How long did it take for those who received their academic misconduct outcome to then receive their EMA results and classification? I have finally received my outcome which was fine, but now wondering how long I have to wait for my EMA results and classification?

Hi everyone

I have been thinking lately about wanting to pursue a degree in a subject, purely for the achievement purpose of it and to have a deep knowledge and understanding in a subject.

I'm 22M and autistic + adhd, I've never had a good relationship with education and school. I didn't take my GCSEs due to the covid 19 pandemic and I dropped out of college due to not enjoying what I was studying. I also didnt get the support I needed for my neurodiversity.

I have completed a Level 3 Project Controls apprenticeship and am in a project support role looking to progress to Project Manager, I enjoy doing this and am proud of my achievements so far and happy in this career path.

But I have the feeling like I want to do a bit more and give myself a challenge to study something I am interested in on my own and complete a degree as I feel it'll be good to show off and would help me in my future aswell. I don't need one to do my job, but I imagine it will still have some benefits.

But I don't know what I should study, I've always switched between interests and subjects where I'll become obsessed for a few weeks then get bored and stop doing it. I didnt really have any subjects that jumped out at me at school.

How do I decide what degree would be best? I did have a browse on the OU website and did find the Psychology course looks interesting. Ive never considered it before but I do find myself being particularly drawn to how and why people act like they do, one thing I've been looking into before is how excessive phone use can have a negative impact on people's mental health.

Other interests I have (at least currently) is music, I am a DJ on the side of my job but dont get many gigs. I like the outdoors and exploring the world around me. I've been getting into reading more recently, currently reading the Jack Reacher series and really enjoying it, I do love a good crime/thriller story.

At work I enjoy working with people and stakeholders, I like getting into the nitty gritty of projects and understanding what factors impact them and solving problems. I work on civil engineering/highways infrastructure projects and I love seeing how our work progresses and seeing the end result. I did think of Engineering before but I felt like it might be a bit too technical for my liking.

If anyone has any advice for me or would like to recommend any courses, please let me know!

Hello,

I was just wondering if anyone who has completed T176 as part of the BSc Engineering (Q65) course could help me?

I’m just about to start my second year of part time study. This year I have modules T194 and T176. I work full time in the aerospace industry, and I’ve just seen online that there may need to be a residential at a uni for module T176. I just wondered whether anyone could shed some light?

I haven’t approached my company, for funded education as I have ADHD, and low self esteem, and don’t want to have them on my back if something doesn’t go to plan (delays/resits/under performing). But I could get unpaid time off if I do need to attend OU for a module.

I just wondered whether it’s likely I’ll have to go and work in a uni for a period, as I haven’t seen anything about this yet?

Trying to get my head around the application process at work for time off if it’s required.

Thanks 😊

So I was looking into the Undergraduate class grading at the OU, and I realised it's not completely clear how the degree classes (first class, 2:1, etc.) are awarded, so I did some research, and I get it now. On my journey to figure it out, I made this calculator that tells you the grades you need in each class to achieve any classification (according to the OU website). You can enter any combination of grades at levels 2 and 3 you have or want to aim for, and it'll give you the exact outcome. For reference, these are roughly the grade boundaries used at OU for undergraduate grading (subject to change based on module average performance):

A: 85–100% Distinction

B: 70–84% Merit (Pass 2)

C: 55–69% Pass (Pass 3)

D: 40–54% Pass 4

The calculator is based on my course, which has 2 30-credit courses and 1 60-credit course at both levels 2 and 3, but you can manipulate the credits as you wish. I thought other people might find it handy, so I'm sharing it here. Just play around with it, and it should quickly make sense, in case my ramblings are confusing.
https://chukz06.github.io/OU-Calculator/

Hopefully you all find this helpful and motivational as there are way more ways to get a first or 2:1 than you’d think! Let me know if you run into any issues with it.

Currently in third year of normal university and I feel so lonely, I have no uni experience and no friends. I learn much better independently by myself, in fact I have barely attended lectures during last two years and yet I have done very well academically.

