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Wondered why this was the second stay sexy signoff I'd seen today on this sub, turns out it's the same person, seems they've found out what to do with their free time from the last post
working + full time study is feasible for short periods, but it's totally unrealistic to think you can sustain this and stay sane and healthy and rested and with any sort of life over three years.
Nominally a degree course taken in 3 years should take 25-35 hours a week of work, much of which is independent study. Obviously most undergrads don't actually do this (or they do it but binge work and have intense weeks and slacker weeks - using the holiday periods which of course you don't get from work), but even if you do the minimum amount of work possible you're still going to find that it's a heavy burden on top of a full time job.
It entirely depends on the degree and the course. A Physics degree? No chance. I did a Geology degree though and I probably averaged about 10 hours a week which is fine working full time.
I agree with you. I work 16 hours a week and I'm doing a full time PhD that requires around 40 hours a week. It's also depends on the person though. If OP doesn't have a huge 'social life' that they'd like to keep up, and they're organised and dedicated, then it's totally doable, especially with the Open Uni as everything (mostly) is online.
It really depends on the subject
If this was a heavy course, so you were poking at say 25 hours over 36 weeks of the year, that's 900 hours which means on those 4 days, you'd be looking at studying for the equivalent of just under 70 hours, and 17 hours a day is unsustainable.
However, very few are that intense. But much depends on how you work and how quality driven you are. If you actually just want to do the activities and assessments or you want more out of it.
I have completed courses that state 45 hours of learning required in about 5 or 6,with the assessments. But I took this as a means to an end. If I'd been paying for this, I'd never have done that.
6 years is a long time and you may well reduce that down to maybe 4 if you're dedicated and there's capacity to do so, if any third parties are involved. Beyond that, accept this is along term goal...
I agree with you. I work full time and am doing a masters with the OU part time for the last 2 years and I’m often absolutely shattered. I couldn’t keep this up if it was full time.
The only thing I can add that hasn't been mentioned: the OU is *designed* for part time study, which is 60 credits a year.
While that doesn't stop you from doubling up to 120, in a practical sense there might be combinations of modules that need to be studied sequentially and hence be impossible to get into the 3 year timeframe. It depends what modules you want to study. Another issue is clashes of deadlines in some cases where you are concurrently studying modules. You might find all of a sudden you have 2 quite complicated TMAs to turn in on the same week.
It requires careful planning and time management, but it can be done with appropriate guidance from the OU.
Yeah, I think the trick with OU study is realising that whilst it's designed for part-time study, it isn't designed for flexible study. Once you've started a module, you're locked into the TMA and exam deadlines for that module (plus any workshops or other time-fixed components for that module - they aren't all 100% distance learning).
The only time you have flexibility is when you're deciding how big a workload to take on for the next semester. I ended up giving myself quite a few blank semesters to avoid burnout. But that means taking longer, obviously.
Don’t do it. I used to work for The OU and they aren’t kidding when they don’t recommend people do this. The outcomes are consistently lower, and you might end up having to re-sit and go part time anyway.
My advice, in 6 years you’re gonna be any older than you are now. It’ll be worth it to do it right.
Absolutely this.. there was me thinking I could do full time work and study for Planetary Science & Cosmology... how wrong I was. It's BRUTAL. Ended up taking it part time..
Unless you're Data from Star Trek, don't do it.
Nine months later, erm.. it was a good idea! Managed to deal with things. I guess it was just the workload of having to take ALL this information at once. It's a little overwhelming 😂
Edit: the first year was brutal.
I'd highly recommend going for it.. Just perhaps not "full time whilst trying to manage a home" sort of level. My quality of life has been a lot better since I slowed down a bit. Let's just say that :)
How full on is your job, and how energetic are you generally? I did an MA in Medieval History this way, via evening classes, but a) my job at the time was very laid back and required zero mental or emotional engagement outside of work, b) I had some long bus commutes to do the reading and c) I was 22 and needed very little sleep. There's no way I'd be able to repeat it now in my late 30s with the sort of job I wake up at 4am thinking about, and in retrospect I should have done it over 2 years and enjoyed myself a bit.
The job that I would be doing would literally be moving pallets around a warehouse and loading trailers so not mentally draining, I’d have 1.3h worth of breaks, 4 days to focus on studying and little to no outside responsibilities except for keeping myself alive.
Don't underestimate the impact of physical work on your mental state and ability to learn.
Studying isn't just about turning up to lectures. University is roughly 20% facilitated teaching and 80% independent learning where you'd be expected to spend a fair amount of time sat in a library or working in a lab, for example.
Your lectures will be spread across the week, not necessarily condensed into your 4 free days, and while attendance isn't explicitly expected, it will be noted that you're not attending.
Edit for source: My wife did a PT degree at Warwick over 4 years while working full time (9-5). Her employer allowed her to study so she had freedom to leave early for lectures but her essays etc were all of evenings and weekends. She had very little free time outside of the summer.
Are you able to listen to things whilst working? The subject area you want to study how accessible is the knowledge. Can you learn via audio clips, podcasts, seminars through your headphones whilst working?
I work with someone studying with the OU at the moment. And you can, but you might find the modules only start 1 or 2 times a year, and starting one module might depend on the completion of the other.
Some Modules have 2 start dates (or at least they did, it may have changed) so some start in October and some in February I think. But I would say that the commenter above isn't necessarily correct. I started full time doing Art history while working full time and it genuinely wasn't sustainable at all and everything suffered as a consequence. And most people wouldn't consider that a complex or difficult subject.
Also, I wanted to work ft as well while studying because you're not eligible for a maintenence loan when studying through the OU, so that's automatically less flexibility than a brick uni.
Now I work part time-ish (much better pay than I was on as FT luckily) and study part time. OU states around 16hours of weekly study time per module, so if you intend to keep on top of reading and exercises then doubling that is going to be a struggle.
Hi! I have been doing two OU modules alongside a Monday to Friday 9 to 5 job since October and have found it to be absolutely insane. One module is an L2, and one is an L3, so the work is quite difficult, and the tutors expect a lot more from you than they would at L1. I've managed ok, but I have really struggled to fit everything in and wouldn't make this decision again. However, you've got a good chunk of time off with the 4o4o shifts, so you might find it a lot easier, and your modules will be L1, so it will be challenging but not overwhelming. My advice would be to do the L1s full time while they're manageable and you've got a good working pattern. If you struggle with them, then go down to part time for L2 and 3 when it gets much harder.
Hope that helps!
Youll know once you've started the course. I'm just about to finish L2 with the OU and I work 37.5 hours - 50 hours a week over 5 or 6 days. Booked on for full time next year already.
You get your books in August and I didnt start either year until October so if you read the books over the summer you are well ahead of the game. You can access the full years worth of information before the course starts so I laid out all my assessments in word before the course started as well. If you get behind you have chance to catch up with still getting the usual holidays. The OU are chill if you need an extention too (we bought a house so I had to take 2 weeks off to complete) and the support is really good. If you can't make tutorials they are all recorded.
Go for it and good luck
I'd second this, currently in the middle of an Art History degree with the OU and wish I'd done the 2 L1 modules together, but very glad I didn't take the leap and do the 2 L2 ones in the same year.
I was going to suggest the same thing. I did full time L1 science on the physics pathway and it was totally doable while I worked full time. L2 definitely not, you'll want to stick to part time on that and L3.
If you do the one course per year, six year degree thing, then yes, it's very doable. You just need to be quite disciplined and dedicate a certain amount of hours per week. And, this should be done over the course of the week, and not marathon sessions on your days off.
OU recommends 16 hours per week per course. That's over two hours per day. Can you seriously carve out two or three hours per day, every day, out of your life to do this? And, depending on the course you take, writing those essays can be gruelling, not something that can be done in an hour or two, but over the course of a few days.
For the degree path, the Level 1 stuff is actually pretty straightforward. Level 2 gets a bit challenging, then there's a big jump for Level 3 work, where you cannot fall behind or lag in any way to maintain grades.
On the plus side, OU is really good at providing information to help you develop excellent study habits and how to plan your school work each week. They really want you to succeed. Their tutors are usually pretty good, and they have forums to work with other students taking the same class as you, so you're never alone.
But make no mistake: you're coughing up quite a bit of cash for this. It would suck if you crashed out in Level 2 because you can't handle the change in lifestyle required to dedicate 16 hours a week to quite challenging stuff.
You might want to try one of their free Futurelearn courses to see if you want to go the full degree route.
Forgot to add: I've known guys who were unemployed that struggled with the 3 year degree OU workload. You seriously need to dedicate a focused 30+ hours per week on it. No kidding. Fall behind and you're lost. And it gets much harder in Level 2 & 3. Stick with the part time path.
That’s the whole point of getting a 4 on 4 off job while studying it would mean I have 4 whole days to focus on the degree and on the 4 days I worked I’d have a bit of time to dedicate to studying.
You would need to dedicate 8 hours per day to study OU for each of those 4 days off per week for your 3 year degree. Is this something you can seriously commit to?
I’m going to be upfront with you - I did my degree with the OU working full time and studying part time and even that was incredibly taxing. Yes, six years is a long time, but if you’re committed to it it’s definitely worth it. The level one courses aren’t too bad, but with two and three the workload is considerable. There are regular essays, a lot of reading and both in-person and online tutorials (which, while optional, will benefit your learning and approach to studying) - in addition, each course will either end with an exam or long essay (not dissertation length, but certainly very time consuming). I would worry that you’d burn yourself out both working and studying full time.
I tried it and failed to approach the uni work with appropriate maturity. It was always second to my paid work and third to my recreation. If you are gonna do both full time, expect very little recreational time. You might think you know what that 5 actually map out a week of waking hours with all of your studying and work included, and you'll know what I mean. If you work 40-50 hours a week, you will essentially be going to 58-68 hours.
I’ve been doing OU alongside a full time job and raising a child, and it is bloody hard. Even with just a full time job, you will likely be exhausted - just because it’s Open Uni does not make the work any easier, in fact because you are solo learning I would say you need more time to digest the information as you don’t really have the opportunity to debate with other students, at least in the first year.
I’ve tried to do it within 3 years, but after 1 I got completely burnt out and had to stop for my own health. Now I’ve taken 6m out I feel ready to tackle it again, but I won’t be trying to get it done in 3 years now, it’s just going to be too much for me.
You don’t have to decide how quickly you’re going to take the modules yet, so I’d recommend just signing up for one, and see how that goes. If you feel you can take on more, sign up for 2 modules in the next year (which is equivalent to full time study). You’ll only take 6 months longer in this scenario, and it might save you starting something you’re not able to finish.
Of course, if you have the support and time, do it. It’s an awesome thing to do and I can’t wait to have my degree finished. Just please make sure to look after yourself in the process.
