If you have done an OU degree can you talk to me about.....

[Doshusallie]

...why you did it?
Was it for work or personal reasons?
How did you justify the costs if it was not to improve your earning potential?
Did you do it as well as working full time and around children? If so how did you find the work load?
Was your DP supportive?

TIA

Bump

I did my pgce with the ou. So, not a usual degree, remember that when you read my comments.
It was all very organised and easy to follow although bit isolating at times. I did it to help my career hopes and it landed me my dream job (not in a school). I did not have to pay anything. I did it over two years around my full time job, I Just negotiated chunks of time off for teaching practice in schools. It was really hard, although had no children at the time, to fit everything into life. I often wonder if it was a coincidence that my partner left me just before I completed it. Maybe I was a bit stressed and neglected him? He was a knob tho and delighted to be rid of him on hind sight! So, my advice would be to be strict about what mode you are at any given time so those around you know if you are working or not, be prepared for hard work but great sense of achievement and keep talking to your dp throughout. Good luck!

Thanks ecofreckle

I will have to pay £15k, cannot get a loan as earn too much, and it would not help my earning potential. But would love to do an English literature degree.

I am starting a full time pressured job next week and have two young sons.

Am I mad?

I did a degree in Early Years care and education with the OU. I did it over 8 years, started in 2003 when DS was 18months, DD was born 3 weeks into a couple of modules (I took her to tutorials as she was BF).
It is hard work, and requires good organisational skills, but is quite doable with DCs, and it's great for them to see lifelong learning in action.

I would ease yourself in gently, maybe by doing a 30 point course first, and seeing how you find the workload. I did Literature, but started with the Introduction to Humanities as I wasn't sure which subject I'd prefer. Looking back, I wish I'd done Art History, but Literature was great. Not sure which courses they offer now but I enjoyed 19th Century Lit best, despite it having a huge reading load. Good luck!

I did it for personal reasons - started my first course just because I was interested in the subject. Did a few more, left it for a while and then picked it all up again 8 years later. I paid using an OUSBA account (so monthly DDs) but was lucky as I was able to pay under the old fees. It was all an indulgence for me and there is no way I could have justified the expense (to myself) if I was paying now.It certainly wasn't for career reasons but, oddly, just having done an OU degree was a deciding factor in getting my latest job. The interviewer told me when I was offered the job that they were impressed by that.

Yes, you need to be organised etc. I was a single parent when I started so not partner to worry about. But for OU stage II, he just helped by taking the kids out/occupying them at weekends etc when I had a deadline. I did most of my owrk late into thenight though - work best that way.

I absolutely loved it and really miss not being able to do more.