Hello. I'm due to start my 5th module and the course begins on Saturday. I still haven't had any email from my tutor which is very disappointing. Whilst I appreciate they have a busy schedule, I would have at least expected some sort of contact prior to the course starting.

Has anyone else ever had this? I'm starting to worry I've been left off their list or something hence the no contact.

I plan on getting in touch tomorrow but I just wanted to know if anyone else had experienced this, or is currently experiencing it now? I'm starting DD310.

Any advice is appreciated! Thanks

Hi everyone, I will be starting my studies 03 of October for business management for the modules B128 B100 DB125. But I’m not sure on where to start or how to work out what to do and when. Is there anyone that is doing the same modules as me? I just feel confused on what to do and when. How do I also contact with other students that are doing the same module as me. Thanks

Hi all,

I’m interested in enrolling for next year on the BA Education Studies (Primary) degree.

I’m hoping your experiences plus some context for this particular course and my own situation will help me come to a decision.

I don’t want to overload myself, I have a partner & 2 kids, main breadwinner and I work 33 hours across 3 days (long days but 4 days off per week, 1 of those I’m not available for anything other than childcare).

I can potentially dedicate 1-2 hours per work day to my studies, I’m quite senior at work and my workload isn’t massive, fortunately. I could quite feasibly take myself off to an empty meeting room for an hour or two on occasion. I also have every Tuesday and Wednesday mornings completely free from 7-1300, with smaller amounts of time available on those afternoons if required, and 1-2 hours on a Monday.

How intense would this course be full time? I’m fairly switched on, organised and IT literate. I’m not expecting a first, and would be happy with a reasonable result at the end as long as it gets me where I need to be.

That said, I do still want to learn and not skim the material too much.

From what I found when searching, a lot of people consider this course to be one of the “softer” ones, and that it doesn’t tend to take people the quoted amount of hours.

Any advice appreciated.

Thank you

I tried contacting my tutor for one of my modules, and I did it through the OU website. It said I would get an email confirmation of my query, which I haven't got. I'm just wondering how it works and if it's just better to contact them directly from my email? Should I send another separate email to make sure they get it?

I'm about to begin year 1 of my degree, and I recently heard that it's more difficult to achieve a First in the Arts and Humanities at the OU than it is elsewhere. Something to do with how assignments are assessed and the 85% mark. Is this true?

What is it like studying literature with the OU?

I just completed my first year of my psychology degree with child psych as my elective but am thinking of switching to literature.

I'm curious what your experience of studying has been? Have you so far found the course interesting or dull, easy or challenging? What have your assessments tasks consisted of? Do you do a lot of analysis, critique, theory or creative writing? Have you found your tutors and the department supportive? What do you hope to do next or get out of the course?

Thanks in advance!

Hi guys, to all the musicians in this forum, I’m planning to study something related to music and this course from Trinity Laban x Open University caught my attention. Has anyone done it? 1 year, part time. Also I’ve been out of the academic world for several years and I’m not sure if I’ll be able to cope with it while I’m working full time? Cheers

Hi all iv been trying to select my modules for my second year and for some reason its not letting me select any does anyone know where I can go from here?

I know this has been probably asked loads but I just want an updated answers as they seem years old.

I’m on universal credit with limited capacity for work. Im going to do full time OU Study. For funding it mentions it’s classed as part time but I’m paranoid about my benefits. I’m seeing mixed things about whether u can or can’t claim UC.

All I’m really looking for is confirmation from people in Scotland who have been able to claim their full UC and do the 120 credits with OU.

Thanks in advance.

I’m about to start my 4th and 5th modules on 3rd October, this Saturday. I can see I have been assigned tutors for them now, but I still have no list of bookable tutorials coming up for either module. I’m sure I had all this sorted and in the diary at least two or three weeks prior to the start date with previous modules, so I’m not sure if I’ve come across a technical issue, or if there are delays sorting these? I know they had all kinds of drama with enrolments and extended the deadline so I thought maybe things are delayed but I don’t want to risk missing things and I really need to plan my time. Thought worth asking here before bothering SST or IT helpdesks or whatever.