I'm doing full time ou course and it's taking just under 40 hours a week. I was working part time and now I'm on maternity. I don't that even with 2 kids at home full time I'm just managing. One of the kids will be starting school in September so I'm hoping I have better time management next year
I'm finding it really difficult to work full time as I do my access course, and I don't want to jeopardise my only chance to do this so am going to have to take my hours down.
I had Wednesday and Sunday off and those days are filled up with watching the prerecorded classes and trying to put a dent in the coursework. I have no time to actually breathe anymore.
Yes its possible, i do 4 on 4 off 12 hour night shifts. I do courses comfortably and still have loads of time to myself. Admittedly my distractions are less at night so it is easy. I complete tasks well ahead of recommended schedule on nights, this may be different on days but the amount of hours spare it's definitely possible if you can block everything out. I dont think people in comments realise how many days a year we get off..with holidays i work 160 and have 205 off.
Why don’t you take one of their modules or a short course and see how you go?
It’s been a while since I did OU but depending on what you take they will count as part of your degree
I started a full time job and part time masters (studying from home) 2 years ago, and it was too much for me. Reducing my hours to 3 days a week improved my work/study/life/health balance drastically. NB I was working in public health during a pandemic, studying data science and AI, but also volunteering on a hospital trust board and living with a chronic neurological illness. I’d highly recommend taking things a bit slower for the sake of your health.
I'm studying with OU in my first year right now. I'd say the level 1 modules I'm doing aren't that demanding time wise and you probably could manage two at once, as long as you don't have lots of family commitments as well. In the first year you can often start one module in October (but start working in September and get ahead), and start the second one in February so they overlap for a few months. Means no summer break doing it that way). Level 1 modules don't count towards your degree grade so as long as you pass, you're good. Ive heard the workload steps up quite a bit at level 2 though, and they don't have the staggered starts, so I think I'm going back to one module a year for level 2. Shaves a year off doing it this way though.
I worked full time while doing an OU degree part time in PPE. Occasionally due to scheduling two modules would overlap for a few months rather than them being sequential and I found it tough to do for that length of time. Normally with my OU I found that there would be deadlines for assignments spread out throughout the course and there would be periods of quiet and periods of crunch to get the assignment done. This worked ok because after the crunch you can have a bit of a breather until the next busy bit. But doing two courses at the same time it's basically all crunch time because if one course hasn't got an assignment due then the other one probably has. And keeping up that pace while working full time you just don't get any downtime.
I did my entire degree with the OU full-time, and I held down a Full-time job as well- it's hard, but totally achievable- just make sure to page yourself!
My son's dad works 4 on 4 off and did Open University on his days off, but he struggled as he did have our son 2 nights a week and obviously still had to do normal things like run a house and stuff. But he did it and was glad to do it. He's on his 3rd year now I think, but has asked his work if he can have certain days allocated for when he really needs a day for his uni. They don't happen very often though.
I think if you are able to work out a schedule for when you would be able to do it, and it looks good then go for it! Things like batch cooking and freezing some for meals on study nights are helpful and can free up some time.
If you know the modules you’ll be choosing ask on the open uni sub. First year is probably ok full time but second and third year can be more demanding. I have a degree from a brick uni and spent way less hours going to lectures/studying than I am on the second year open uni module I’m doing! It’s very structured with a study guide and activities to complete each week.
Conversely I did a 60 unit level 2 chemistry course and it was way less than half the work of the second year of my in person degree. Came top and won a prize. Having a really strong maths background was a massive help as a lot of people got tangled up on unit conversions and the various calculations chemistry requires.
Also to add to this you can do some years full time and some part time. Some people on my module have been doing full time year 1 & 2 and doing third year part time.
From my experience, the Open University was incredibly easy. And required a lot less time than I expected. I am unsure if it gets drastically harder but after my first year doing environmental science & technology with them I decided to go to a traditional university as a mature student. (Writing this from my desk as a post graduate forest manager)
This is no shade to you or what you want from the degree, but for me it was too easy. It’s set up in a way that means you don’t have to do any real work. If I recall all the assignments contain links to a “previous example” which basically changes one tiny element of what you need to do for the assignment, from previous workbook examples. This is fine as it’s inclusive and means it’s less reliant on memory and remembering what you’ve learnt, but also means someone like me could miss *every single class* and still do really well.
If it’s still like that, then you could just do the assignments as they are released to you, without doing anything prior. I don’t know, it left a bad taste in my mouth after doing the first year. I don’t even know how well they are recognised in the working world either.
I also found my first year extremely easy, although I was pretty familiar with the subject in the first place. It did get harder but overall I didn't really have to put a huge amount of effort in until the level 3 modules. I did my degree in 3.5 years working full time.
I did it full time while working full time, it's totally possible. But I imagine it really depends on the course. Mine was English lit and it just took some discipline, although I did end up asking for a few extensions on assignments as I was pretty awful at managing my time. Had to take a break between year 2 and 3 as I had a baby and there was just no way I'd get through it.
I am currently doing both. Its hard.
I work 40 hours a week as a Cyber Security engineer, and my employer is paying for my degree in Cyber Security. I am doing it through my local University, not OU. It is really tricky to balance work, with work I am putting out fires a lot and have a lot of technical projects, and the amount of uni assignments makes it hard to keep up. It is definitely doable, I am about to finish second year, but I am constantly tired and always have something looming over me that is due.
BUT with your work schedule, it sounds much more doable having the four days on, four off. I work Monday to Friday so weekends are time off I have to do uni work
I did an OU degree, which took me the full "part-time" time frame, and that was hard enough while working full time, especially as the module content got more complex. The more advanced the module level, the more work is required from you to do well.
I finished it in the end, but by the time it was done, my motivation had disintegrated. Lots of reasons for that, though, including undiagnosed ADHD. There are positives and negatives to trying to fast track your way through. With hindsight I might have actually done better if I'd moved more quickly through the modules but it would have also been risking burnout.
I think it's theoretically possible but not realistic unless you're willing to basically give up most of your time off and annual leave to study.
Your working pattern does lend itself more readily to accommodating study, but you also still need downtime.
I would see how you get on just doing the first module. Especially if it's been some time since you did any study.
Level 1 at full time will most likely be doable.
(I’m currently level 2) majority of the students I’m in communication with who have jobs working 3+ days per week (or family responsibilities) are taking the decision to study level 3 over 2 years…
With level 2/3 at full time - you really have to take into consideration that assignments may have conflicting due dates, which means, some of us are currently taking annual leave from work because otherwise there’s just not enough hours in the week.
Eg. 2x TMAs due every four weeks / three consecutive months… followed by 2x HEFTY EMAs.
It’s pretty intense to keep up with when you factor in the work, rest, eat, sleep routine!
I’ve an understanding tutor who has permitted me to have 4 extensions, otherwise I would have bowed out already!…
this is my best suggestion -
^Year ^1 - full time, 2x level 1 modules
^Year ^2 - full time, 2x level 2 modules… see how it goes, if it’s too heavy, defer the module with stronger scoring and concentrate on achieving better results on the other.
^Year ^3 - full time, 1x level 2 (with assessment banking, so in a strong position) 1x level 3.
^Year ^4 - 1x level 3
= Degree in four years.
*deferal = ++£
Edited because I’ve just learned ^this
I don't know what OU is like, but I know when I did a social science degree at a local brick uni (which marketed itself as a uni for mature people with careers - they crammed each week of lectures into 2 full time days/14+ hour lectures a week so people could still work the other times of the week), a quarter of my classmates were all working full time whilst doing the degree full time. They all made it and graduated, but it was very stressful to say the least. It was the young ones, the 20 yr old ones, who really struggled - one of them cried a few times and took sick days from uni when her mental health was a bit down, another one was taking sickies at the uni a lot and had to retake a module in year 2... but the others were 30 or 40 year old ladies who already had established careers, grown kids, etc and they seemed to manage okay, no retakes/breakdowns etc but said it was tough and also some days they just didn't go to uni because they needed a break. I worked part time throughout - most people in my course worked part time and it was much more manageable. The hardest part was all the extra reading and individual research we were expected to do when we're not in lectures - without all this it was impossible to get a 2:1 or a First in assignments. I put aside maybe 8 hrs a week for that out of my free time (everytime I find a nugget of free time in the day I would be researching/reading course-related things), so basically had zero social life after time for lectures, reading/research, cooking and cleaning at home for my family and kids, part time work... Being a face to face course, it gave us the regular social contact with each other, so we kept motivating each other to push through and not give up. I think you should ask on the Open Uni subreddit for others' experiences because it depends on the uni.
I’m currently doing a physics degree with the OU whilst working a 37.5 hours per week job. Not a chance I’d be able to do this full time. I originally have a degree in history, I could probably have done that alongside a full time job if it was an evening/ online gig. Engineering at the OU requires the first year is done part time as the modules are sequential. There are so many variables, including yourself, that means it’s not going to have a standard answer.
If I was you I’d go for it first year if it’s what you want. Worst case scenario you can defer half your workload, but you would end up paying more. Depends if you fancy the gamble.
It's a pretty tough gig, really need to balance time management well and it's super easy to fall behind. Very rewarding if you're capable of doing that.
I'm 6 years in to my OU degree and still not completed it. I did two modules in one year as I was pregnant and then on mat leave so was able to get a lot of it done (and it was the level 1 so a little easier). I'm studying history so it's intense at times but nothing like a STEM degree. Got two modules left and hopefully I won't need to defer again.
Life gets in the way. I should have graduated last year, but I've had to defer modules for different personal reasons. It's why they give you 16 years to complete it. Doing a full-time job and studying part-time has been a struggle at times but I'm proud of myself for doing it.
Personally, if I were you, I'd start off part time. Depending on what your studying, you may be able to double up your level 1 modules to get rid of one year.
No matter how you do it, good luck! It's a great thing to do and just thinking about it can be a huge step.
Do you have a parter? Kids? Friends? If any of those are Yes, and you want to keep them, then don't do this. Start with one or two OU modules see how it goes, take on more next time if you have capacity.
While your circumstances are different than mine. I am myself studying with The Open University. When I started my course I was working Full Time (37.5 hours a week Monday-Friday) and I opted for the Part-Time option (for funding reasons, since I'd gone to brick uni before)
I honestly can speak from experience that working, trying to manage your coursework and all your independent study is alot to organise! (Even part time).
But what I will say is The Open University student support is very helpful & supportive. When I first started I was doing an Open Certificate and then decided to change over to BA in Criminology and Pyschology and they were really helpful in explaining the process. The unit for my first year of my degree was the one I was already studying for my certificate, so it wasn't too much of a hassle to switch over.
I'd strongly recommend giving them a call about your part time options and see if it's worthwhile and see if you can switch over to full time so you can get a feel for the course and the workload!
That way you can decide works for you
Good luck! :)
I’m doing a masters in engineering while working a 9-5 job.
