What is the quickest degree you can study for?

[Neverinamonthofsundays]

I am the only one in my family without a degree and that does annoy me. I am hitting 50 and would love to do something part time as I work etc and do not want to retrain as I like the job I do but I would love to just be able to say I have a degree in something.

This might have been perfect for you, OP, but unfortunately it only seems to be offered as a full time course:

https://www.salford.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/comedy-writing-and-performance

Does look excellent, though!

And I do find myself to be a comedic genius too! A degree in comedy - that has really opened my mind anyway!

What qualifications do you have already and what are you interested in?

But seriously - while no one needs to be a genius to get a BA, doing it part time could be a long, lonely slog - particularly on top of full time work. So you need to be studying something you’re interested in, or that you can at least see an ultimate purpose for. (Like enhancing your career prospects, maybe.)

What do you enjoy thinking about?

Presumably the thing that caused you to swerve university earlier in your life no longer pertains?

What's the rush? I did an OU BSc in four years while working 5.5 days a week.

My qualifications are in finance and I like the job but don't want to go further. Always had an interest in criminology or psychology but do not want to retrain in order to get a new job I just want to say I have a degree. Sounds pathetic written down.

What swerved it is that my parents couldnt afford to send me and there was a big age gap between me and siblings so they were able to afford both of them to go to college.

Wow that is impressive I bet you are super proud of yourself :)

psychology degrees are thought of as among the easiest, and can be done through distance learning

I feel the same OP. I just tried to do a course through work which I’ve had to give up on as I just couldn’t manage it with work plus kids plus life! I think you have to really love what you are going to study and make sure you give yourself plenty of time to do it! I’ll get there one day. Good luck with whatever you choose!

I just want to say I have a degree. Sounds pathetic written down.

No, it doesn’t. Not at all. Every single person who starts a degree is probably anticipating the day they collect their graduation certificate. That’s natural. It’s only the ‘quickest’ in your title, combined with no particular leaning in any direction, that’s making me do this face 🤔

(BTW, I took an MA in a completely new subject when I was a little older than you, so I’m definitely not dismissing your ambition.)

Poppycock at psychology being among the easiest. Total nonsense.

It's not pathetic at all@Neverinamonthofsundays and wanting a degree is as good a reason for doing one as any. Education for personal satisfaction is an excellent reason and can be just as motivating as doing it to increase earning potential.

Pick a subject you enjoy, go look at what's available and see what might work for you.

well, my children and their friends all used psychology units to quickly make up the shortfall if they did not pass enough chemistry, or physics, or languages, etc. They found them very easy indeed, compared to other subjects, and most degrees allow for a unit or two to come from a different faculty, these days

I did a masters degree for same reason. It was worth it for the personal satisfaction.

If I had the money and the time, I'd do this one: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/courses/2024/english-literature-science-fiction-studies-ma.

Although it's an MA, it might be worth looking into (maybe not this particular one) as they tend to be 12 months full time. I know sometimes your professional abilities and quals can be accepted in place of an undergraduate degree.

Anecdote =/= data

doesn't change the fact that it happens! Have a look for your self. I've seen the chemistry assignments and linguistic assignments my children have been set - I have also seen the psychology assignemnts, there is no comparison

The ou do an open degree which means you can choose to mix modules from across faculties. It is 6 years part time. You can double up and do it full time in 3.

well, my children and their friends all used psychology units to quickly make up the shortfall if they did not pass enough chemistry, or physics, or languages, etc.

In the Uk? Unlikely. Possibly a level 4 module could be subbed in, but I'd be surprised at higher than that. Levels equate to difficulty btw, so any l4 is going to be easier than level 6 which is what is needed for a degree.

To answer OP's question, if you have any work based quals or experience that could be used to gain exemption (APEL) that would speed thing up as long as the degree was in the same subject as your experience. So that would knock some time off the standard three years full time.

Or do you think you could go straight to Masters? They're one year full time.

That’s a good point, @ChiefWiggumsBoy - it’s entirely possible the OP might be able to get straight into a Masters course.

How would one get into a masters?

I'd look for something you enjoy; then studying won't seem like such a slog. And/ or something with very little writing and coursework.

What about a level 5 course at a college ?
That is classed as a foundation course and you also get to graduate. I am doing one and it's 4hrs a week

I know several doctors, old ones, granted, who took an extra year - just the one - to do a psychology degree. They each got firsts.

Psychology is a bit of a made-y up, pseudo-subject to be honest.