line with other institutions e.g. Their HE certificates were 60 credits not 120 and HE diplomas 120 not 240. They've been the same as any other insitution now for many years.

English lit and philosophy are not easy ‘mickey mouse’ subjects!!!

The OU is marvellous. Do what you love op - see where it takes you, good luck!!

I'm in Scotland and doing an OU course part time, in the middle of fourth year. I don't pay fees because I earn less than 25/26000 (not sure which one).

Thank you to everyone sharing their experiences, very interested in the actual day-to-day of doing an OU course. I've never done any kind of remote learning (bar a few temporary courses in lockdown) so personal experience is very useful!

I've noticed they don't have any entry requirements, at least on the course I'm studying, so if anyone knows what is expected and how much work is involved on average I'd be very interested. I'd probably be doing a full-time course for most of it, potentially switching to part time in the final year (if that's possible?).

(Also would just like to make it clear - I don't actually think it's a Mickey Mouse course or easy, it's just some of the old shite I heard in career's counselling in school. I assume because most employers aren't paying for a philosopher . Probably should have made my tongue-in-cheek tone a bit clearer though, apologies! Not trying to cause offense.)

Aren't Mickey Mouse degrees for newer subjects?

Wouldn't call it a Mickey Mouse degree, but you have to consider what you want to get out of it. I don't think it would propel you up the career ladder, unless you wanted to apply for a job that required a degree, or if you wanted to be an English or philosophy teacher.

If you are wanting to study and get a qualification because that's you. but you dont need it for a job. do look at what the auction houses and museums offer. I did a 1/2 year course on Decorative Arts with Sotheby's Institute of Art - moderated by University of Manchester before anyone on here gets too snobby. At the time I took it, it was part of a pre-coursor to curatorial studies. You could either audit the course or take the full programme for credits. Best course I have ever done. Nearly 20 years on I still use what I learned.

No such thing as a Mickey Mouse degree imo! I was told by my SIL tha6 I was doing one as I was studying business and she was studying a teaching degree. It made me feel worthless and that I shouldn't be proud of studying higher education in my 20's. I ended up with a 1st and use my degree everyday in my job so I look back and think how silly I was to let it effect me. If you want it go for it I say. Life is too short

Wow, I definitely wouldn't classify that as a Mickey Mouse degree. Two challenging subjects, both traditional and highly rated for the discipline they demand. You need to be analytical, logical, lateral, organised and articulate in both subjects.

YNBU to do a degree that you will enjoy & bring intellectual stimulation.

I was expecting you to say media studies or some such bollocks. English Lit and Philosophy are proper subjects.

Meant to add why I don't believe in the term Mickey Mouse degree.. regardless of the subject matter, it is a great achievement to commit to any degree and especially so if you have home life and children to juggle at the same time!

Am half way through arts& humanities having done 2 other degrees (inc medicine). It's definitely not easy, but mainly because the teaching is rubbish and they're so flipping rigid in doing things their way...not sure if this is an OU thing or an artsy thing (neither of my other two courses were like this). I'm only doing the degree for fun and generally do enjoy it because the subjects are usually interesting & i'm fairly motivated, but really it sometimes just seems like it's only a bunch of really expensive text books and essay deadlines!

I've been studying the first two years of a degree which includes English Lit for the last two years (not at OU though) and it has developed my thinking, planning, analysis skills so much! Literature is often about life, so depending on which modules you study you will be covering History, Politics, Feminism, Environment & Nature etc - if you're a curious learner you will love it! .

Definitely not.

I did Eng Lit at Cambridge & then an MPhil never caused any employment problems.

Have heard great things about the OU. I've no doubt it will be a good course.

What areas you'd like to work afterwards is certainly a consideration.

What are the residency rules re SAAS, does anyone know?
I have lived in Scotland since 1990, but had to spend the last 4 years in England for family reasons. Still have old house there and am returning at Easter. Will I be able to study in Scotland via the OU? I am a Carer and it would be great to be able to study so when my Caring duties lessen I am more employable.

I'm currently doing the Arts and Humanities module as part of my BA in History and I'm really enjoying it. I wouldn't say it's a Mickey Mouse degree at all.

OU is a fantastic institution. My mum got a BA in women's studies via OU in the 1980s, changed her life, she became a teacher, grew in confidence, left my dad (a good thing), it was so empowering. My Uncle got a BSc and MSc with the OU, he was a tenant shepherd and now is a very senior person in food processing industry, again life changing empowering stuff.

Definitely go for it and if you get the opportunity to go to a summer school with them then definitely do that too.

I did PPE with the OU in my late forties whilst working FT and parenting. I really enjoyed it and it changed my outlook on many things.

It was very peripheral to my career role and didn’t do me any good professionally, but it was well worth the time and investment. I certainly wouldn’t have had the discipline to work through the texts on my own ... even in lockdown I still have unread supplementary books waiting!

I’d recommend it, especially if you can get funding. I think it was about 10 hours a week at the end. The levels get progressively harder but I could have stopped after the first year with a social studies diploma had I found it too much.

I've noticed they don't have any entry requirements, at least on the course I'm studying, so if anyone knows what is expected and how much work is involved on average I'd be very interested. I'd probably be doing a full-time course for most of it, potentially switching to part time in the final year (if that's possible?).

I'm going Psychology part time. It's different now from when I started because of Covid, no face to face tutorials etc. They told me to schedule 16 hours per week which is an average, some weeks it's more (when an assignment is due etc.) and some weeks are less depending on how easily to pick things up. First year was okay, I had been out of education for 20 years when I started but it started off slow and walks you through it. There's lots of help, online tutorials, forums and your tutor. I'm also in a FB group for my course.

Different subjects have different types of assignment. My first year was all essays, second/third year was more of a mix - essays, a report, multiple choice questions. So far this year I've had a poster, a collaborative assessment, ten multiple choice questions and a report, still have ten multiple choice questions, an essay, another report and an exam (since moved online).

Why on earth would you think English lit or philosophy are "Mickey Mouse"? They are pure, academically rigourous subjects; both subjects teach you to think critically; about as far from Mickey Mouse as you can get.