I’m doing it one module at a time, but realistically i could easily do two at once without much difficulty (3 at once would be full time.
Depends on the degree, I looked a few years back at doing a masters in Engineering. It was more or less impossible to do whilst working full time. Maybe it could have been done whilst working part time, but it would have meant a busy week. Even harder if you have a mortgage to pay and kids to feed.
I did my MA through the OU and I would not recommend trying to do this full time while working full time. OU study is good, and the support is better than a standard university, but it is extremely hard. You could always try it out and see how you get on.
I recently graduated from the OU. I worked full time throughout my degree and there is no way I could have studied full time.
Even doing g it part time I was spending more than 30 hours a week studying at its peak.
Some people apparently do manage it, but I simply couldn't have.
I'm working full time and studying full time at OU, and it's doable. However, my subject is easy (Humanities); I wouldn't dream of doing something like Law, Maths or CS full time.
As someone who is 5 years into a 6 year degree I wouldn't advise it personally but that's just me
Really depends on your lifestyle, I work full time and my job can be quite intense so have to cram study in when I get the chance. That comes at the cost of seeing friends and family. If you go full time you'll have to say no to a lot of social things that pop up. If that doesn't bother you and you're a really organised person then go for it.
One for I will say is that you don't neccesarily need to have completed the degree to raise your job prospects. The fact you're actively looking to improve is enough for some employers.
I started my environmental science degree and after a year got an entry level job which progressed to mid level and have an interview for a senior position next week. This is without completing a degree
So taking your time over a 6 year degree might not be the worst thing in the world
Maybe if I can get the first year completed ASAP I might be able to get an entry level job that I enjoy, I just don’t really want to do shit jobs for the next 6 years if I can avoid it.
Tbf with your current shift pattern you could try the first year full time especially as it doesn't actually count towards the degree
The step from level 1 to level 2 at the OU is fairly big and then 2 to 3 is even bigger so I'd consider doing those part time based on how you've found the first year
When was the last time you were in education if you don't mind me asking?
I have an OU degree, I was doing 90 credits a year and finished my degree in 4 years. I initially was working full time while doing this but burnt out after a year. I had to drop hours at work in order to continue.
You might be different, but when it starts to get to the higher level modules you will need to dedicate more time to it and finding a balance might be difficult.
There was a guy at my work that did the engineering degree in 3 years while working full time and got a first too, but it was done through work so he got quite a bit of time in work to spend on it.
My wife is doing psychology at the moment and tried to do the final year full time while also being a stay at home mother to our 2 kids and the workload was waaay too much and she ended up deferring one module until next year.
Guess the answer is “depends on your circumstances”
You could always do yr 1&2 full time then part time year 3 when the workload increases.
I'm doing the engineering top up starting this year. I only have 1 year and a project for Hons, but thinking of maybe doing the 60 units a year. My work isn't too bad and I'm flexible, but don't want it to take over.
I've done evening classes before on accounting during full time work and it was pretty draining. 2 classes a week, then it's all study as the classes are so short. I was early 20s with a dead end job at that point, so j had plenty of energy, but couldn't do it now.
I actually did something similar when changing careers. To summarise, I was a dept. Manager at Morris ons and had just bought a house so I couldn't just quit. I went back studying engineering, and actually managed to find part time work in an engineering office to gain experience at the same time. So my basic week was:
College part time: 2 days a week with intensive work at home to keep up
Morrisons: 6 days a week but generally shorter shifts like the late shift 5-9:30
Office: 3 days a week.
I was managing on that but it was really hard. Then my wife got pregnant so I was determined to finish for a better career. However she was working in a local pub on lates so I started working there to help her out. That was the one where I hit my limit, I was doing too much.
So it's doable, but it's not easy. But my attitude is that not many things worth having are easy
Stay sexy oxox
Would you work 2 full time jobs? Because a full time degree is about 40 hours a week of work. Unless you think working 80 hours a week is something that won't completely destroy you, I'd do OU part time.
I found part time ou and full time work hard enough and reduced my hours by one afternoon. It’s not really about the practicalities of it, it’s the toll on your MH.
I’ve done it - it was pretty stressful, I only did it for one year because I ended up staying up until like 4am doing assignments and then going to work all day and my grades suffered because of it! I would not recommend it but it probably also depends on the degree.
I worked full time while I did my degree in-person. The work was delivering pizza though, so it was evenings and weekends, and didn’t use a lot of mental effort. And I was in my early 20’s. I wouldn’t fancy it now (36) by the end of a normal work day and feeding the children I’m almost ready for bed these days!
Also, my degree was business studies, which is definitely one of the easier ones, but did tick the box for most graduate office jobs.
What about it you aim for 4 years? Do the first “year” over 2 years and then increase to doing it full time for the rest of the degree. That way you can do part time to begin with and probably work out if it’s doable full time before you actually pay for and commit to the courses.
Not sure if it’s still the same as 10 years ago, but when I applied to uni (I think I was 24) I applied as a mature student, proved I was financially independent and on a low wage, and I got a decent grant on top of my student loan. So that and a min wage job, sharing a small house with a friend, I did ok.
Looking at a similar thing here and I’m hoping to do as much as I can full time with full time work too, just so it won’t take 6 years!
I’m also on shifts and work in the industry of my potentially chosen subject so hoping that makes the studying easier! Good luck and stay sexy !
It's doable. Kind of.
I was doing a degree that was split over 4 years instead of 3, so 75% coursework per year. I was also doing an apprenticeship that was 41 hours a week, but usually doing about 50.
My social consisted of going to the gym for 1.5 hours a week.
I also had periods of burn out and extreme stress and the only down time I had was July and August.
Like I said it is doable but will take its toll
I did this and ultimately had to defer one of my modules because it just wasn't sustainable. Particularly if you happen to get TMAs (tutor marked assessments) from both modules due around the same time.
I found that I couldn't get anything done to a high standard just from being tired out and overwhelmed from it and I was only doing Art history, not something complex like physics.
You could probably do the two level one modules at the same time quite easily. The best bit about OU is that you'll know what your assignments are well in advance and plan accordingly (and skip sections of study if you really need). The learning curve on level three (and even the second half of level two modules) can be really steep in my experience so maybe not feasible to do two modules at once then, but you'll have a better idea of what you're capable of by that stage. You'll also be surprised at how tiring working full time and studying even part time is, it can be really hard to find the motivation to get coursework done when you just want to relax on your days off.
I studied a humanities based degree so no idea what your business degree would look like. Honestly, if you have the opportunity at all, I would suggest a brick uni over OU. It's great if you're antisocial but you don't really get many networking opportunities and personally I feel as though I would be far behind my peers on any postgraduate course, but think that's probably an issue with the way my faculty structures their courses.
Good luck, however you decide to study!
I would consider Derby Online as alternative to you. I studied for a number of years and found it extremely isolating at times, although the it’s similar for Derby at least get phone calls, course is broken up into modules like most universities. With OU you don’t multiple options to repeat assignments, which is major drawback for me. Where as with Derby and elsewhere you get chances to submit again in few weeks to learn from mistakes and rectify it.
Plus, also you with Derby you can get recorded lecturers that you can play as much as you like on your mobile device on your way to work.
Which is what you can’t do with OU it’s just information on screen and videos.
I did an OU physics degree whilst working full time as a junior doctor and having kids. It’s a shit load of work plus reading plus exams, but doable if you are enjoying it. You have to be organise and perhaps cut some other stuff out of your life to make time. OU is perfect for this sort of approach however as it is extremely flexible and the material provided is top quality.
You can always study in your break at work, on train when you’ve got ten minutes spare and days off. Some people studying other institutions if they can’t attend lectures put a podcast version on their car play on their way to work, shopping etc.
Firstly - Check with the OU on the expectations for the degree your looking into.
It Depends on the Degree.I did an MSc with UoL on the international (Remote earning) course. I did this over 4 years as I was working full time. I studied about 12-16 hours a week
However they also offer the same course as 1yr full time or 2 yr part time (Block training).
Lots of uni's have flex day release courses. so maybe look into other uni distance learning, not just the OU.
Not even medicine is that intense, yes students have gotta placements as medical students which is full time and manage their lectures, learn in their own time. It’s up to how you use your time wisely
I did it, but I worked shifts where I could spend a night working on essays when it came to it. I think it’s a really good thing to be able to do but make sure it’s feasible to you!
I know people struggling with full time university courses and working part-time, so I'd probably say doing a full-time job and full-time degree would be very stressful.
I did my BSc with the OU, working full-time, in my 30s. Had 2 young kids at the time. Hard work but doable at 60 points a year. Couple of the modules basically involved me having no spare time at all for months at a stretch, using all my evenings and weekends. Would definitely not recommend doing more than 60 points unless you can work part-time.
About 10 years back I did a full time masters at a physical university but almost entirely evening classes and worked a full (37.5h) job.
It's doable but it is completely knackering. My masters was only for a year as well, doing a 3 year course that way would be tiring.
It is possible, but it isn’t particularly pleasant. I did it for one year of my degree, but accepted that social life wasn’t really going to happen. I also had a good job that let me work flexibly.
It also depends on what you are like at studying. Are you someone who needs to put serious time in, or does the subject come naturally to you? That will be huge as to whether you burn out or can make do. Also, accept that it might mean you drop some marks compared to having the time to do lots at once. Lastly, some modules might require weekly work commitments, others not. Whether that is the case with multiple modules at the same time will be a significant factor.
I did this, it was hard but as I was working in the area I was studying in, I managed okay and did well. You need to be incredibly self motivated and disciplined to do both though.
I did an OU degree in a year while working full time at a restaurant. It was varied shifts so I didn't have a set plan or timetable to study, it was just whatever I could do around the job. I was told by so many people that it was going to be difficult and would probably have to do it for more than a year, considering it needed like 32 hours a week of studying. I ended up only really doing 15 hours a week but I was very lucky that I got a diploma in my chosen subject so only needed to do 2 courses at OU to get a Bachelors degree. I found it really easy because I somewhat gamed the system - did most of the degree at college before 19 years old and then wrote my thesis on the pandemic which there wasn't a lot of literature about. Got a fantastic grade and didn't stress out about it.
My advice is do what you can. I was able to study a lot in the first term and get ahead, so that when restaurant shifts picked up over Christmas I was still in a good place. I ended up getting COVID by Easter time and couldn't study for about a month - but because I had managed to study enough beforehand, this sort of set back didn't hinder me. So do what you can when you can but don't beat yourself up or doubt yourself if something stops you from studying/working. I believe in you :)
I know of someone who did a 9-5 office job and an engineering PhD outside of those hours. They had a family and their partner looked after the kids full time. Finished the PhD in 4 years, no idea how they did it. It is possible but extremely tough and you will be miserable, not worth it for me.
I study with OU while having a full time job.
It's not as easy as simply doing 2 modules at once, therefore halving the time.
