Aha - just found this board..... help with careers/course advice please!

[babyignoramus]

Hi all,

Posted this in further education but thought it might do better here!

I have decided that I'm going to attempt to finish my degree through the OU whilst I'm on maternity leave (and for a time afterwards, I'm not that quick!). I'm going for an Open degree so i can suit my interests, and am trying to decide on the first course to do.

My background is:

1st year of a maths & stats degree completed in 1999 (before I came to my senses!!)
Since then have studied various courses - I have done a criminal prosecution course through work, a Spanish evening course, have been teaching myself German, and have devloped an interest in linguistics. I've signed up to an OU openings course in Understanding Children, mainly to get back in the habit with something that's relevant to me now!

My interest are varied (current affairs, science, crime, anthropology, linguistics etc. etc. etc.) , but I have trouble focusing on one subject, preferring to learn about lots of different things at once! I'm thinking a media course might be a good bet as it will be very varied but would welcome recommendations. I'm mainly doing this as a matter of personal pride (I will have a degree before 30, I will!), but career prospects would be good too. I'd quite like to get into research at some point.

Also, there are some level 3 courses I'm interested in which I may decide to do first. Is this a really big leap and has anyone here done it??

Any ideas? There must some budding careers advisers out there who like to give me their two penn'eth.

thanks in advance!

I don't know much about the OU, but it seems like you have many varied interests. Do you want to develop your ability with languages, or is there something else you feel you'd be better doing?

I realise none of this is answering your question, but your mention of languages piqued my interest as I'm doing a languages degree (major German, Spanish ab initio). Is it possible to combine a media module with an MFL (modern foreign languages) module with the OU? If so, you may find that you've got enough to interest you, if that doesn't sound too glib.

Hope this incoherent rambling has helped and well done for being organised enough to do this while on maternity leave

Thanks for responding. I've looked into English courses although I suspect they may be a bit dry - a bit much of a leap from a general interest into indepth study.
The foreign languages are out at the moment really - I don't want anymore points at level 1 and the level 2 courses all have compulsory residential schools which are a) expensive and b) inpractical for me at the moment. I'm thinking of doing media/geography courses as I work in local government so that should be relevant.

I'm rambling too now. I may be organised but I'm bloody indecisive!!

You're welcome. I agree with your comment about the English courses - I've done a couple of English modules at uni and they were very in-depth.

Good luck with whatever you decide

How about Speech and Language Therapy?

Then you would be combining your love of linguistics with medicine, psychology plus your knowledge of children (if you wanted to work with paediatrics)

Also you have stats experience which is extremely useful in your first year psychology module.

I am slightly biased as i am doing the course and i LOVE it!!

xxx

HI CB - have thought about it but it isn't something the OU offer unfortunately and I'm not in a position to go back to studying in a 'normal' university. Are you actually doing a SALT degree or is it a post grad diploma thing or something else...??