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hiya everyone
I have been looking at the ou courses for early years and childhood studies as I have just finished a course with the ou sk124 recently just waiting for the results.
But I have also seen that I can do a foundation degree in childhood studies at a local colege and I wondering has anyone done this course, and how did you find it :D
I am still not sure which one to go for I think I will ring the open uni see what they say I just done wont to make a mistake and start the wrong degree
I am currently studying for the foundation degree with the OU and find this suits me with childminding and a young family as I can fit the work around me and the children rather than having to go out to college on fixed days etc The only thing with doing it this way is that you need to be pretty disciplined with yourself about 'keeping up' with the reading otherwise the assignments can be a bit of a nightmare!
I'm also doing my degree with the OU as it fits in with work and family. It is quite intense and think it takes longer than through a local college, but I feel like I am learning and improving. My network coordinator started her foundation degree with the OU and then switch to a local college. She said she learnt far more with the OU course and that the college one was a bit wishy washy, but obviously this will vary between colleges.
The other thing about the OU is that if you go on to the degree you have to get higher grades to achieve a pass 1/2 etc than you need at a brick uni. But then apparently OU degrees are highly regarded as employers recognise that it takes huge motivation and determination to keep studying on your own.
If I had my time again I would go through the local college. yes it would be a pain getting to lectures etc but i found OU very hard to get on with.
However if you have done OU and enjoyed it then you might be more comfortable carrying on with them :D
I am about half way through my OU childhood and youth studies degree- I love it. However...
You need to think of the fees and finances- local college may well be cheaper. Also depend if you are the sort of person that needs to 'go somewhere' in order to focus and learn and whether lectures and tutorials is better for you than lots of reading.
OU works for me, but my husband hated it- just couldn't do it at all. His prior study was a masters in engineering, and he says that OU study is way harder than anything he did at uni.
i did the FD at my local college. loved it. it was a chance to brainstorm, see how different settings worked, have moral and emotional support and the tutors had come through similar (CM or school) paths, the FD, the degree and then on to tutoring.
The learning is amazing - I couldn't do OU - i need the contact time.
I finished my degree as a top up year at a uni not too far away :thumbsup:
hi that sounds really good :D would i need to go to different settings aswell
I think im gonna go with the local college but just wonna find out a little bit more about it :thumbsup:
I am also doing my foundation degree, but doing it through the the local uni. I am juat waiting for my results from year one. I would lie if I said it has not been hard going, but attending lectures and talking face to face with other professionals helps so much. Having the deadlines makes me get the work done and from may until oct I have time off, so lots of rest time :) find the best option that works for you, but I have learnt so much and am looking forward to year two...and I never thought I would say that. Good luck :)
I started mine part classroom based and part online. By the time I finished I was doing it all distance learning as that is what suited me. We supported each other through online means. What I would say was really important to me was doing it through a Welsh University. The tutors completely understand the rules and regs in Wales and considering most text books focus on England the tutors go out of their way to help find relevant material.
this is slightly different but I've been doing my EYPS and I've been attending college with others who are completing their top-up.
Although I'm not required to submit the work, the information I've gained from the lectures and from seminars where we've had chance to discuss etc. has been amazing!
I also feel I've hugely grown in confidence by speaking in groups and although I've learnt loads but also learnt to really question a lot - myself included. I dropped a day childminding to be able to attend once a week. I think the college was sympathetic to the fact that everyone worked in childcare. However not so sympathetic perhaps to juggling studies with FT jobs and families and then having to submit essays.
I think even if you attend college you are still going to need self discipline to do all the reading and assignments in your spare time.
I so wish I could have done the whole course! ( I have a degree in Religious studies)
If you have a local college go down and talk to them - you will get a real feel for their ethos and atmosphere. If you know anyone - local childminder or pre-school worker who has attended chat to them and ask them if they would do it again or do it differently.
Thank you so much for your help x
I am looking into Early Years Foundation degree and trying to get a local uni/ college campus through uni that deliver it but finding it impossible to get answers on days and times I would need to attend for part and full time courses!!
Full time uni doesnt mean same as full time standard jobs so I figured if it was 1 maybe 2 days in uni then I may be able to do it instead of evenings / weekends part time route but some of the course contacts are hard to get hold of! I spent almost an entire day off today contacting different places and all not much use! :(
Maybe something will come up in call backs next week. I love the OU idea but feel I would constantly feel like I needed to be ahead and wouldnt be able to cope with the discipline of doing the extra heavy workload alone on top of my current hefty workload and paperwork! :blush:
I really want to learn and progress but it seems its not always that easy and of course I cant just say to parents....ok Im off on tuesdays as off to uni now!! torn in the middle!!
My timetable for year one at uni was every monday 7 until 9pm and also one thursday 7 until 9pm. I am classed as full time.
my FD and degree was afull time pathway. I attended college 1 evening a week (4.30-9l30pm) 1 day per week, 1 saturday a month for 2 years. Final year top up was one day (2-5pm-5-9pm) and one evening (6-9) every 2 weeks from sept-March.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sara T
I had a child free day every week so managed and did my studies this day. Working 5 days per week would be hard:panic: full time just means the amount of time you take to complete it (which in terms of uni costs is a big saver these days :eek:).
have you considered the OU route?
Hi I decided the college route after all x Thanks everyone for your reply s I am loving the course 4 weeks in :D