to think I could work and study?

[Zerth]

I currently work 15 hours a week, term time only.

Getting a degree would be beneficial for my job.

AIBU to think I could study BA English full time (Open University ) at 32-36 hours a week?

I have 2 DC aged 9 and 6.

Has anyone done this? Am I crazy to even consider it??

You're looking at at nearly the equivalent of a full time job as study, plus your actual part-time job, plus two kids. It's doable, but it will be very difficult. You will need a huge amount of self-discipline to force yourself to sit down and study instead of doing something else. I did it 20 years ago, pre kids , and I found it very hard. Doable, but very hard.

Of course you could, and thousands of people have done it. Providing working adults with a route to higher education is the raison d'être for the Open University!

But honestly, it would be easier if you did it as a part-time degree over six years rather than three. Be prepared to drop down your study intensity to part-time if it gets too much.

You can, as long as you out the hours in front the beginning and all through the course.

Depends why you're working part time, I suppose, and if you have time in the day to study? Do you have a spare 4 hours a day?

It sounds doable depending on your other commitments and whether or not you have a supportive partner/can afford childcare.

My kids are grown, but I’m doing a full time uni course plus working part time (12 ish hours during the semester, 20-25 in the long holidays). It’s a fair slog and I’m not sure I could have done it with younger kids, but I’m also commuting which you wouldn’t have to do with OU, and you wouldn’t be bound by lecture schedules in the same way. I think I would have struggled to motivate myself on a purely distance learning course though, you’d have to be pretty disciplined to make it work. That said, I love my studies and enjoy my job, and I have no regrets, so if this is something you really want, I’d say go for it.

Hi I worked 30 hours in a bank and did a History degree with the Open University for 4 years. I then went down to 16 hours and did a post graduate. I'm now a Teacher. Go for it 😁

3 years full time, or 6 years part time.

Absolutely. In my experience the OU vastly overestimate how much time you need to study the course.

The replies are more positive than I was expecting!

I’d have at least 2 afternoons a week child free. And a third where they could be looked after, but not every week.

DH is very supportive and knows this is something I really want.

I’d have to do another course after, which is why I’m keen to get it over with quickly!

This is definitely true of the level 1 modules.

I did it over six years, whilst working full time.
If you are intelligent, have a good memory, and can write fluently, it is very doable.
The courses I did involved handing in one essay a month on average, plus an exam at the end. I would read the text books in the evenings (plus often audio-visual material), but very seldom do any of the practice questions or exercises. Once a month I dedicated the whole weekend to getting the essay done and submitted - gather material and draft on day one, type up and revise on day two.
Then near the exam, I would check the syllabus and exam format carefully, revise and make notes to memorise as needed, then sit the exam.

Are you intending to become a teacher?
If so, please be very wary, and reconsider. Read some online blogs about how awful it is and why teachers are leaving in droves. Primary might be better than secondary.

I’m already a teacher, but have no qualifications apart from an unrelated bachelor degree. I am abroad, and only teach English as a foreign language at secondary level. I really love my job and want to qualify .

Once I have a BA in English I can do a masters here to get qualified (3 years part time). To do the whole thing here is also an option, but I’d have to travel 1.5 hours twice a week for 6 years instead of just 3 doing it this way.

I’ve heard from friends that the situation in the UK is awful, and I’m very happy that it is very different where I am.

The hours are far less than they quote. I've just submitted my dissertation and probably studied about 5 hours per week (part time).

I did the OU combined English Language and English Literature - great for teachers as you need to be able to teach grammar as well as poetry analysis.

I’m doing it, but have a FT job of 35 hours a week, 2 kids and am just about to finish my 2nd year of a 3 year degree course. It’s been hard and there’s been a lot of stress and balance along the way but there’s only 4 modules to go and the end is in sight

Without a doubt you can if you’re committed! We have a 3 year old and a 6m old, both work full time (I’m on mat leave atm though) and my wife is coming to the end of a masters that she’s done over 2 years. It’s minimally impacted the family to be honest other than the online lectures/face to face which always has to be on weekends. She mostly does her work in the evenings after the kids are in bed. Good luck op it will be a great achievement!

Obviously as you go up the years it gets harder but for first year it’s fairly easy, I basically ignored it until the weekend before the TMA and banged out the essay/whatever was required. As you go further along you have to be more organised but all perfectly doable and lots of others in the same boat

This is all great to hear, thanks so much! My eyes did water a bit at the price, 8k per year (6 year teacher training course here would be 2k a year but much more inconvenient with all the travelling). My employer would contribute towards the cost, but I don’t know how much. Also, once I qualify (in 6 years 😩) I’d be earning at least 10k more per year (for my 15 hours a week, plus the opportunity to take on more lessons).

Maths isn’t my strong point but I’m hoping it
would be worth it. They might even give me a payrise in the meantime, if they see I am
working towards a qualification.

I would say at level one if you have a fairly good grasp of English and you can follow written directions then you should be able to do level 1 in one year. Level 2 is a bit more demanding. By level 3 you will probably enjoy it more if you do it over two years. You can vary the intensity as you progress through the degree.

I do. I work full time but my dc are 10 and 8 so a bit easier with them being older. I am doing a degree over 6 years, currently finishing my year end assignment for year 4. I study in the evening and bit at the weekend, some weeks I do less than I should but it cant be helped. Dh takes the dc out for a weekend afternoon sometimes when I have an essay deadline. I'm doing arts and humanities with religious studies so it's mostly reading and notetaking in my own time.

Yes you can. People work 35 hours a week and study 15 hours with the OU, so why not the other way round?

You'll need good time management and dedication, but you can do it!

Is there no way to go directly to a relevant masters from your existing bachelors, depending on what it’s in?
If you’re abroad anyway there are probably easier and cheaper online degrees than the OU available to you.