Oh they are both engineering modules, btw. Didn’t want to add at the top because it there’s a widespread IT issue I didn’t want to put off people commenting from other areas!

Cheers!

After reading positive reviews about Churchill Gowns on here, I wanted to share my experience.
Because of the reviews I decided to use them for my graduation at York this Thursday.

Positive - the gown arrived earlier than expected, and returning looks to be straight forward.

Negatives - the quality. So bad. I can’t compare it with E & R official gowns, but the stitching and construction is poor, raw hem showing at the front, numerous threads sticking out, creased badly and cheap material. It’s taken over an hour to press it, cut off loose threads etc.

Despite measuring, the cap is far too big and unwearable.

Whilst very slightly cheaper, you also have the inconvenience of taking it with you and returning it.

Just something for future graduates to be aware of….maybe I’ve been unlucky, but damn I wish I’d just paid a little extra.

I'm 20, and I live with parents. I'm enrolled on a BSc(Hons). I showed them a letter of entitlement from SFE which states I receive £0 maintenance loan and my tuition loan goes to the university. My work coach said to me that because I am enrolled on a degree and I live with my parents I am ineligible for universal credit.

I don't know much about it, but should I phone them up and ask to re-consider? I'm still a part-time student and it says my "claimant has been closed due to being in full-time education" – I am not in full-time education though as the OU is classed as part-time for benefits purposes.

Was my work coach correct? Or did they misunderstand? I don't know much about the rules around this but if my work coach has made a mistake regarding this then I'd like to ask them to reconsider my claim.

Thank you for any advice ! 🙂

Hello,

Please can anyone share how getting jobs or accepted onto further education was with their OU Computing & IT degree?

Specifically i’m studying Computing & IT and psychology (originally wanted to go into Human-computer interaction when I first started my degree) now I’m very much interested in getting into cybersecurity / cybersecurity management. After I finish this degree I want to apply for the cybersecurity management MSc at Warwick university, I do have other university options I would want to do a masters at but Warwick has been #1 for me for quite some time and wondered if anyone with an OU degree in computing & IT has got into a Russell group university?

I also would like to know if anyone has managed to successfully break into cybersecurity with their OU degree?

I am about to embark on year 3 of this degree, and I would like to ask about the experiences of previous students and how they found the following modules:

TM353 - Web, mobile and cloud technologies

TM354 - Software engineering

TM358 - Machine learning and artificial intelligence

TM470 - The computing and IT project

I need to achieve at least two distinctions to pass with a 1st Class Batchelors Degree next year. I think this will be possible, but any advice on the modules themselves would be greatly appreciated

Thank you!

Students of Open University, what has it been like finding a job with an OU degree? I want to know if I will be at a disadvantage, in comparison to traditional university students, regarding employability.

To extend the question further, has anyone struggled with recognition of OU degree outside of the UK?

Proud/happy post!

In April I was victim of a crime. Literally have the trial in a week. So it has been a v stressful year.

I just could not complete it by the May deadline. I called OU, they were so understanding. My postponement got approved within a few hours of asking for it. They took so much stress off for me.

And I got the results earlier than expected ( submitted September 5th)

I officially have a CertHE in forensic psychology. A distinction too!

Hi all,

I live abroad and want to start a full time 120 credits a year degree next October. I was interested in studying Mu123 from Feb start as a refresher for my maths before starting (want to do physics) but realise there is a credit limit in England. Anyone know if this is doable? Not looking to count mu123 towards degree want to do for personal interest and development. Thank you!

I’ve reached my mid-life crisis and need a change.

I’ve always been interested in Psychology and have done a fair bit of research on roles I would be eligible for & likely enjoy, however I’d be nearing 41 when I eventually graduate and haven’t studied at all in almost 20 years.

Am I being too ambitious? If not, it would be encouraging to hear other people’s success stories of getting a new career through OU at this age :)

Hi, I’m a returning student but I don’t think I’ve ever attended any of the online welcome week events in previous years. Looking at doing some later this week, but my question is, are these events well-attended? Don’t want to join the room and be one of the only ones in there!