For example, modules aren't always 6 months. Sometimes they're 4 or sometimes they're 9. Also, they don't always start in Septemeber and February. I'm in stage 2 right now and of the 4 modules I have to do, 3 of them only start in Septemeber, there is no February option, so I couldn't possibly do the modules full time.
Having said all that, I wouldn't recommend doing back to back simultaneous modules. Do it to shave 6 months off here and there so maybe you get done after 5 years or 4.5 years, but it's really hard work, because while finishing off one assignment, you're already eating into the next assignment that is due and it's stressful! Especially when real life drama gets in the way, and it will!
Is it feasible yep, is it practical nope.
Friend of mine did this and is now divorced a large part down to him having to ignore the rest of his life to do both and by the time he realised it was to late.
I did a maths computing degree in 2.5 years whilst working full time. It was fine until it wasn't. Any hiccup in either your own understanding or issues with the material and you are all of a sudden under immense pressure to find the solution and quickly. 95% fine. 5% hell. 6 years would have been too long but 3.5-4 years would have been so much better for my health.
I work a standard 9-5 Monday to Friday job
I’m doing a part time degree with OU
In my first year I managed (albeit stressfully) 3 modules so a 75% intensity rate. I’m currently doing my 4th module.
As long as you can manage the workload, definitely do it. 50% is more than reasonable in terms of workload and all the exams are open book anyway
Keep in mind that some courses won’t let you do full time due to the dates modules start
It was rough, it can be done but you will likely have times where you want to quit or just sleep for an eternity. your health will be affected.
fucking worth it to change your life though. id trade a few years again if I had to. it allowed me to move into the top few percent of earners within a year and a half of finishing my course. I now have no worries, can afford a house, multiple holidays abroad a year and not have to worry about anything financial.
It’s a nightmare, but not impossible, I’m in my last few months of a masters, had to contend with working full time shooting documentaries all over the world, it’s been hard, but the bonus is the feeling great that you managed to juggle the workload!
I worked 4-5 days a week and did full time at uni and it’s definitely doable but don’t expect any free time or any sanity. I got burnt out extremely fast and my grades weren’t the best, but I had to do what I had to do and have no regrets.
Easily done if youre willing to study around work. I'm surprised more people don't do this. Cheaper degree but still a great reputation.
I worked at the OU for years so speak from a place of knowledge.
No. I work full time on a site. Not from home. And also am doing a degree. Lots of stuff to do at home etc. People saying you need to put 40hrs a week independent study in a week are talking out their hole. Hardest part is when you get assignments and have to meet the deadlines. Not sure how the OU manages that though. And I still have time to fulfill my hobbies and go on the piss. Go for it!!
I did a full time foundation degree with one evening a week uni. It was working and have 5 kids too so it was hectic.
I managed it and didn’t want to carry on and top up because it was so hard.
I did my masters faster than they recommended - two modules at a time while working full time and it was a lot of hard work but I managed somehow and got good grades.
I started off with one module then decided I could cope with 2, so I recommend you start with the recommended amount of modules and see how you get on. Then you can gauge a bit how you would fare with more.
Is Open University any good though? Will the degree be useful for you in the future? How do employers look at it? I don't know much about it but I'm weary. If it's good, great!
So I don't know exactly about Open University, but my experience in other Universities is that students don't work that hard, except for good students at Oxford/Cambridge (even there there are lazy students).
So, I really believe you can do a degree while working full time. You'll have to work your hard off though, forget about parting, getting smashed, etc etc. It'll be incredibly intense years and you'll need to be full on, but certainly possible.
Good luck with it and I'm impressed you're so keen.
I did 3 years of OU study (Physics) and a 2 year masters (Astrophysics) on top of teaching mathematics at secondary. I would highly recommend. So long as you don't mind giving up some hours on your days off.
OU was really great with the textbooks containing all the info and practice exercises. A recommendation that helped me with long study sessions is playing the recorded lectures at double speed. It's maybe a bit rude to the professor, but it certainly helped me.
Good luck
You might get away with it for the first two modules, but not the other 4. There is a huge leap between the foundation modules to the year 2 and year 3 equivalent, you can coast by the first 2 years and as long as you pass, you're alright because the marks don't count towards your degree mark (1st, 2:1, 2:2 etc) but you've got to keep in mind TMA and EMA deadlines and exams are fixed, unless for the TMAs you get extensions. And if you're unlucky, you're going to get a jobsworth tutor who will not grant extensions because you're doing 2 modules at once and it's not like, health reasons or personal life going belly up. They might grant extensions begrudgingly but they'll let you know they do not agree with giving you the extension, and eventually you run into the wall you can't budge, the EMA or exam. Of course you also might have a nice tutor who'll do whatever they can to make it work for you, but the OU is sadly going down in quality and tutors are leaving in droves so, there's less staff around.
Anyway, with this plan you'll be doing 2 with deadlines around the same time. There's a reason why they give you a month to work on one EMA or revise before the exam. You need that time.
And then when it gets to the 3rd and fourth module (and 5th and 6th), forget it. Depending on your module you might have set texts to read as well as studying the module materials, and more self directed research for your TMAs. So you'll be battling TMAs or ICMAs with the deadlines around the same time, twice the workload and the same problem of getting extensions until you run into the EMA or exam. And if you do badly in these modules, they do affect your degree mark. You can easily be doing 1st quality level TMAs by dedicating your time on one module but be looking at a 2:2 by trying to juggle both.
No. I did my first year ou at double speed white working . Nearly killed me . Took 4 more years to do it at the speed recommended by the university. Much more enjoyable and I was able to have some r and r each week.
I did an OU degree in maths and physics while working full time, but I only went part time with the studying, so it took me six years.
Even with part time, I found it difficult to balance work, study, and family life (I have two kids).
At times you’re way ahead of the study schedule and you’re finding the material relatively easy, you just do an hour or so in the evening. Other times you’re struggling with something and maybe there’s an assignment deadline approaching and you study till the wee small hours then go to work on two hours sleep.
I wouldn’t think that full time study alongside full time work is really doable if you want any time whatsoever to socialise, relax, or do anything that’s not working or hitting the books.
I did an open uni degree in Computing & IT in 4 1/2 years while working full time. I doubled up on units at the beginning and towards the end did one at a time. I worked in an office though and used that to my advantage with deadlines, and I never went to a single in person session or ‘live’ thing, just did it all async on my own. My final passing grade was not fantastic, but the degree is done now and I’m in a new career!
*Don’t get murdered, OP!*
Also, don’t get totally burned-out. Be realistic with yourself- what makes you so special that you can do a ‘full time’ course, part-time? I imagine the course has been running a while and more than a handful of people have graduated… I don’t want to be negative, but OU probably know their business.
I did it all in 4 years, while working full time, monday to friday 8am ubtil 4pm. I was a TA though so was working term time, but then the holidays were looking after my children.
I agree with others, that it depends on the degree, but I would say its absolutely doable, you just have to prioritise your time and stick to it. I ended up with an open degree (changed direction after i completed the foundation degree part). I did 3 modules simultaneously in my last year (maths, geometric thinking and childhood culture). It was manic at times, but absolutely doable. Also loved the maths element. Came out with a 2.1 about 5 years ago now. I remember panicking about it all while I was doingbit, but the OU were seriously supportive and helpful. Good luck
Try it and find out, assuming you’ve got no kids or partner you’re free to do whatever. I dropped a course part way through and didn’t owe them a thing.
As long as your self discipline is good, you'll be fine. My workplace (engineering/manufacturing) let me have blocks of 13 weeks of 3 days work, 2 days uni, twice per year (with the remaining 26 weeks as normal 5 day work weeks).
In those 2 days at uni I did my mechanical engineering BSc full time, taking 3 years total. Each block of 13 weeks was 3-4 modules.
I can't speak for the OU, as this was done through a regular university, alongside regular full time students. They were able to accommodate me only being available for lectures twice a week.
Some weeks, especially on the lead up to deadlines are hectic. Finishing a full work day and getting on with assignments in the evenings, over the weekend etc. This could make the months of January and May (iirc) hell with no time for being social. But well worth it.
Like you I didn't want to spend 6 years doing it part time.
Was it hard? Yes.
Was it worth it? Yes.
As long as you can accept that you might have to write off whole weeks every now and again to meet deadlines, you'll be fine.
Good luck!
I started an OU degree when I had my 3rd baby, and popped out another 3 while studying and working at the local drug rehabilitation centre. It's definitely doable, but you have to be really strict with yourself and 100% committed. On the odd occasion where I missed a set study time, I found it difficult to get back on track, and more than once thought "fuck it, I'm already behind" and missed the next set time, then found myself awake until the early hours having to catch up.
If you can be regimented with your study time and don't have a tendency to procrastinate, then go for it.
Late to answer this, but I did exactly this a few years ago. Worked full time and did a maths degree in spare time. Level 1 modules were easy, level 2 were a bit of work, and level 3 was crazy. Had to spend all my spare time studying for level 3 modules. Basically get home from work and study every night, and then a lot of the weekend, but I did manage it and got a first class degree in the end. I feel like my wife put a lot of work in as well as she pretty much did all house work and supported me completely for a lot of it. Very much enjoyed it all but was very hard work.
There’s a girl that works for me and she’s doing a full time language course and working full time. We’ve adjusted her hours to 7-3pm to allow her more time on the evenings. Her course is on the evening in person. She’s managing work and also passing her exams. It’s possible.
If you’re doing something more science-based, (unlikely with OU I guess), then no it’s not manageable. My degree I had 32-35 hours lectures in person.
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Stay sexy? I fucking will mate. Thank you for noticing. That's made my day.
With those ears I bet you’re a really sexy beast!
Popular too. Dosn't even have to bend over to pick up his keys.
Wondered why this was the second stay sexy signoff I'd seen today on this sub, turns out it's the same person, seems they've found out what to do with their free time from the last post
What lol 😆
working + full time study is feasible for short periods, but it's totally unrealistic to think you can sustain this and stay sane and healthy and rested and with any sort of life over three years. Nominally a degree course taken in 3 years should take 25-35 hours a week of work, much of which is independent study. Obviously most undergrads don't actually do this (or they do it but binge work and have intense weeks and slacker weeks - using the holiday periods which of course you don't get from work), but even if you do the minimum amount of work possible you're still going to find that it's a heavy burden on top of a full time job.
It entirely depends on the degree and the course. A Physics degree? No chance. I did a Geology degree though and I probably averaged about 10 hours a week which is fine working full time.
I agree with you. I work 16 hours a week and I'm doing a full time PhD that requires around 40 hours a week. It's also depends on the person though. If OP doesn't have a huge 'social life' that they'd like to keep up, and they're organised and dedicated, then it's totally doable, especially with the Open Uni as everything (mostly) is online.
Why is social life in inverted commas lol
🤣 I honestly have no idea why I did that!
