Open University - need some advice please!

[Tabbycat92]

I'm a 28 year old mum of a 2 year old boy. Married and a home owner currently renovating my home.
I work full time, and we are thinking of having another baby in the next year.
Am I being stupid to think I'll have time to do a part-time degree with the OU?

I work for the NHS within the IT sector, and it's something I really enjoy and would like to develop with an IT degree.

I'd love to hear from other mums about how you've managed this!
Thanks!

I had this thought a few years ago when DC2 was on the way. My thinking was based on how DC1 had been as a baby: easy, excellent sleeper, really happy to play independently. I could easily have added in a course then, but really had t considered it.

For various reasons, I missed the deadline to apply.

Thank God I did.

DC2 coming up 4. I've had 3 decent nights sleep since he was born. He is extremely demanding, requires almost contestant attention physical connection and there is no way in the world I could have added an OU course into the mix.

Best of luck to you, whatever you decide

Thanks @ThinkWittyThoughts I hadn't considered if the second happened to be difficult, I'm like you that dc1 has been an absolute dream.
Definitely something to think about. Thanks!

Husband and I often say to each other (in private, obvs) that if DC2 had arrived first he'd have been an only!

I say all this with a 5yr age gap - I'd have been on my knees, sobbing in a corner, rocking myself if they'd been closer together.

I’ve just been offered a place to do my nursing degree through the open uni, I also have a young family so am looking forward to the challenge!

I think it’s totally do-able. Everyone I met on my OU course was also juggling work and life, that’s why they chose OU. Research your course and the commitment required and if you passionately want to do it then go for it! I’ve had a year off this year, but I’ve done 4 of my 6 years of my course while juggling life and 2 small children

The first year is basically GCSE level with a tiny bit of A level thrown in, the second is more A level with a bit of uni work thrown in. Year 1 I skimmed the content as I was already familiar with most of it whereas there was alot of content that I had to get through in my year 2 although assignments werent overly difficult as long as you pass the first two years don't count towards your final grade.

You have a long time to complete the degree in your shoes I would do the first year/s and get them over and done with, take a break then do the next 4 which actually matter when your children are a little bit older.

Years 3 & 4 have been massively time consuming with lots of content to read and year 5 & 6 will be worse as there is a lot of external research to do.

My husband is doing a part time OU course. He is pretty hands on as a Dad, but obviously I did pregnancy, birth, feeding the baby, etc. He had to take a year off the year our daughter was born as it was too much to juggle with working. Maybe leave it a year or so?

I'm an OU student. I wouldn't have been able to do it when DD was that age but she has additional needs so takes up a huge part of my time, doesn't sleep etc.

Part time (60 credits) at level one is around 15 hours a week by their guidelines but you can do it on way less than that at level one when the reading is light. Maybe ten hours a week with weeks leading up to assignments being more work intensive.

So maybe have a think of how many hours you think you could realistically designate to studying and see if you can fit it in.

If it's a module with a physical textbook they usually send them out early so you have a few weeks to start reading in preparation. I record myself reading aloud so I can play it back while I'm doing the housework, exercising or travelling. Once the course has started here, there is an app on which you can access the material on the go so you can study on your lunchbreak or wherever without having to cart all your books around.

Hope that helps but any questions, just ask! I'm really enjoying studying with the OU

There are a lot of OU Facebook groups for the individual courses and you'll find that a lot of them try to one up each other on the responsibilities they have to be the most hard done by or hard working.

It took me 6 years to complete my OU degree going through a divorce and then then subsequent house move, single parenting to 3 and all while working full time. It's manageable and if you enjoy the studying, you do find the time.

You may also find that you need a break at a certain point and others on my course had been working on theirs for 8 years, and some of the stories at the graduation were truly inspiring.

My main regret is that I didn't start it sooner so my advice would be go for it now and see how you get on and defer if you need to!

@Absoluteunit so do they send you all the material you need including books? I do have some nursing books but they are probably out of date

@AlaskaThunderfuckHiiiiiiiii yes for all my modules I’ve had course books sent out

On my degree everything has been online. There are pros and cons to this.
Pros
Don't need to make too many notes as there is an excellent search function you can use to find the info you need.
Integrated videos and digital resources.
Online tutorials are well adapted and set out.

Cons
It can be a bit much staring at a screen so often.
You can download the ebooks to read when you have no Internet access but you lose the interactive features and have to go back and recap.

I think the IT degrees are all 30 credit modules, which means you can take it very gently, with 30 credits a year (about 9 hours study a week, a little more on two of the modules which only last 6 months each). It's quite a commitment alongside full-time work and little one(s), but people manage it. You need your partner to be on board to support you fitting everything in.

I have a 1 yr old and started a Masters, 10 hours a week, and I have a job 3 days a week. It's doable. When assignments are due I need more time so OH takes DD out for a morning etc. I've found the OU set up very good, work at your own pace. It's good if you enjoy studying and getting on by yourself. Good luck, it's a challenge but you won't regret it.