SteveRS Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Wondering if anyone can help on this one. I'm looking at doing a home study course/degree. i cant study full time because i need to work to pay the bills etc. I've looked on the Internet but nothing positive is coming up really. Does anyone know if it's even possible to study for a degree at home? There must be something out there surely! I'd like to study Computing/networking/web development. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbiscuit Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 the open university Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisS Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 As Rich says. ^^^^^^ OU not the cheapest. But one of the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuarty Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Open University! I stay in Scotland and a few universities up here offer courses validated by the OU. If you have access to one of these Universities, there are lecturing staff employed to help you out. Also you attend these uni's to sit exams and assessments. In Scotland we have a funding body for part time students called the independent learning authority (ILA), they can pay something like £400-£500 per year towards your fees. Not sure about south of the border, as higher education funding is different up here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK350Z Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Must be something in the new years water.... http://www.350z-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=57173 Thought I was getting deja vu or something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveRS Posted January 7, 2012 Author Share Posted January 7, 2012 I think I will investigate the OU further, I have looked at them and requested more information from them but what they sent me was pretty pointless because it was the same info as on the website. Stuarty, I think Scotland is a lot more generous with funding towards higher education than down here in the south. I think it would be near impossible for me to get any help because I work. Yeah I also saw that other post. I'm looking for a change and I have to make it happen, my current job drives me insane! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuarty Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 I think I will investigate the OU further, I have looked at them and requested more information from them but what they sent me was pretty pointless because it was the same info as on the website. Stuarty, I think Scotland is a lot more generous with funding towards higher education than down here in the south. I think it would be near impossible for me to get any help because I work. Yeah I also saw that other post. I'm looking for a change and I have to make it happen, my current job drives me insane! Your correct about the way education is funded in scotland. I've worked for the same employer for 17 years, about 10 years ago i was giving the oppertunity to work weekends only and still receive my full salary. As i was training in a sport i jumped at the chance as i could train full time monday to friday. After around 4 years i decided to return to University. I enroled in a 5 year full time MSc degree. I finished in may this year and it didnt cost me a penny. I was even reimbursed with my travel expenses. Furthermore i'm still employed weekends with my employer and working elsewhere Mon to thurs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brummybird Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Go with the ou. I am currently studying for a maths/computing degree. You study at your leisure although you must allow the time to read the material and complete the assignments. Some courses (especially level 1) don't have an exam but if you do have an exam there are plenty of practise papers out there. The tutorials are not compulsory but I strongly recommended you go to at least 1 or 2. I spent ages thinking I was thick as I didn't understand something only to find everyone else was in the same boat!! There is also a forum for each course so you can chat to others around the country and even the tutors go on there to assist too. One of my computing courses (I haven't started it yet) will require my employer to write reports into my day to day employment. It is one of the courses that will give you points based on your current knowledge and work experience. You can study for CCNA and CCNP but you have to take the exams at a vue centre. If you already have these quals you can add them to your degree giving you the points immediately. Also if at any point I want to change my degree to science or art I can and my degree becomes an open degree. Everything is really flexible and everything you need to know is in their website. I hope this helps!!! Thanks Lyndsey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveRS Posted January 7, 2012 Author Share Posted January 7, 2012 Thanks for your help guys! Just working weekends and full salary Would I need to be in a job relative to what I want to study before I start studying or can anyone do these courses and complete them and move on to a job in there chosen field? Reason why I ask is I'm currently a self employed decorator and have been for the past 10 years, I've hit my limits with it and was never my chosen career, i just fell into it at a young age. I've always been interested in building websites and computers from leaving school. I think it would be very hard for me to get a job in web development without any qualifications and experience. I have good GCSE's and an NVQ level 2 and plenty of city and guilds, but nothing in the I.T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brummybird Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Hi Steve, No you don't need to be in the job. If you have very little knowledge in the subjects then it's best to start with a level 1 course. It also gets you into a routine for studying. I have had a quick look on the ou website and found this degree. http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergradu ... on/b62.htm That degree suggests tu100 or mst121. I started with mst121 and is all maths and getting you used to studying again. With the level 1 courses most of the same courses are used in quite a few degrees so if you change your degree later the course won't have been a waste of time or money. You also don't have to register for the degree straight away. You can pick different courses and put them to a degree later. I hope this helps Lyndsey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbiscuit Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 the OU has a very good rep, employers have now come to realise, people who have studied on the OU have excellent qualities due to the discipline required to study with the OU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveRS Posted January 7, 2012 Author Share Posted January 7, 2012 Hi Steve, No you don't need to be in the job. If you have very little knowledge in the subjects then it's best to start with a level 1 course. It also gets you into a routine for studying. I have had a quick look on the ou website and found this degree. http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergradu ... on/b62.htm That degree suggests tu100 or mst121. I started with mst121 and is all maths and getting you used to studying again. With the level 1 courses most of the same courses are used in quite a few degrees so if you change your degree later the course won't have been a waste of time or money. You also don't have to register for the degree straight away. You can pick different courses and put them to a degree later. I hope this helps Lyndsey Hi Lyndsey, Thanks for all your help and for having a look on their website. That degree looks good, I think I need to have a proper chat with them about which direction to go in and of course, find out how much it will cost me. I'm feeling a bit more confident that it's possible to achieve a degree now. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brummybird Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Hi steve, No problem, if I can help in anyway just drop me a pm.. Cheers, Lyndsey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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