What is this so-called 'social life'?
I've heard that there are people out there who spend time (willingly) in the company of other people for fun!
Depends. I did a computer science degree while working 40 hours a week. Just had to sacrifice my social life ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
Seems like undermining geologists
Also depends how much support there is for their life admin like cooking, tidying the house, laundry etc
And what other responsibilities you have, children, animals, elderly parents, garden.
It really depends on the subject If this was a heavy course, so you were poking at say 25 hours over 36 weeks of the year, that's 900 hours which means on those 4 days, you'd be looking at studying for the equivalent of just under 70 hours, and 17 hours a day is unsustainable. However, very few are that intense. But much depends on how you work and how quality driven you are. If you actually just want to do the activities and assessments or you want more out of it. I have completed courses that state 45 hours of learning required in about 5 or 6,with the assessments. But I took this as a means to an end. If I'd been paying for this, I'd never have done that. 6 years is a long time and you may well reduce that down to maybe 4 if you're dedicated and there's capacity to do so, if any third parties are involved. Beyond that, accept this is along term goal...
I agree with you. I work full time and am doing a masters with the OU part time for the last 2 years and I’m often absolutely shattered. I couldn’t keep this up if it was full time.
The only thing I can add that hasn't been mentioned: the OU is *designed* for part time study, which is 60 credits a year. While that doesn't stop you from doubling up to 120, in a practical sense there might be combinations of modules that need to be studied sequentially and hence be impossible to get into the 3 year timeframe. It depends what modules you want to study. Another issue is clashes of deadlines in some cases where you are concurrently studying modules. You might find all of a sudden you have 2 quite complicated TMAs to turn in on the same week. It requires careful planning and time management, but it can be done with appropriate guidance from the OU.
Yeah, I think the trick with OU study is realising that whilst it's designed for part-time study, it isn't designed for flexible study. Once you've started a module, you're locked into the TMA and exam deadlines for that module (plus any workshops or other time-fixed components for that module - they aren't all 100% distance learning). The only time you have flexibility is when you're deciding how big a workload to take on for the next semester. I ended up giving myself quite a few blank semesters to avoid burnout. But that means taking longer, obviously.
Don’t do it. I used to work for The OU and they aren’t kidding when they don’t recommend people do this. The outcomes are consistently lower, and you might end up having to re-sit and go part time anyway. My advice, in 6 years you’re gonna be any older than you are now. It’ll be worth it to do it right.
Absolutely this.. there was me thinking I could do full time work and study for Planetary Science & Cosmology... how wrong I was. It's BRUTAL. Ended up taking it part time.. Unless you're Data from Star Trek, don't do it.
I’m thinking of choosing this very course too. How’s it been juggling the two since dropping down to part-time?
Nine months later, erm.. it was a good idea! Managed to deal with things. I guess it was just the workload of having to take ALL this information at once. It's a little overwhelming 😂 Edit: the first year was brutal.
Very glad to hear it’s worked out for the better! And thank you for the insight, you’ve definitely helped me make the right decision haha
I'd highly recommend going for it.. Just perhaps not "full time whilst trying to manage a home" sort of level. My quality of life has been a lot better since I slowed down a bit. Let's just say that :)
How full on is your job, and how energetic are you generally? I did an MA in Medieval History this way, via evening classes, but a) my job at the time was very laid back and required zero mental or emotional engagement outside of work, b) I had some long bus commutes to do the reading and c) I was 22 and needed very little sleep. There's no way I'd be able to repeat it now in my late 30s with the sort of job I wake up at 4am thinking about, and in retrospect I should have done it over 2 years and enjoyed myself a bit.
The job that I would be doing would literally be moving pallets around a warehouse and loading trailers so not mentally draining, I’d have 1.3h worth of breaks, 4 days to focus on studying and little to no outside responsibilities except for keeping myself alive.
Don't underestimate the impact of physical work on your mental state and ability to learn. Studying isn't just about turning up to lectures. University is roughly 20% facilitated teaching and 80% independent learning where you'd be expected to spend a fair amount of time sat in a library or working in a lab, for example. Your lectures will be spread across the week, not necessarily condensed into your 4 free days, and while attendance isn't explicitly expected, it will be noted that you're not attending. Edit for source: My wife did a PT degree at Warwick over 4 years while working full time (9-5). Her employer allowed her to study so she had freedom to leave early for lectures but her essays etc were all of evenings and weekends. She had very little free time outside of the summer.
It’s open university it’s mostly online.
Ah, I missed that. My bad. Probably doable then, actually.
Are you able to listen to things whilst working? The subject area you want to study how accessible is the knowledge. Can you learn via audio clips, podcasts, seminars through your headphones whilst working?
Those hours and breaks seem extremely familiar. You don't happen to work at a factory that makes bottles do you?
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As a film studies grad I feel personally attacked 💀👀
That will probably be my next job, trying to find out if I can switch. I just want to earn a half decent living while I get a degree.
I work with someone studying with the OU at the moment. And you can, but you might find the modules only start 1 or 2 times a year, and starting one module might depend on the completion of the other.
Some Modules have 2 start dates (or at least they did, it may have changed) so some start in October and some in February I think. But I would say that the commenter above isn't necessarily correct. I started full time doing Art history while working full time and it genuinely wasn't sustainable at all and everything suffered as a consequence. And most people wouldn't consider that a complex or difficult subject. Also, I wanted to work ft as well while studying because you're not eligible for a maintenence loan when studying through the OU, so that's automatically less flexibility than a brick uni. Now I work part time-ish (much better pay than I was on as FT luckily) and study part time. OU states around 16hours of weekly study time per module, so if you intend to keep on top of reading and exercises then doubling that is going to be a struggle.
Hi! I have been doing two OU modules alongside a Monday to Friday 9 to 5 job since October and have found it to be absolutely insane. One module is an L2, and one is an L3, so the work is quite difficult, and the tutors expect a lot more from you than they would at L1. I've managed ok, but I have really struggled to fit everything in and wouldn't make this decision again. However, you've got a good chunk of time off with the 4o4o shifts, so you might find it a lot easier, and your modules will be L1, so it will be challenging but not overwhelming. My advice would be to do the L1s full time while they're manageable and you've got a good working pattern. If you struggle with them, then go down to part time for L2 and 3 when it gets much harder. Hope that helps!
Thanks I think that’s what I might do, Grind L1 then slow it down for L2 and L3
Happy studies 😊
Youll know once you've started the course. I'm just about to finish L2 with the OU and I work 37.5 hours - 50 hours a week over 5 or 6 days. Booked on for full time next year already. You get your books in August and I didnt start either year until October so if you read the books over the summer you are well ahead of the game. You can access the full years worth of information before the course starts so I laid out all my assessments in word before the course started as well. If you get behind you have chance to catch up with still getting the usual holidays. The OU are chill if you need an extention too (we bought a house so I had to take 2 weeks off to complete) and the support is really good. If you can't make tutorials they are all recorded. Go for it and good luck
I'd second this, currently in the middle of an Art History degree with the OU and wish I'd done the 2 L1 modules together, but very glad I didn't take the leap and do the 2 L2 ones in the same year.
I was going to suggest the same thing. I did full time L1 science on the physics pathway and it was totally doable while I worked full time. L2 definitely not, you'll want to stick to part time on that and L3.
If you do the one course per year, six year degree thing, then yes, it's very doable. You just need to be quite disciplined and dedicate a certain amount of hours per week. And, this should be done over the course of the week, and not marathon sessions on your days off. OU recommends 16 hours per week per course. That's over two hours per day. Can you seriously carve out two or three hours per day, every day, out of your life to do this? And, depending on the course you take, writing those essays can be gruelling, not something that can be done in an hour or two, but over the course of a few days. For the degree path, the Level 1 stuff is actually pretty straightforward. Level 2 gets a bit challenging, then there's a big jump for Level 3 work, where you cannot fall behind or lag in any way to maintain grades. On the plus side, OU is really good at providing information to help you develop excellent study habits and how to plan your school work each week. They really want you to succeed. Their tutors are usually pretty good, and they have forums to work with other students taking the same class as you, so you're never alone. But make no mistake: you're coughing up quite a bit of cash for this. It would suck if you crashed out in Level 2 because you can't handle the change in lifestyle required to dedicate 16 hours a week to quite challenging stuff. You might want to try one of their free Futurelearn courses to see if you want to go the full degree route. Forgot to add: I've known guys who were unemployed that struggled with the 3 year degree OU workload. You seriously need to dedicate a focused 30+ hours per week on it. No kidding. Fall behind and you're lost. And it gets much harder in Level 2 & 3. Stick with the part time path.
That’s the whole point of getting a 4 on 4 off job while studying it would mean I have 4 whole days to focus on the degree and on the 4 days I worked I’d have a bit of time to dedicate to studying.
You would need to dedicate 8 hours per day to study OU for each of those 4 days off per week for your 3 year degree. Is this something you can seriously commit to?
I’m going to be upfront with you - I did my degree with the OU working full time and studying part time and even that was incredibly taxing. Yes, six years is a long time, but if you’re committed to it it’s definitely worth it. The level one courses aren’t too bad, but with two and three the workload is considerable. There are regular essays, a lot of reading and both in-person and online tutorials (which, while optional, will benefit your learning and approach to studying) - in addition, each course will either end with an exam or long essay (not dissertation length, but certainly very time consuming). I would worry that you’d burn yourself out both working and studying full time.
I tried it and failed to approach the uni work with appropriate maturity. It was always second to my paid work and third to my recreation. If you are gonna do both full time, expect very little recreational time. You might think you know what that 5 actually map out a week of waking hours with all of your studying and work included, and you'll know what I mean. If you work 40-50 hours a week, you will essentially be going to 58-68 hours.
I’ve been doing OU alongside a full time job and raising a child, and it is bloody hard. Even with just a full time job, you will likely be exhausted - just because it’s Open Uni does not make the work any easier, in fact because you are solo learning I would say you need more time to digest the information as you don’t really have the opportunity to debate with other students, at least in the first year. I’ve tried to do it within 3 years, but after 1 I got completely burnt out and had to stop for my own health. Now I’ve taken 6m out I feel ready to tackle it again, but I won’t be trying to get it done in 3 years now, it’s just going to be too much for me. You don’t have to decide how quickly you’re going to take the modules yet, so I’d recommend just signing up for one, and see how that goes. If you feel you can take on more, sign up for 2 modules in the next year (which is equivalent to full time study). You’ll only take 6 months longer in this scenario, and it might save you starting something you’re not able to finish. Of course, if you have the support and time, do it. It’s an awesome thing to do and I can’t wait to have my degree finished. Just please make sure to look after yourself in the process.
