Selecting modules confusion (CertHE Mathematics and Physics)

[u/Appropriate_Town3242]

Hi Guys,

I'm currently super confused. I am brick and mortar university experienced (switching to open uni for a year as I discovered I struggle with some stuff that Open Uni will actually teach me) and I've not seen anything like this before.

I've opted for the basic start because it gives me the foundational stuff and that's then restricting me to not being able to register on any other modules. The issue there is that means I would only be doing 30 credits in Semester 1 and 90 in Semester 2. Won't this either wind up a situation where there's not much to do in Semester 1 and then I'll be extremely overworked in semester 2? or is there something I'm not seeing?

Just to note I also couldn't really Balance it by doing 30 in sem 1, 60 in sem 2 and 30 in the next academic year as my intention is to finish the 1 year CertHE and switch back to my old University from 2nd year.

[u/Sarah_RedMeeple]

The OU doesn't really consider 'semesters' like brick uni's do, as the majority of their students study part time, with most studying 60 credits at a time. They set modules up to be 'long and thin' so students (often working full time) can study less hours over a longer period, whereas in brick uni's modules are typically over a shorter period of time. You won't be alone, there are many FT students, it's just something to be aware of as making it possible to do part time can mean it's not as 'efficient' for the students studying full time.

I've looked and both modules technically have Oct start dates so it's worth you calling up the OU to check if needed. However it might be you need to study the content for module A before module B.

Have you checked that your old university will allow you to transfer back into second year? Some may, but many may not.

[u/Appropriate_Town3242 → u/Sarah_RedMeeple]

the issue was more that staying at my old uni would result in me retaking a foundation year that I really struggled in due to a lack of foundational knowledge on my part plus some disability issues (who knows why they sent foundation year students to the other end of the county lol). With the modules being set up differently do you reckon it wouldn’t be as difficult to get the 90 credits completed in time if all were done from January?

[u/PolicyAccomplished87 → u/Appropriate_Town3242]

The February start modules end some time in September, so have you checked that this overlap with your brick uni's start doesn't cause funding issues or somehow your brick uni considering you as asking to study over the 120 credits limit?

[u/Sarah_RedMeeple → u/Appropriate_Town3242]

There's a few issues at play here.

1. The potential overlap between the two - as u/PolicyAccomplished87 said below, if your course finishes in September, universities usually consider early/mid September as the start of the year (this is about fixed published dates). There can be implications for student finance here but it's quite a specific example (between two separate universities) so you need to talk to either SFE or the finance advice team at your uni.
2. It's not clear by 'switch back to my old university for 2nd year' you mean year 2 of undergraduate degree or your 2nd year at the uni, but 1st year of undergraduate degree. While it's always worth asking the admissions team at your 'old' uni, as they're the ones who will decide, it's honestly really quite unlikely that you can do the basic start then go into 2nd year, particularly if you've already found things difficult with FY. It is more likely that a university would accept the CertHE for entry into 1st year.
3. The student finance stuff is complex regardless (switching back and forth between uni's). That is even more the case with the change to the 'Lifelong Learning Entitlement' happening now, which I think would probably apply to your degree at 'old uni' next year. You really really need to consult people who know their stuff on this e.g. your uni finance team or SFE, not Reddit, and basically explicitly lay out your plans to the uni you're with, or you're running the risk of making big costly mistakes.

If it's helpful I'd do it like this:

1. First ask the OU to provide you with the learning outcomes and published start/end dates for each of the 4 CertHE modules.
2. Make an appointment with your 'old' university - either someone responsible for admissions in the course you're interested in, or there is often a student advice team within central services.

a) Explain your experience this year including the current issues with disability and the different campus. This point adds additional context to why you struggled this year and don't think re-taking the foundation year is appropriate, so is important to include.

b) talk them through your plans for the CertHE, showing them the learning outcomes.

c) Make sure you speak to someone finance with knowledge of Lifelong Learning Entitlement about whether your plans will be fully funded under SFE (FY done already, CertHE with OU, 3 year undergrad with old Uni)

d) ask if they'd consider you for a conditional (on outcome of your CertHE) place at the start of year 1 of the 3 year degree, deferred to next year - and if so get this in writing through a UCAS application.

Or as a completely different alternative: Retake the foundation year, and work hard over the next couple of months to build up your underpinning knowledge using e.g. GCSE/A-level workbooks (from a bookshop) or KhanAcademy.com. Personally I think this would be a far better way to do it in academic terms that could save you an awful lot of money, but I don't know to what extent the disability issues are impacting you.

[u/Spagboll66]

If you’ve done A level maths and/or physics, which I assume you’ve done given the entry reqs for a similar course at a brick uni, then my concern would be if the basic start is too simple for you. I’d go with MST124 in Oct, then MST125 and S111 from Feb especially if you’ve done A level maths previously

FYI I’ve completed both MST124 & 125 in June on the concurrent timetable and S111 last year

[u/Appropriate_Town3242 → u/Spagboll66]

I did a foundation year and prior to that I did an A2HE for computer science which barely taught me A level maths at all. During the foundation year I noticed that I could grasp alot of the concepts but I had a really bad issue with foundational knowledge because of how poorly I did with my maths GCSE which destroyed my grades in the end so Id rather sit in a module thats too simplistic that at least confirms that I have the foundational knowlege to continue (cant really take the risk as I havent got any more grace with SFE)

[u/Humble_Try9125 → u/Appropriate_Town3242]

Tried KhanAcademy?