Open University - Economics?

[basilpesto]

Hi everyone - pleased to see this new board as I have been toying with the idea of going back to studying for while and would love some input to see if this is a silly idea!

I did my undergrad degree in humanities and have been working since then in various roles in the public sector - I'm currently a manager in a charity but feel like I would like to use my brain for something more rigorous and develop some more specialist skills rather than just general project management stuff which I am doing at the moment. I also feel a bit bored in life at the moment and would enjoy taking on a bit of an intellectual challenge but also would like to do something that would increase my future earning power!

I'm now pondering embarking on an Open University Degree in Economics, my thinking is...

• I genuinely enjoyed Maths at school (I got an A at A-Level) and think I would enjoy the challenge of revisiting it

• I don't know a huge amount about Economics but have always had a vague interest and I think it would be a useful thing to know more about in general life as well as career-wise. I've looked at all the module topics and they all sound interesting and the kind of things I'd like to understand on a deeper level.

• It could help me apply for better paid roles in the future, which are related to the type of work I already do (eg roles in the Civil Service)

• The modular nature of it appeals to me, so I can start and see how I enjoy it - I'm not committed to a full degree and could come away with just a PG Certificate if I prefer, or even just benefit from the modules I do complete. For example, the skills around stats and data analysis could be useful in my line of work anyway. I guess I could also change the focus of my degree if I start doing the Economics related subjects and end up going in a different direction.

But on the other hand...

• Is it silly to study something I don't know a lot about already, in case I start and it doesn't suit me? Is there a better way to acquire this knowledge or gain this kind of qualification? My instinct is to get stuck in but I can be impulsive sometimes!

• The cost - I'm in the lucky position that I could afford to self-fund, but is there a better use of this money in terms of professional development, etc?

Also anyone who has or is currently studying at the OU, it would be great to understand a bit more about how to pick modules and the right way to schedule them across the year.

Any thoughts or suggestions welcome, thank you!

It’s not silly - but why not try a MOOC first?

Coursera

FutureLearn

are the two that spring to mind first. I assume they both offer Economics. I’m not certain but one or both offer the courses free but if you upgrade to the paid course you get a certificate 🎉 and long term access to the course materials. Sign up to one or two - a month, maybe two, a few hours a week, maybe with different approaches - and see how you enjoy the topic as study.

Other people will be able to advise on the rest …

Hi OP

I think what you're suggesting sounds really sensible. And you could do one module, see what you think and how you get on, and then pause, continue or pivot. Like you I did a Humanities degree, would like a bit more intellectual stimulation in midlife, and am about to take a first Law module with OU. I've got no idea whether I'll continue after this one or not, but I also won't know if I don't try, so I thought I'd give it a blamefree go.

You asked about picking modules. If you click on the details of the qualification on the OU page, you can see the modules and their descriptions at level one, level two and so on, which ones are optional and which compulsory, and so on. Good luck whatever you decide.

Thank you! Really good suggestion - I've started a Coursera Intro to Macroeconomics course, enjoying it so far, but will be a good test to see if I stick with it.

@LiterallyKnowsBest the previous post was directed at you, but I forgot to quote!

@redmapleleaves1 thanks for the encouragement, it's nice to hear from someone in the same boat. I do like the flexible nature of OU, even if you just do a module or two you'll still learn something. It makes it less daunting to make a start. Good luck with your law studies, I hope you find them enjoyable and stimulating!

Glad to be of help!

Let us know how you progress.