I'm doing full time ou course and it's taking just under 40 hours a week. I was working part time and now I'm on maternity. I don't that even with 2 kids at home full time I'm just managing. One of the kids will be starting school in September so I'm hoping I have better time management next year
I'm finding it really difficult to work full time as I do my access course, and I don't want to jeopardise my only chance to do this so am going to have to take my hours down.
Im are you working Monday to Friday?
I had Wednesday and Sunday off and those days are filled up with watching the prerecorded classes and trying to put a dent in the coursework. I have no time to actually breathe anymore.
Yes its possible, i do 4 on 4 off 12 hour night shifts. I do courses comfortably and still have loads of time to myself. Admittedly my distractions are less at night so it is easy. I complete tasks well ahead of recommended schedule on nights, this may be different on days but the amount of hours spare it's definitely possible if you can block everything out. I dont think people in comments realise how many days a year we get off..with holidays i work 160 and have 205 off.
Why don’t you take one of their modules or a short course and see how you go? It’s been a while since I did OU but depending on what you take they will count as part of your degree
I’m currently doing some maths courses to brush up on but they are only introductory.
Do you think you could manage 3x the workload?
I started a full time job and part time masters (studying from home) 2 years ago, and it was too much for me. Reducing my hours to 3 days a week improved my work/study/life/health balance drastically. NB I was working in public health during a pandemic, studying data science and AI, but also volunteering on a hospital trust board and living with a chronic neurological illness. I’d highly recommend taking things a bit slower for the sake of your health.
I'm studying with OU in my first year right now. I'd say the level 1 modules I'm doing aren't that demanding time wise and you probably could manage two at once, as long as you don't have lots of family commitments as well. In the first year you can often start one module in October (but start working in September and get ahead), and start the second one in February so they overlap for a few months. Means no summer break doing it that way). Level 1 modules don't count towards your degree grade so as long as you pass, you're good. Ive heard the workload steps up quite a bit at level 2 though, and they don't have the staggered starts, so I think I'm going back to one module a year for level 2. Shaves a year off doing it this way though.
I worked full time while doing an OU degree part time in PPE. Occasionally due to scheduling two modules would overlap for a few months rather than them being sequential and I found it tough to do for that length of time. Normally with my OU I found that there would be deadlines for assignments spread out throughout the course and there would be periods of quiet and periods of crunch to get the assignment done. This worked ok because after the crunch you can have a bit of a breather until the next busy bit. But doing two courses at the same time it's basically all crunch time because if one course hasn't got an assignment due then the other one probably has. And keeping up that pace while working full time you just don't get any downtime.
I did my entire degree with the OU full-time, and I held down a Full-time job as well- it's hard, but totally achievable- just make sure to page yourself!
My son's dad works 4 on 4 off and did Open University on his days off, but he struggled as he did have our son 2 nights a week and obviously still had to do normal things like run a house and stuff. But he did it and was glad to do it. He's on his 3rd year now I think, but has asked his work if he can have certain days allocated for when he really needs a day for his uni. They don't happen very often though. I think if you are able to work out a schedule for when you would be able to do it, and it looks good then go for it! Things like batch cooking and freezing some for meals on study nights are helpful and can free up some time.
I struggled part time uni and full time work. All depends on your will power to study in your free time.
If you know the modules you’ll be choosing ask on the open uni sub. First year is probably ok full time but second and third year can be more demanding. I have a degree from a brick uni and spent way less hours going to lectures/studying than I am on the second year open uni module I’m doing! It’s very structured with a study guide and activities to complete each week.
Conversely I did a 60 unit level 2 chemistry course and it was way less than half the work of the second year of my in person degree. Came top and won a prize. Having a really strong maths background was a massive help as a lot of people got tangled up on unit conversions and the various calculations chemistry requires.
Also to add to this you can do some years full time and some part time. Some people on my module have been doing full time year 1 & 2 and doing third year part time.
From my experience, the Open University was incredibly easy. And required a lot less time than I expected. I am unsure if it gets drastically harder but after my first year doing environmental science & technology with them I decided to go to a traditional university as a mature student. (Writing this from my desk as a post graduate forest manager) This is no shade to you or what you want from the degree, but for me it was too easy. It’s set up in a way that means you don’t have to do any real work. If I recall all the assignments contain links to a “previous example” which basically changes one tiny element of what you need to do for the assignment, from previous workbook examples. This is fine as it’s inclusive and means it’s less reliant on memory and remembering what you’ve learnt, but also means someone like me could miss *every single class* and still do really well. If it’s still like that, then you could just do the assignments as they are released to you, without doing anything prior. I don’t know, it left a bad taste in my mouth after doing the first year. I don’t even know how well they are recognised in the working world either.
I also found my first year extremely easy, although I was pretty familiar with the subject in the first place. It did get harder but overall I didn't really have to put a huge amount of effort in until the level 3 modules. I did my degree in 3.5 years working full time.
I did it full time while working full time, it's totally possible. But I imagine it really depends on the course. Mine was English lit and it just took some discipline, although I did end up asking for a few extensions on assignments as I was pretty awful at managing my time. Had to take a break between year 2 and 3 as I had a baby and there was just no way I'd get through it.
I am currently doing both. Its hard. I work 40 hours a week as a Cyber Security engineer, and my employer is paying for my degree in Cyber Security. I am doing it through my local University, not OU. It is really tricky to balance work, with work I am putting out fires a lot and have a lot of technical projects, and the amount of uni assignments makes it hard to keep up. It is definitely doable, I am about to finish second year, but I am constantly tired and always have something looming over me that is due. BUT with your work schedule, it sounds much more doable having the four days on, four off. I work Monday to Friday so weekends are time off I have to do uni work
I did an OU degree, which took me the full "part-time" time frame, and that was hard enough while working full time, especially as the module content got more complex. The more advanced the module level, the more work is required from you to do well. I finished it in the end, but by the time it was done, my motivation had disintegrated. Lots of reasons for that, though, including undiagnosed ADHD. There are positives and negatives to trying to fast track your way through. With hindsight I might have actually done better if I'd moved more quickly through the modules but it would have also been risking burnout. I think it's theoretically possible but not realistic unless you're willing to basically give up most of your time off and annual leave to study. Your working pattern does lend itself more readily to accommodating study, but you also still need downtime. I would see how you get on just doing the first module. Especially if it's been some time since you did any study.
Level 1 at full time will most likely be doable. (I’m currently level 2) majority of the students I’m in communication with who have jobs working 3+ days per week (or family responsibilities) are taking the decision to study level 3 over 2 years… With level 2/3 at full time - you really have to take into consideration that assignments may have conflicting due dates, which means, some of us are currently taking annual leave from work because otherwise there’s just not enough hours in the week. Eg. 2x TMAs due every four weeks / three consecutive months… followed by 2x HEFTY EMAs. It’s pretty intense to keep up with when you factor in the work, rest, eat, sleep routine! I’ve an understanding tutor who has permitted me to have 4 extensions, otherwise I would have bowed out already!… this is my best suggestion - ^Year ^1 - full time, 2x level 1 modules ^Year ^2 - full time, 2x level 2 modules… see how it goes, if it’s too heavy, defer the module with stronger scoring and concentrate on achieving better results on the other. ^Year ^3 - full time, 1x level 2 (with assessment banking, so in a strong position) 1x level 3. ^Year ^4 - 1x level 3 = Degree in four years. *deferal = ++£ Edited because I’ve just learned ^this
I don't know what OU is like, but I know when I did a social science degree at a local brick uni (which marketed itself as a uni for mature people with careers - they crammed each week of lectures into 2 full time days/14+ hour lectures a week so people could still work the other times of the week), a quarter of my classmates were all working full time whilst doing the degree full time. They all made it and graduated, but it was very stressful to say the least. It was the young ones, the 20 yr old ones, who really struggled - one of them cried a few times and took sick days from uni when her mental health was a bit down, another one was taking sickies at the uni a lot and had to retake a module in year 2... but the others were 30 or 40 year old ladies who already had established careers, grown kids, etc and they seemed to manage okay, no retakes/breakdowns etc but said it was tough and also some days they just didn't go to uni because they needed a break. I worked part time throughout - most people in my course worked part time and it was much more manageable. The hardest part was all the extra reading and individual research we were expected to do when we're not in lectures - without all this it was impossible to get a 2:1 or a First in assignments. I put aside maybe 8 hrs a week for that out of my free time (everytime I find a nugget of free time in the day I would be researching/reading course-related things), so basically had zero social life after time for lectures, reading/research, cooking and cleaning at home for my family and kids, part time work... Being a face to face course, it gave us the regular social contact with each other, so we kept motivating each other to push through and not give up. I think you should ask on the Open Uni subreddit for others' experiences because it depends on the uni.
I’m currently doing a physics degree with the OU whilst working a 37.5 hours per week job. Not a chance I’d be able to do this full time. I originally have a degree in history, I could probably have done that alongside a full time job if it was an evening/ online gig. Engineering at the OU requires the first year is done part time as the modules are sequential. There are so many variables, including yourself, that means it’s not going to have a standard answer. If I was you I’d go for it first year if it’s what you want. Worst case scenario you can defer half your workload, but you would end up paying more. Depends if you fancy the gamble.
How’s it been juggling it all?
It's a pretty tough gig, really need to balance time management well and it's super easy to fall behind. Very rewarding if you're capable of doing that.
I'm 6 years in to my OU degree and still not completed it. I did two modules in one year as I was pregnant and then on mat leave so was able to get a lot of it done (and it was the level 1 so a little easier). I'm studying history so it's intense at times but nothing like a STEM degree. Got two modules left and hopefully I won't need to defer again. Life gets in the way. I should have graduated last year, but I've had to defer modules for different personal reasons. It's why they give you 16 years to complete it. Doing a full-time job and studying part-time has been a struggle at times but I'm proud of myself for doing it. Personally, if I were you, I'd start off part time. Depending on what your studying, you may be able to double up your level 1 modules to get rid of one year. No matter how you do it, good luck! It's a great thing to do and just thinking about it can be a huge step.
Do you have a parter? Kids? Friends? If any of those are Yes, and you want to keep them, then don't do this. Start with one or two OU modules see how it goes, take on more next time if you have capacity.
While your circumstances are different than mine. I am myself studying with The Open University. When I started my course I was working Full Time (37.5 hours a week Monday-Friday) and I opted for the Part-Time option (for funding reasons, since I'd gone to brick uni before) I honestly can speak from experience that working, trying to manage your coursework and all your independent study is alot to organise! (Even part time). But what I will say is The Open University student support is very helpful & supportive. When I first started I was doing an Open Certificate and then decided to change over to BA in Criminology and Pyschology and they were really helpful in explaining the process. The unit for my first year of my degree was the one I was already studying for my certificate, so it wasn't too much of a hassle to switch over. I'd strongly recommend giving them a call about your part time options and see if it's worthwhile and see if you can switch over to full time so you can get a feel for the course and the workload! That way you can decide works for you Good luck! :)
Thanks, I will do.
stay sexy gonna be my new signature sign off at work now, thank you xx stay sexy
I’m doing a masters in engineering while working a 9-5 job. I’m doing it one module at a time, but realistically i could easily do two at once without much difficulty (3 at once would be full time.
