MA through OU - advice/experiences

[Ithinktomyself]

Am considering doing an MA in English Literature next year. I am self-employed - picking my own hours - with one child and a dog. DH works standard 37hr weeks (and does at least his fair share around the house). I reckon I could work ten hours a week next year and be solvent.

Would love to hear some experiences - good or bad - about taking an MA in these sorts of circumstances. The student satisfaction survey suggested that while the course was good, it was not value for money.

Now the Government has withdrawn funding for HE, all universities are charging the same rate - and it is expensive if self-funding and doing the degree for personal development. The OU’s degrees are excellent but they have had to reduce the amount of tutorials offered, which were typically monthly and some offered summer schools. So it’s challenging because you’re paying Uni rate but with very limited tutorial support/contact from either an academic or peer group. So you miss out on that vital and spontaneous sharing of ideas that being about that blue light moment and can really develop and open out your thinking. You will have access to on-line forums where perhaps students are sufficiently dynamic to set up groups that meet face-to-face. This can happen more easily in art subjects where students can meet at Galleries and creative writing where students can join writing groups where participants are seriously working toward publication. Otherwise, You have to be really self motivated and committed to operate in that isolation. If reading and writing in ralative isolation works for you, it’s an amazing experience.

That's incredibly helpful, thank you. May I ask, have you done one yourself or are you an academic?

I would love to do an MA with OU for personal interest and have investigated options carefully. Cost is the factor and isolation that deters me.

I'm looking into the loan option. You do have to pay for it initially and then repay when your earnings are high enough. As for the isolation, personally I hate seminars, etc so it suits me but then I'm an awkward anti-social bugger.

I have been looking at this but I can’t make the two mandatory in person sessions. Totally would otherwise. But I have a long expensive history of handing money over to universities. Don’t underestimate how much work is involved.

I did an MA one eve a week and some Saturdays with a different uni. Much easier I think. It was in Education though. I was also able to APEL some of it due to my experience.