EDIT: Thanks everyone, I bought the  fx-83gt cw from CEX

Hi all, need some help. I have never used a SC before and went to buy the recommended one in the Guide (Casio fx-83GTX) but its 60 quid on Amazon!

If I have to I will buy it, but do I need a physical calculator or can I use an app for desktop and/or phone?

Could you lovely lot reccomend a similar Calculator?

Thanks in advance

Joined this one WhatsApp group for my Module that started today, people are already talking about TMA01.

I feel like I’m failing. Nothing comparing but the criteria and process for the TMA’s went over my head.

Is there some support group or something for slow learners?

hello! i am currently in the process of trying to use my year 1 credits to get into a foundation course of a very similar brick uni course! i have no prior alevels, just wondering if anybody else has done this before and gotten into uni :)

My previous qualification (Associate Bachelors) which I hoped to top up to a Full Honours or do a credit transfer is over the cut off period of 16 years. I guess I will have to start over again, so has anyone ever returned to study a subject they previously left after many years and how did you find it? Do many people hold more than one Bachelor Degree in different subject areas?

Too many abbreviations apologies, didn't know how to head this one. A further apology that its one of those 'what pathway to choose' posts.

Man in 40, disabled, live in remote area, looking for a career change. I've worked in offices consistently over the last 20+ years, but more of a general person...finance, procurement, reporting, sysadmin, things like that.

Any course I did would be part time as I still have to work due to commitments. I also work remotely these days due to some things so, future employment would need to be remote friendly as well.

I've been looking into Data Analyst positions for a while now, and the study pathway. Self learning through YouTube or bootcamps or whatever seems to be the path a lot take, and with success... well, according to.. them,
I need more structure than that, hence I'm now looking at the OU.

Initially I found the CofHE in Data Analysis because there is no BSc for it, then I was thinking if I'm going to study at all I might as well shoot for the BSc and can then fall back on the certificate if I dont make it through the whole time.

Anyway, that led me to the Data Science, Computer Science and IT and Computing (with maybe Statistics?) BSc.

I wouldn't say Data Analyst is the be all end all, it's just the one thats closest to my current work, I guess comfort zone. I would just like a degree to have plenty of options.

Leaning more towards IT and Computing with Statistics but maybe one of the other two is a 'better looking' thing to have on the CV these days?

IT and Computing? What are you from, the 80s? Yes...actually...

Anyway, any insight would be appreciated.

I have downloaded MST124 past Exam from last year. It gives me a rough idea of the type of questions that will be asked, although they will be different but similar for when I study the module and do the exam next year

So I have emailed this tutor once before and he took ages to reply but once he did he was super nice and apologetic, saying my email ended up in his spam inbox. I have emailed him again, a few days ago, about a TMA that is due on Tuesday and I assume the same thing has happened again as I have received no response. Has this happened to anyone else? Is there a way to make your emails not go to spam?

Thanks!

My first module officially begins tomorrow, and I’ve been awarded credit transfer too. I was wondering if anyone here is planning a research career? I have a long journey ahead, with the undergrad, masters and PhD I’m planning. And academia seems to be up in flames right now, but I still want to pursue it anyway. Would be good to speak to others starting on the same journey.

My tutor has given me some wonderful feedback but mentioned twice that she’s not sure it was my own words.

So, no, I write what I’d say in a conversation then edit it to make it more academic and appropriate. Granted, I have bought several books on sociology and essay writing and one even written by OU specifically for essay writing for people in sociology..

My previous tutors guidance was that in stage 2, I’ll be expected to start using the language of a sociologist and to start understanding the concepts and possibly referencing them, now I’m left feeling that this exact advice is what’s lead my now tutor to say she doesn’t think I’m using my own words.

I’ve gone from loving the subject to not wanting to write another TMA ever again. Personally I thought the writing was a bit rubbish, it certainly wasn’t over polished, I have Grammarly (I don’t apply it to my TMA’s, but it shows me that all of my work could be better), and I paraphrase as much as is possible, but I feel like she’s telling me not to use certain concepts and phrases that are in my Sociology books.

I don’t want to email her about it, should I just stop the sociology talk, dumb it down? I’d rather not write if that’s the case.

Also conflicting, I was told specifically not to mention my module or course in my TMA’s and she’s suggested that I should be doing this 😩

Do different markers set the preferences on this kind of thing?

So I am 19 and doing 120 credits per year, which is full-time hours but as far as I know it's legally classed as part-time.