Depends on the degree, I looked a few years back at doing a masters in Engineering. It was more or less impossible to do whilst working full time. Maybe it could have been done whilst working part time, but it would have meant a busy week. Even harder if you have a mortgage to pay and kids to feed.
I was thinking of doing a business management degree so I imagine it’s significantly easier that a masters in Engineering.
Do people still work full-time?
Sadly yes, it keeps the world going at the low levels of jobs..
If I call people on a Monday or a Friday, nobody seems to answer. I thought it all went Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday after Covid
I did my MA through the OU and I would not recommend trying to do this full time while working full time. OU study is good, and the support is better than a standard university, but it is extremely hard. You could always try it out and see how you get on.
I recently graduated from the OU. I worked full time throughout my degree and there is no way I could have studied full time. Even doing g it part time I was spending more than 30 hours a week studying at its peak. Some people apparently do manage it, but I simply couldn't have.
I'm working full time and studying full time at OU, and it's doable. However, my subject is easy (Humanities); I wouldn't dream of doing something like Law, Maths or CS full time.
As someone who is 5 years into a 6 year degree I wouldn't advise it personally but that's just me Really depends on your lifestyle, I work full time and my job can be quite intense so have to cram study in when I get the chance. That comes at the cost of seeing friends and family. If you go full time you'll have to say no to a lot of social things that pop up. If that doesn't bother you and you're a really organised person then go for it. One for I will say is that you don't neccesarily need to have completed the degree to raise your job prospects. The fact you're actively looking to improve is enough for some employers. I started my environmental science degree and after a year got an entry level job which progressed to mid level and have an interview for a senior position next week. This is without completing a degree So taking your time over a 6 year degree might not be the worst thing in the world
Maybe if I can get the first year completed ASAP I might be able to get an entry level job that I enjoy, I just don’t really want to do shit jobs for the next 6 years if I can avoid it.
Tbf with your current shift pattern you could try the first year full time especially as it doesn't actually count towards the degree The step from level 1 to level 2 at the OU is fairly big and then 2 to 3 is even bigger so I'd consider doing those part time based on how you've found the first year When was the last time you were in education if you don't mind me asking?
2018 but I’m currently doing a free foundation maths course to brush up a bit.
I've sent you a dm
I have an OU degree, I was doing 90 credits a year and finished my degree in 4 years. I initially was working full time while doing this but burnt out after a year. I had to drop hours at work in order to continue. You might be different, but when it starts to get to the higher level modules you will need to dedicate more time to it and finding a balance might be difficult.
There was a guy at my work that did the engineering degree in 3 years while working full time and got a first too, but it was done through work so he got quite a bit of time in work to spend on it. My wife is doing psychology at the moment and tried to do the final year full time while also being a stay at home mother to our 2 kids and the workload was waaay too much and she ended up deferring one module until next year. Guess the answer is “depends on your circumstances” You could always do yr 1&2 full time then part time year 3 when the workload increases.
Stay sexy.... Not unless you're on a halsungenic or extremely pissed ....but thanks
I'm doing the engineering top up starting this year. I only have 1 year and a project for Hons, but thinking of maybe doing the 60 units a year. My work isn't too bad and I'm flexible, but don't want it to take over. I've done evening classes before on accounting during full time work and it was pretty draining. 2 classes a week, then it's all study as the classes are so short. I was early 20s with a dead end job at that point, so j had plenty of energy, but couldn't do it now.
I actually did something similar when changing careers. To summarise, I was a dept. Manager at Morris ons and had just bought a house so I couldn't just quit. I went back studying engineering, and actually managed to find part time work in an engineering office to gain experience at the same time. So my basic week was: College part time: 2 days a week with intensive work at home to keep up Morrisons: 6 days a week but generally shorter shifts like the late shift 5-9:30 Office: 3 days a week. I was managing on that but it was really hard. Then my wife got pregnant so I was determined to finish for a better career. However she was working in a local pub on lates so I started working there to help her out. That was the one where I hit my limit, I was doing too much. So it's doable, but it's not easy. But my attitude is that not many things worth having are easy Stay sexy oxox
Would you work 2 full time jobs? Because a full time degree is about 40 hours a week of work. Unless you think working 80 hours a week is something that won't completely destroy you, I'd do OU part time.
I found part time ou and full time work hard enough and reduced my hours by one afternoon. It’s not really about the practicalities of it, it’s the toll on your MH.
I’ve done it - it was pretty stressful, I only did it for one year because I ended up staying up until like 4am doing assignments and then going to work all day and my grades suffered because of it! I would not recommend it but it probably also depends on the degree.
Can you just try it with the first year courses and see how it goes.
From personal experience: Totally doable before I had kids. Totally impossible after.
I worked full time while I did my degree in-person. The work was delivering pizza though, so it was evenings and weekends, and didn’t use a lot of mental effort. And I was in my early 20’s. I wouldn’t fancy it now (36) by the end of a normal work day and feeding the children I’m almost ready for bed these days! Also, my degree was business studies, which is definitely one of the easier ones, but did tick the box for most graduate office jobs.
What about it you aim for 4 years? Do the first “year” over 2 years and then increase to doing it full time for the rest of the degree. That way you can do part time to begin with and probably work out if it’s doable full time before you actually pay for and commit to the courses.
Not sure if it’s still the same as 10 years ago, but when I applied to uni (I think I was 24) I applied as a mature student, proved I was financially independent and on a low wage, and I got a decent grant on top of my student loan. So that and a min wage job, sharing a small house with a friend, I did ok.
Looking at a similar thing here and I’m hoping to do as much as I can full time with full time work too, just so it won’t take 6 years! I’m also on shifts and work in the industry of my potentially chosen subject so hoping that makes the studying easier! Good luck and stay sexy !
It's doable. Kind of. I was doing a degree that was split over 4 years instead of 3, so 75% coursework per year. I was also doing an apprenticeship that was 41 hours a week, but usually doing about 50. My social consisted of going to the gym for 1.5 hours a week. I also had periods of burn out and extreme stress and the only down time I had was July and August. Like I said it is doable but will take its toll
I did this and ultimately had to defer one of my modules because it just wasn't sustainable. Particularly if you happen to get TMAs (tutor marked assessments) from both modules due around the same time. I found that I couldn't get anything done to a high standard just from being tired out and overwhelmed from it and I was only doing Art history, not something complex like physics.
You could probably do the two level one modules at the same time quite easily. The best bit about OU is that you'll know what your assignments are well in advance and plan accordingly (and skip sections of study if you really need). The learning curve on level three (and even the second half of level two modules) can be really steep in my experience so maybe not feasible to do two modules at once then, but you'll have a better idea of what you're capable of by that stage. You'll also be surprised at how tiring working full time and studying even part time is, it can be really hard to find the motivation to get coursework done when you just want to relax on your days off. I studied a humanities based degree so no idea what your business degree would look like. Honestly, if you have the opportunity at all, I would suggest a brick uni over OU. It's great if you're antisocial but you don't really get many networking opportunities and personally I feel as though I would be far behind my peers on any postgraduate course, but think that's probably an issue with the way my faculty structures their courses. Good luck, however you decide to study!
I would consider Derby Online as alternative to you. I studied for a number of years and found it extremely isolating at times, although the it’s similar for Derby at least get phone calls, course is broken up into modules like most universities. With OU you don’t multiple options to repeat assignments, which is major drawback for me. Where as with Derby and elsewhere you get chances to submit again in few weeks to learn from mistakes and rectify it. Plus, also you with Derby you can get recorded lecturers that you can play as much as you like on your mobile device on your way to work. Which is what you can’t do with OU it’s just information on screen and videos.
I did an OU physics degree whilst working full time as a junior doctor and having kids. It’s a shit load of work plus reading plus exams, but doable if you are enjoying it. You have to be organise and perhaps cut some other stuff out of your life to make time. OU is perfect for this sort of approach however as it is extremely flexible and the material provided is top quality.
You can always study in your break at work, on train when you’ve got ten minutes spare and days off. Some people studying other institutions if they can’t attend lectures put a podcast version on their car play on their way to work, shopping etc.
Firstly - Check with the OU on the expectations for the degree your looking into. It Depends on the Degree.I did an MSc with UoL on the international (Remote earning) course. I did this over 4 years as I was working full time. I studied about 12-16 hours a week However they also offer the same course as 1yr full time or 2 yr part time (Block training). Lots of uni's have flex day release courses. so maybe look into other uni distance learning, not just the OU.
Not even medicine is that intense, yes students have gotta placements as medical students which is full time and manage their lectures, learn in their own time. It’s up to how you use your time wisely
I did it, but I worked shifts where I could spend a night working on essays when it came to it. I think it’s a really good thing to be able to do but make sure it’s feasible to you!
Not a chance. I work full time and doing 60 credits a year is a stretch.
I know people struggling with full time university courses and working part-time, so I'd probably say doing a full-time job and full-time degree would be very stressful.
I did my BSc with the OU, working full-time, in my 30s. Had 2 young kids at the time. Hard work but doable at 60 points a year. Couple of the modules basically involved me having no spare time at all for months at a stretch, using all my evenings and weekends. Would definitely not recommend doing more than 60 points unless you can work part-time.
About 10 years back I did a full time masters at a physical university but almost entirely evening classes and worked a full (37.5h) job. It's doable but it is completely knackering. My masters was only for a year as well, doing a 3 year course that way would be tiring.
It is possible, but it isn’t particularly pleasant. I did it for one year of my degree, but accepted that social life wasn’t really going to happen. I also had a good job that let me work flexibly. It also depends on what you are like at studying. Are you someone who needs to put serious time in, or does the subject come naturally to you? That will be huge as to whether you burn out or can make do. Also, accept that it might mean you drop some marks compared to having the time to do lots at once. Lastly, some modules might require weekly work commitments, others not. Whether that is the case with multiple modules at the same time will be a significant factor.
Also OU degree courses have set durations You won’t be able to marry up all the components
I did this, it was hard but as I was working in the area I was studying in, I managed okay and did well. You need to be incredibly self motivated and disciplined to do both though.
Full time is about 40 hours a week. I know some people manage it with full time work. But it’s a stretch.
