Open university Spanish and Maths

Baralis1

Hi all,
I'm considering studying with open university. I'm uncertain about what I want to do but I know I want to do something more constructive than watching tv each evening.
I have a degree in a completely unrelated field and work in a 9 to 5 job.

Would it be feasable to start two different courses at the same time with Open university.
I'm considering doing "Using Mathematics MST121", a 30credit 9 month course and "Portales Beginner's Spanish L194", a 30credit 12 month course.

How many hours work would be required per week for each of these? Has anyone here ever done either of these before or done two different courses at the same time?
Am I insane?
Any advice, shared experiences much appreciated!
Thanks.

Baralis1

Also an additional query.
I'm a number of years out of full time education. I did ordinary level Maths for Leaving cert and Ordinary level Maths first year of university. Would MST121 be too much for me or should I try MU123 "Discovering Mathematics" first in your opinion.

BaronVon

Haven't started OU yet, but planning to start Using Maths in Sept too.

According to their website, they reckon 8 hours per week for a 30 point course.

Using Maths could be tricky for you. They have a maths test on the course website which can help you see if you are able for it.

http://mathschoices.open.ac.uk/quizzes/p2.html

http://mathschoices.open.ac.uk/

QuiteInterestin

I'm planning to start MST121 Using Mathematics in Sept too (Tried registering this evening actually but since I'm using Tesco vouchers for some of the fees I've to contact them first).

According to the site its 8 hours a week which shouldn't be too much, but combining it with another course might be hard going, especially if you're not used to distance learning and have been out of education for a while. Would you consider starting Beginners Spanish in October and maybe leaving MST121 until the next start date (End of Jan 2012)?. This would give you a chance to get settled into your new course and you'd know then how much time a week it required and if you could commit to a second course. Also since MST121 is 9 months, you'd end up finishing both around the same time. There's a few posters in the OU advice thread who have completed MST 121 and have posted comments about it, so they could probably advise you on the workload and the level required.

As an aside, you can convert Tesco club card vouchers to Vouchers which can be used against fees for Level 1 OU courses. (€2.50 cludcard points become €10 OU voucher) It seems to make the paying of fees a little more difficult as you have to post them in ( I think, I only tried this evening) but if you've got spare vouchers around it might be a good way of using them!

Baralis1

Thanks for the replies guys. I have thought about it more, and it does make sense to start the Spanish first and see how I get on, and maybe start the Maths in the new year. I had a look at the maths choices page, and I think I would be able for Using Maths with a little revision. I used to be able to do all the questions on the quiz at one time. I was very comfortable with Leaving Cert pass and I believe I had the potential to do honours if I had worked harder. I'll keep this updated with my progress for anyone who's interested.

Has anyone here completed either of these courses?

Baralis1

Baralis1 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies guys. I have thought about it more, and it does make sense to start the Spanish first and see how I get on, and maybe start the Maths in the new year. I had a look at the maths choices page, and I think I would be able for Using Maths with a little revision. I used to be able to do all the questions on the quiz at one time. I was very comfortable with Leaving Cert pass and I believe I had the potential to do honours if I had worked harder. I'll keep this updated with my progress for anyone who's interested.

Has anyone here completed either of these courses?

I'll have a look through the advice thread too QuiteInteresting for any info. Thanks

scaryfairy

hi Baralis

I did the MU120 which has been replaced by the MU123 - I would assume both cover the same material in terms of maths, just updated the content (have to say it did look pretty "aged"). It was the correct level for me, I did maths ages ago and only to some sort of "ordinary" level. From what you have described, I am pretty sure that you could go for that higher level course but the quizzes are very good indicators anyhow.
In terms of the time needed - it's really up to you, how much time you want to spend on it, and of course you get out of it as much as you put in... I used to spend one afternoon every weekend on it, or even more at the beginning when I did religiously every task / and when I had to prepare an assignment. I really enjoyed the course and the supporting materials, website etc were brilliant. The tutor seemed very nice, too, but did not contact him as I was OK doing it all on my own.
Have a look on facebook, too - when I was doing the course, there were at least 2 groups, with fellow OU students, doing the same course.

best of luck

Monkey61

I did MST121 a few years ago. I found it interesting but easy enough - I am very good at maths though, A1 in LC honours, but I had been out of school a good few years. What makes it easy is the knowledge that there isn't an exam, so it really is just handing in assignments and to be honest they are very straightforward and nothing more difficult than what is in the books. Also, IIRC, it starts with a little refresher course to bring you up to speed on the basics (Though I might be confusing that with MS221) Time wise, I flew through it, I would sit down for a few hours one day a week and get a months work done - but I don't know if that is unusual.

I haven't done a language course with them, though I was looking at that Spanish one too, and I'd say it would be a lot harder - but languages do not come naturally to me - in that it would take a lot more time and actual learning. With the maths one, you could always get lazy and essentially sit down for a full day and do each assignment straight from the book, whereas with the Spanish, you would have to be constantly practising the spoken, listening skills etc. I'd be interested to know how you get on with it though.

Baralis1

Thanks for the replies. I haven't done as well in the past as you Monkey61 but I wasn't the most studious in LC and first year or two of university. I think we covered a lot of LC honours though in first year ordinary level maths in uni. I managed to pass that but feel I had the potential to do better and part of the reason for doing it is to prove that to myself. If I get on well and like it, I may keep going.

I'll probably need to put in more work though and go through it slowly. That's good to hear that there's a revision course beforehand.

I'll let ye know how the Spanish goes first when I start. It will be a challenge also but its do able. As far as I know, the first course is similar to junior cert.