O U course

[weatherwax]

I graduated this year aged 37 from a 3 year degree course, I was the next to youngest person on my course

[rockchick]

I doing a postgrad OU course at the moment in Enterprise and the Environment, am really enjoying it but have another assignment looming. I still haven't mastered the art of not doing last minute panic assignments!

[mrsflibble]

I'm planning to apply for the may intake of a digital photography course. I work as a photographer, have extensive skills but I'm almost totally self-taught and people want to see a certificate of some kind. The photography course is totally online so no lectures to attend (and find childcare for), the only writing is a short written piece explaining your portfolio and I'm sure I can walk the rest of it. I'd eventually like to do an A level in photography but where this OU course is £175 and run basically from my house, an A level is full time study for two years, costs anywhere between £400 and £4000 and it situated a 20 min train ride away.

[Rosendula]

I work as a photographer, have extensive skills but I'm almost totally self-taught and people want to see a certificate of some kind.

Ooooh, that gets me so mad. When it's something that you can prove you're good at by showing them the actual work, I really can't understand why people need a certificate. Anyway, enough of that! I'm not starting my day off being angry.

Good luck with the course Mrs Flibble. It sounds like plain sailing for you. I tried doing a GCSE in photography way back in 1988. I dropped out when my teacher said I'd be lucky to get a GCSE 4!

[mrsflibble]

Ooooh, that gets me so mad. When it's something that you can prove you're good at by showing them the actual work, I really can't understand why people need a certificate. Anyway, enough of that! I'm not starting my day off being angry.

As James says, I've got skills enough to forge a decent certificate if I wanted to; surely that's qualification enough. but conscience wise, no it's not hahaha!

[mrsflibble]

good to hear!
my protfolio is getting better, many many pics of sophie and Tea's kids hahaha!

[Thomzo]

Russ, Emma, Merry
These are the same subjects as I want to take. Please, please please let me know how you get/got on with them; was the course interesting; were the tutors any good etc. I'd be really interested.

Thinking of starting next year when my contract ends.

Cheers
Zoe

[Merry]

I really enjoyed the level one course I did , `Start writing fiction`.
The tutor was great, made personal contact, and the course materials were interesting and useful. I gained a tremendous amount of self confidence - "Hey! I can do this!"
I made at least one friend in the student conference workshops.
My level two course, `Creative Writing` starts next week. Watch this space.

Good luck, I know that every student has different experiences. I hope that yours are as positive as mine were.

[old tree man]

haven't started it yet zoe so as soon as i do i'll post an update.

Russ

[Loobyloo]

I've spent hours online looking for conservation/ wildlife management/ ecology type course that A) I can afford and B) I can do whilst working full time.

Suffice to say its been a complete B**ch and I've found nothing

I looked at the environmental studies OU course but can't afford it. I found two really good courses at Guildford college (merrist wood) but one is 2/3 days a week and the other 1 day a week.

I'm dying to get a job doing countryside rangery type thing but weirdly they're not looking for anyone with a degree in Drama!

Any advice welcome!

[Merry]

I think a drama graduate would make a great, truly creative forest ranger!
Tell them I said so!
Good luck.

[Loobyloo]

Thank you Merry!

I think so too

x

[Green Aura]

Loobyloo, do you have to stay down south? A few years ago I did an MSc in environmental protection at Salford Uni - full-time but fully funded and with an EU bursary. Not a huge amount (about £80 a week at the time) but with a bit of part-time supplementing we all managed pretty well.

[Loobyloo]

Most of our friends and family are down here so would prefer to stay south, we're almost definitely moving to wiltshire next year.

[Barry]

I love the Open University and all it stands for!!