Open University

[cHodAX]

Anyone ever done an OU course? I am thinking of doing an undergraduate IT course, not degree based as such just an OU certified course but I might move onto a degree if this one works out well...

C47 - Certificate in Information Technology and Computing - Open University qualification

Basically I am bored shitless and could use something to snap me out of this very lazy phase I am going through. Any thoughts or advice?

 

[Moriath]

I did DD100 i think it was ..

Was ok did it all from home its quite expensive tho .. i didnt find it very hard and with all the shiote you get sent and the tutor its pretty ok was thinking on doing psych for a second degree but after one course on the CV didnt think it was worth it ..



took about 2-3 hours a week for about 6 months i think

advice


hmmm

its ok pretty easy just need to set some time aside to do it

 

[Azurus]

Anyone ever done an OU course? I am thinking of doing an undergraduate IT course, not degree based as such just an OU certified course but I might move onto a degree if this one works out well...

C47 - Certificate in Information Technology and Computing - Open University qualification

Basically I am bored shitless and could use something to snap me out of this very lazy phase I am going through. Any thoughts or advice?

Do you have any A levels?

 

[cHodAX]

I did DD100 i think it was ..

Was ok did it all from home its quite expensive tho .. i didnt find it very hard and with all the shiote you get sent and the tutor its pretty ok was thinking on doing psych for a second degree but after one course on the CV didnt think it was worth it ..



took about 2-3 hours a week for about 6 months i think

advice


hmmm

its ok pretty easy just need to set some time aside to do it

I have alot of time on my hands at the moment, the info on the course doesn't state how long it should take to complete the course but is there any penalty for completing it very quickly?

 

[cHodAX]

Do you have any A levels?

Did BTEC National and then went straight into employment as a computer engineer, at the time I needed something more practical and less academic to get the job I wanted. In hindsight I wish I had gone for A-levels because I think you become more well rounded but I was young and desperate for a job in the computer hardware business so I rushed in and for 10 years it seemed like the right choice.

 

[Azurus]

Did BTEC National and then went straight into employment as a computer engineer, at the time I needed something more practical and less academic to get the job I wanted. In hindsight I wish I had gone for A-levels because I think you become more well rounded but I was young and desperate for a job in the computer hardware business so I rushed in and for 10 years it seemed like the right choice.

Fair play, might be a good idea to take some A levels (you can do it through distance learning) and then decide whether or not a full undergrad course is for you.

 

[Ezteq]

Cho I'm doing a distance learning degree atm buddy (snot with OU but Aberystwyth uni but I guess tis similar) anyway the main thing I learned on here is you have to be motivated and strict with yourself because its up to you to set your pace of study and its easy to relax.

Also, not sure if same with OU but with Aber distance learning we all (we have a forum we go and moan on) said how much to have to rely on yourself because the tutors tend to forget you and you don't get answers as fast as you need or would like, you have to be really thick skinned and prepared to bug the hell out of them to get an answer and if you don't understand (because its all via email mostly) you have to keep on asking until you do and not be afraid to sound like a bit of a tit.

Saying that though I get a huge feeling of satisfaction when I get good grades because of the fact that I actually did do it pretty much alone, it's very rewarding.

 

[Bugz]

Some of the courses (not sure about IT ones) cross-over quite a bit with some a-level specifications (and the IB)

If you are having trouble and your tutor isn't being much help; do not be afraid to sign up to some student forums and ask them.

 

[~Latency~]

i'm the same as chodax, don't have any A-levels.. how would go about doing them/doing one of those adult learning courses so i can get into uni? i'm 22

 

[Chronictank]

i did a degree in computer science part time, no a-levels as i went straight into work aswell

3 nights a week after work for about 3 hrs or so
degree lasts about 4 yrs on average

I didnt find it particularly difficult to be fair, if you have been working a while you will pick it up pretty quickly
So it may be worth just doing the proper thing instead of doing little courses

 

[tris-]

I also went to uni without A-levels and never had much of a problem, although I wasnt working full time as above.

 

[Moriath]

I have alot of time on my hands at the moment, the info on the course doesn't state how long it should take to complete the course but is there any penalty for completing it very quickly?

you get milestones to hit for assignments and get stuff sent out to you for those in like 2 or 3 bundles

you have to put in the stuff for each assignment at a particular time or deadline

 

[Moriath]

i went to uni without a levels also

 

[Moriath]

you also get tutorial groups fonce a week at your neatrest center but i never went to them

 

[Ezteq]

i'm the same as chodax, don't have any A-levels.. how would go about doing them/doing one of those adult learning courses so i can get into uni? i'm 22

I did an access couse becuse I didn't have any either and was about 27 when I did it, took 1 year and gott me into uni its well worth it because it gets you into practice writing essays and reports and generally researching stuff.

That is the one thing a lot of the people on my degree said was that they were out of practice with study and exams and finding it a real barrier, do an access course first it will really benifit you long term.

Just go to your local college (library should have prospectus etc) and speak to them about it, thats what I did.

 

[Hawkwind]

Did BTEC National and then went straight into employment as a computer engineer, at the time I needed something more practical and less academic to get the job I wanted. In hindsight I wish I had gone for A-levels because I think you become more well rounded but I was young and desperate for a job in the computer hardware business so I rushed in and for 10 years it seemed like the right choice.

If you went BTEC route why not continue with that route for HNC, which if memory serves is the equivalent of 2 A levels.

OU is expensive, I would only do if company pays the fees. Also, despite the ads they are not that flexible in my experience. When I initially did a foundation course I was working away in Oman and could not make the final exam. Their version of being flexible was offerring me two exam dates in the UK two weeks apart. After alot of arguements and company involvement I was able to sit the exam in the British Embassy in Muscat.

The thing I most remember about the OU were the weeks away at Uni, did most of mine at Bath. Was a great hedonistic week of beer and sex, and occasionally at the same time.

 

[Aiteal]

Was given an ultimatum by a girlfriend over 10 years ago
Stop wasting your life and get a real job or I'm gone! (or words to that effect)

I was still working as a barman four years after dropping out of uni at the time

Did M206 through the OU, which was an OO programming course, with smalltalk as the programming language
Got a crappy paying job as a junior programmer
10 years later I'm still programming for much much better pay and still enjoying it
The ultimatum swinging girlfriend is long gone too (as an added bonus)

Nice thing is that the smalltalk programming I did 10 years ago with the OU made picking up iPhone programming in Objective-C much easier.

 

[Bugz]

Was given an ultimatum by a girlfriend over 10 years ago
Stop wasting your life and get a real job or I'm gone! (or words to that effect)

I was still working as a barman four years after dropping out of uni at the time

Did M206 through the OU, which was an OO programming course, with smalltalk as the programming language
Got a crappy paying job as a junior programmer
10 years later I'm still programming for much much better pay and still enjoying it
The ultimatum swinging girlfriend is long gone too (as an added bonus)

Nice thing is that the smalltalk programming I did 10 years ago with the OU made picking up iPhone programming in Objective-C much easier.

Least she got you going eh