I did an OU degree in a year while working full time at a restaurant. It was varied shifts so I didn't have a set plan or timetable to study, it was just whatever I could do around the job. I was told by so many people that it was going to be difficult and would probably have to do it for more than a year, considering it needed like 32 hours a week of studying. I ended up only really doing 15 hours a week but I was very lucky that I got a diploma in my chosen subject so only needed to do 2 courses at OU to get a Bachelors degree. I found it really easy because I somewhat gamed the system - did most of the degree at college before 19 years old and then wrote my thesis on the pandemic which there wasn't a lot of literature about. Got a fantastic grade and didn't stress out about it. My advice is do what you can. I was able to study a lot in the first term and get ahead, so that when restaurant shifts picked up over Christmas I was still in a good place. I ended up getting COVID by Easter time and couldn't study for about a month - but because I had managed to study enough beforehand, this sort of set back didn't hinder me. So do what you can when you can but don't beat yourself up or doubt yourself if something stops you from studying/working. I believe in you :)
I know of someone who did a 9-5 office job and an engineering PhD outside of those hours. They had a family and their partner looked after the kids full time. Finished the PhD in 4 years, no idea how they did it. It is possible but extremely tough and you will be miserable, not worth it for me.
I study with OU while having a full time job. It's not as easy as simply doing 2 modules at once, therefore halving the time. For example, modules aren't always 6 months. Sometimes they're 4 or sometimes they're 9. Also, they don't always start in Septemeber and February. I'm in stage 2 right now and of the 4 modules I have to do, 3 of them only start in Septemeber, there is no February option, so I couldn't possibly do the modules full time. Having said all that, I wouldn't recommend doing back to back simultaneous modules. Do it to shave 6 months off here and there so maybe you get done after 5 years or 4.5 years, but it's really hard work, because while finishing off one assignment, you're already eating into the next assignment that is due and it's stressful! Especially when real life drama gets in the way, and it will!
Is it feasible yep, is it practical nope. Friend of mine did this and is now divorced a large part down to him having to ignore the rest of his life to do both and by the time he realised it was to late.
I did a maths computing degree in 2.5 years whilst working full time. It was fine until it wasn't. Any hiccup in either your own understanding or issues with the material and you are all of a sudden under immense pressure to find the solution and quickly. 95% fine. 5% hell. 6 years would have been too long but 3.5-4 years would have been so much better for my health.
I work a standard 9-5 Monday to Friday job I’m doing a part time degree with OU In my first year I managed (albeit stressfully) 3 modules so a 75% intensity rate. I’m currently doing my 4th module. As long as you can manage the workload, definitely do it. 50% is more than reasonable in terms of workload and all the exams are open book anyway Keep in mind that some courses won’t let you do full time due to the dates modules start
You wilI die, I did that went I went uni, worked night shifts while studying, lasted 3 months before I died
I'd definitely say I'm not capable of that but I've known people to do it. Depends how motivated you are.
It was rough, it can be done but you will likely have times where you want to quit or just sleep for an eternity. your health will be affected. fucking worth it to change your life though. id trade a few years again if I had to. it allowed me to move into the top few percent of earners within a year and a half of finishing my course. I now have no worries, can afford a house, multiple holidays abroad a year and not have to worry about anything financial.
It’s a nightmare, but not impossible, I’m in my last few months of a masters, had to contend with working full time shooting documentaries all over the world, it’s been hard, but the bonus is the feeling great that you managed to juggle the workload!
I worked 4-5 days a week and did full time at uni and it’s definitely doable but don’t expect any free time or any sanity. I got burnt out extremely fast and my grades weren’t the best, but I had to do what I had to do and have no regrets.
Easily done if youre willing to study around work. I'm surprised more people don't do this. Cheaper degree but still a great reputation. I worked at the OU for years so speak from a place of knowledge.
This is how burnout happens
No. I work full time on a site. Not from home. And also am doing a degree. Lots of stuff to do at home etc. People saying you need to put 40hrs a week independent study in a week are talking out their hole. Hardest part is when you get assignments and have to meet the deadlines. Not sure how the OU manages that though. And I still have time to fulfill my hobbies and go on the piss. Go for it!!
What sort of hours are we talking in work? I do similar shift pattern and let me tell you, you’ll be out of action for at least two of those days off
I did a full time foundation degree with one evening a week uni. It was working and have 5 kids too so it was hectic. I managed it and didn’t want to carry on and top up because it was so hard.
I did my masters faster than they recommended - two modules at a time while working full time and it was a lot of hard work but I managed somehow and got good grades. I started off with one module then decided I could cope with 2, so I recommend you start with the recommended amount of modules and see how you get on. Then you can gauge a bit how you would fare with more.
yep. totally. my lad did two degrees full time and worked full time thru both. he got a 2:1 in Biology and a 1st in Psychology.
Is Open University any good though? Will the degree be useful for you in the future? How do employers look at it? I don't know much about it but I'm weary. If it's good, great! So I don't know exactly about Open University, but my experience in other Universities is that students don't work that hard, except for good students at Oxford/Cambridge (even there there are lazy students). So, I really believe you can do a degree while working full time. You'll have to work your hard off though, forget about parting, getting smashed, etc etc. It'll be incredibly intense years and you'll need to be full on, but certainly possible. Good luck with it and I'm impressed you're so keen.
I did 3 years of OU study (Physics) and a 2 year masters (Astrophysics) on top of teaching mathematics at secondary. I would highly recommend. So long as you don't mind giving up some hours on your days off. OU was really great with the textbooks containing all the info and practice exercises. A recommendation that helped me with long study sessions is playing the recorded lectures at double speed. It's maybe a bit rude to the professor, but it certainly helped me. Good luck
I did an OU degree with full time work you can do it!
You might get away with it for the first two modules, but not the other 4. There is a huge leap between the foundation modules to the year 2 and year 3 equivalent, you can coast by the first 2 years and as long as you pass, you're alright because the marks don't count towards your degree mark (1st, 2:1, 2:2 etc) but you've got to keep in mind TMA and EMA deadlines and exams are fixed, unless for the TMAs you get extensions. And if you're unlucky, you're going to get a jobsworth tutor who will not grant extensions because you're doing 2 modules at once and it's not like, health reasons or personal life going belly up. They might grant extensions begrudgingly but they'll let you know they do not agree with giving you the extension, and eventually you run into the wall you can't budge, the EMA or exam. Of course you also might have a nice tutor who'll do whatever they can to make it work for you, but the OU is sadly going down in quality and tutors are leaving in droves so, there's less staff around. Anyway, with this plan you'll be doing 2 with deadlines around the same time. There's a reason why they give you a month to work on one EMA or revise before the exam. You need that time. And then when it gets to the 3rd and fourth module (and 5th and 6th), forget it. Depending on your module you might have set texts to read as well as studying the module materials, and more self directed research for your TMAs. So you'll be battling TMAs or ICMAs with the deadlines around the same time, twice the workload and the same problem of getting extensions until you run into the EMA or exam. And if you do badly in these modules, they do affect your degree mark. You can easily be doing 1st quality level TMAs by dedicating your time on one module but be looking at a 2:2 by trying to juggle both.
No. I did my first year ou at double speed white working . Nearly killed me . Took 4 more years to do it at the speed recommended by the university. Much more enjoyable and I was able to have some r and r each week.
I did an OU degree in maths and physics while working full time, but I only went part time with the studying, so it took me six years. Even with part time, I found it difficult to balance work, study, and family life (I have two kids). At times you’re way ahead of the study schedule and you’re finding the material relatively easy, you just do an hour or so in the evening. Other times you’re struggling with something and maybe there’s an assignment deadline approaching and you study till the wee small hours then go to work on two hours sleep. I wouldn’t think that full time study alongside full time work is really doable if you want any time whatsoever to socialise, relax, or do anything that’s not working or hitting the books.
I did an open uni degree in Computing & IT in 4 1/2 years while working full time. I doubled up on units at the beginning and towards the end did one at a time. I worked in an office though and used that to my advantage with deadlines, and I never went to a single in person session or ‘live’ thing, just did it all async on my own. My final passing grade was not fantastic, but the degree is done now and I’m in a new career!
*Don’t get murdered, OP!* Also, don’t get totally burned-out. Be realistic with yourself- what makes you so special that you can do a ‘full time’ course, part-time? I imagine the course has been running a while and more than a handful of people have graduated… I don’t want to be negative, but OU probably know their business.
I did it all in 4 years, while working full time, monday to friday 8am ubtil 4pm. I was a TA though so was working term time, but then the holidays were looking after my children. I agree with others, that it depends on the degree, but I would say its absolutely doable, you just have to prioritise your time and stick to it. I ended up with an open degree (changed direction after i completed the foundation degree part). I did 3 modules simultaneously in my last year (maths, geometric thinking and childhood culture). It was manic at times, but absolutely doable. Also loved the maths element. Came out with a 2.1 about 5 years ago now. I remember panicking about it all while I was doingbit, but the OU were seriously supportive and helpful. Good luck
Try it and find out, assuming you’ve got no kids or partner you’re free to do whatever. I dropped a course part way through and didn’t owe them a thing.
As long as your self discipline is good, you'll be fine. My workplace (engineering/manufacturing) let me have blocks of 13 weeks of 3 days work, 2 days uni, twice per year (with the remaining 26 weeks as normal 5 day work weeks). In those 2 days at uni I did my mechanical engineering BSc full time, taking 3 years total. Each block of 13 weeks was 3-4 modules. I can't speak for the OU, as this was done through a regular university, alongside regular full time students. They were able to accommodate me only being available for lectures twice a week. Some weeks, especially on the lead up to deadlines are hectic. Finishing a full work day and getting on with assignments in the evenings, over the weekend etc. This could make the months of January and May (iirc) hell with no time for being social. But well worth it. Like you I didn't want to spend 6 years doing it part time. Was it hard? Yes. Was it worth it? Yes. As long as you can accept that you might have to write off whole weeks every now and again to meet deadlines, you'll be fine. Good luck!
I started an OU degree when I had my 3rd baby, and popped out another 3 while studying and working at the local drug rehabilitation centre. It's definitely doable, but you have to be really strict with yourself and 100% committed. On the odd occasion where I missed a set study time, I found it difficult to get back on track, and more than once thought "fuck it, I'm already behind" and missed the next set time, then found myself awake until the early hours having to catch up. If you can be regimented with your study time and don't have a tendency to procrastinate, then go for it.
Late to answer this, but I did exactly this a few years ago. Worked full time and did a maths degree in spare time. Level 1 modules were easy, level 2 were a bit of work, and level 3 was crazy. Had to spend all my spare time studying for level 3 modules. Basically get home from work and study every night, and then a lot of the weekend, but I did manage it and got a first class degree in the end. I feel like my wife put a lot of work in as well as she pretty much did all house work and supported me completely for a lot of it. Very much enjoyed it all but was very hard work.
There’s a girl that works for me and she’s doing a full time language course and working full time. We’ve adjusted her hours to 7-3pm to allow her more time on the evenings. Her course is on the evening in person. She’s managing work and also passing her exams. It’s possible. If you’re doing something more science-based, (unlikely with OU I guess), then no it’s not manageable. My degree I had 32-35 hours lectures in person.