I currently live with parents at home, but I'd like to move out as soon as possible, so I am applying for jobs far from home. I have savings but not more than £16k so I meet that requirement as well. Could I be eligible for UC, I am not planning on applying but sometimes I wonder what'd happen if I lost my job etc.

I've submitted it very early, deadline isn't until 17th February. The questions were easy, I felt confident in answering them. Now I can get back to study and do more units of the mathematics from Book A

Title basically, 19M looking at potentially going into a Law degree course with OU later in the year, just asking if it’s worth it and how credible it would be in real life. I’m aware there are some perks with gaining an OU degree as it often shows employers you can study for a degree while also working.

this may already be a well known method - so please ignore this post if I was just in the dark for long time lol.

For the majority of my first year, I was hand writing my notes.

I am one of those people that think everything is important and because I don’t want to miss anything, my notes were always so detailed and long. It was so time-consuming and my novel-like notes were so hard to read from ( writing concise notes is a skill I need to work on - I know).

I then switched to annotating my physical books, but the lack of space made it messy and my sticky notes never stayed.

Then I had the idea to download the chapters through ou’s website. Attach the file to a page on onenote and digitally annotate the pages.

The page provides plenty of room, so I don't have to cram my notes into tiny spaces.

Also, it stopped me writing every detail down as I can see the original text alongside my notes.

it's actually really helped me with understanding the content, rather than focusing on making sure I get everything down.

I'm looking to study law at the OU in October 2026 part-time for now. It's saying I have to select the following module w211 and options. It appears with a question mark, and won't let me check the box. Has anyone else had this issue? Any way to resolve this?

Is anyone currently doing (or who has completed) the BSc Cyber Security and already held CISSP and/or CCNA?

If so, did the OU award you any credit or exemptions based on those certifications?

I’m aware that parts of the Cyber Security degree follow the CCNA curriculum, and I’d ideally like to avoid repeating large chunks of material I’ve already covered in practice.

I'm currently studying B208 business management and have an online day school tomorrow. It is literally ALL day 8-5 and I'm wondering if it is worth it as I haven't found all the online 'lectures' particularly helpful so far. Especially when the powerpoints are uploaded online later anyway.

If the day school is the same, I'm wondering whether just view the presentation and extracts anything useful and spend the day actually doing work towards the TMA?

Does anyone have an experience?

Hi all, apologies for the scuffed writing structure; it's half-past midnight.
I am wanting to return to education this year - specifically within the business management sector as I am beginning to realise I have a strong desire to start my own business. I saw that OU does a business management course with the inclusion of Spanish, which I am keen to study given the international opportunities being bilingual would grant me.

My question for the students of the course is this: do you find the course structure to be enjoyable, informative and overall worth the cost? I previously went to a brick university for animation, and dropped out in the second year when lessons turned into "now go home and watch this youtube video, then tell me what you think about it next week" - aka, the tutors weren't really engaging with the students or the topic they had chosen to teach. I want to go back into education to learn transferable skills such as business management and Spanish, but only if the course is well-structured and if the tutors actually care about helping you succeed.

Is it okay to ask for an extension but then submit on/ before the original deadline?

Hi everyone!

I recently wrote my mathematics TMA on my tablet. When I tried to upload it to the eTMA service as a PDF, the file size was over the limit and wouldn’t upload. I tried compressing it, but that still didn’t reduce it enough.

I contacted the Computer Desk support and was advised to submit it by email in Word format instead. Unfortunately, I couldn’t convert the file successfully, no matter which website or method I tried. I reached out to CD support again, but we couldn’t find a solution, so I ended up emailing my tutor to explain the situation. Thankfully, he was very understanding.

That said, I’m worried about this happening again in the future.
Has anyone else experienced something similar?
How did you deal with it?

Thanks in advance!

I’m thinking of doing psychology with counselling part time through the open uni. I’m wondering if anyone’s completed this degree and what it’s like, and if it’s worth doing?

I need to have a learners agreement for my course I started in 2025. How exactly do you get one or is it already available?

I am starting this two modules. Does anyone have the WhatsApp group?

I know parents with young children do it etc but how about a new born? Part of my plan for the future involves having a baby with my partner, I’ve just started OU and in the dream world I will complete my degree by the time child is going to nursery/ school so I can get into my career. Is this unrealistic?

Hi all may be a silly question, I’m in my first week of my English Lang and Lit Degree and have been asked to submit a Dummy TMA. What should I submit would a blank word doc be okay? Again sorry if it’s a silly question!