OU foundation degree course........is it doable.....advice needed

[BONKERZ]

I have the opportunity to study for a foundation degree in early years on the OU. Our local council have agreed to fund up to £4000 to enable me to do this.
I have 2 children aged 3 and 9, my DD will be at play school from 9-12 daily so i can use this time to study. I will also be working from 3-6 daily.

How easy is it to study with the OU?
How disciplined do you have to be?
How much support is available?
Should i bother? lol

any advice will be gratefully recieved.

I am currently in the middle of an honours degree with the OU. I have been studying for 3 years so far - since DS1 was 5 and DS2 was 18m. I have about 2.5 years to go. It has been doable but sometimes stressful when assignments are due in. I devote roughly 3 hours 4 times a week when DS2 is at nursery but I do have to be very disciplined (and just about manage to keep up) . Sometimes I have to read in the evenings to keep up rather than watching TV..I sometimes work at weekends when I have essays to do (my DP is very supportive). When will your tutorials be? I have one Saturday class every 2 months which comes around quickly and DP does sometimes complain about having to have the children on those occasions! ALl work is via textbooks/DVDS CDRoms etc which are all supplied.

have no idea about when tutorials will be but it says they are not compulsory!
I can devote about 14 hours a week easily i think to study and they advise 5 hours minimum!

I have to make some calls tomorrow to see if i can get credits for my Diploma i did in 97, depending on that the person i spoke to at OU today thinks it can be completed in 18 months which is good cos i then want to do an EYPS course after that!

I started this last year but never having studied before I only did the minimum 30 points. (I think it has changed to 60 this year). You have to be disciplined. I was doing nothing for weeks then ignoring my family for 2 weeks to get a TMA done and panicking.

This year I will know what is expected so hopefully will manage my time better. Our tutorials were just somewhere to meet others and I may not go to any more, so not necessary. The course materials were good.

I'm surprised at getting it done in 18 months! Mine will take 5 years at my rate! I thought the OU didn't like you doing more than 120 points a year?

Good luck anyway!

i already have a level 3 qualification which i have been told by credit transfer accounts for 120points. To get the foundation degree i need 240 points so will do 120 points over the 18months.

DO you mind me asking which level 3 qualification it is?

My NVQ level 3 TA course wasn't taken into account.

it is a national diploma in childhood studies and is listed as a recognised course on the ou web site and i spoke to credit transfer who have said it is worth 120 points!

Oooh you lucky thing! That would be a real impetus for me. At the moment I feel it is a long slog with over 200 points to go...

i realise im lucky that it carries so much weight TBH, Luckily i kept everything to do with my course as i need to send in all the grades for each individual componant and i luckily have all those things! LOL
im actually excited about the challenge now, am going to ring around tomorrow and get the forms sorted......just hope the council agree to fund ( which they should do) but they prefer you to study at uni rather than OU BUT the OU course was listed in their info!

Just done a distance learning FD and belive me the one thing you need is disipline if nothing else. I am not going on to do the full degree because I really struggled to finish it. I need something a bit more hands on with less distance as I am just not motivated when left to my own devices.

I didn't know level 3 courses counted for credit transfer!!! Where on the website does it mentioned what it accepts.

hocus - that is exactly what I do - ignore it for weeks as I think I have ages, then panic and turn into a crazy woman - am currently four weeks behind with a TMA due on Tues - WTF am I doing online?! I'd quit but want the 60 points...

So yes, if not disciplined either learn to be or don't do it...

If there is one thing you need it is self discipline to get on with the studying. I am doing an honours Degree in Literature and am only 120 points in of a 360 point degree. I have been at it for 4 years now and start my next module in October. When I got ill after the birth of my last daughter in 2007 I had to come off the course a couple of months in as I just could not cope with it. Now I am going to have to double up on the modules if I am to going to graduate within the specified time frame.

Good luck!