Study Calendar

7 Responses to Study Calendar

1. Dean DV

   August 4, 2011 at 10:29 pm

   I created something similar myself but tried to keep overlap to a minimum, is it really feasible to study two 30pt course like astrophysics and electromagnetism at the same time?

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   • Chris

     August 5, 2011 at 8:42 am

     Yea I would think so, 60pt is Part-Time so it says approx 14 – 16 hours per week and it may be less. Only down side that I can see is if the exams are at the same time. With S282 and S283 they start a few months apart so you can concentrate on the S283 exam first then have a few months to work on S282. But all in if you can do S104 you should be able to do 2 30 pt’s at a time as well.

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2. Alex Sasin

   August 13, 2011 at 3:41 pm

   I used the exact same format to plan out my course of study. Nothing like a good old Excel. Personally, with a busy family like and a full time job I could not do do courses at the same time (I did try a 30 pointer and a 10 pointer alongside each other earlier this year and it was a struggle) but I guess when you run your own business you can be more flexible with hours and when you schedule your study. An excellent blog, by the way, that I will be following with great interest.

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   • Chris

     August 13, 2011 at 9:10 pm

     Hi Alex I know what you mean with it being a struggle, I think my max is 60pts a year, as you say being self-employed lets me fit study in when I need to get some extra done. As for the excel file it has been changed many times over the last few months. Mind you the OU have been keeping me on my toes with new courses being added and the new Astronomy route for the Natural Science degree being released.

     You bring up a good point about the 10 pointers, they can throw people sometimes, they think it’s only a third of a 30 pt course so it’s like doing 40 points in one go. However these courses are usually over a shorter time so it’s like doing the 30pt course but for only 3 months not 9. So in reality it’s doing 60 pts for 3 months, double the workload. I have to do my last 10 pointer in Oct S155 and it will be overlapping with S283 but only for 2 months so should be safe enough.

     And yes please keep following, and pitch in anytime, the more the merrier. I see your going down the financial services route, this was what I was planning at the start but changed to Science just after doing DB123. If you want to do any course reviews on the courses you have taken feel free to do so.

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3. Hilary Jane Kitching

   November 8, 2011 at 4:05 pm

   Nicely planned Chris. I see you’re taking S282 Astronomy next year. My MU123 tutor Dr Amanda Smith achieved an OU Phd in Astronomy and she says that mathematics is fundamental if you wish to go any further with this subject. As you’re doing plenty of science modules you should get enough practice with mathematics in these, but I am surprised you have not taken or intend to take MU123 or MST121 if you are planning to take MST209. I know it’s a personal choice, but just thought I’d mention it.

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   • Chris

     November 11, 2011 at 8:21 pm

     Hi Hillary,
     I actually have the books for MST121 and plan to go over them in the next six months or so. However Andre Norton has indicated that there will be a new maths course dedicated to physics and astronomy that will mean people don’t have to take MST209 they can do the new one instead.

     So the plan will be to do the books MST121, do the bridging material that would be intended for MST209 and then do this new course. He thinks it may be in place by 2013 which is the perfect time for me to do it.

     So I will need to do up a new planner but since I don’t know what will be going in its place I haven’t gotten round to. LOL

     What qualification you going for and how far are you into it?

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4. Trevor Curtis

   May 8, 2012 at 7:47 pm

   Hi
   I intend to do U116 in octobe of this year.

   Are there any publications./.websites that i can look at to prepare me for the course.

   Thanks

   Trevor.

   Reply