After leaving school with only 2 'O' levels and 2 CSE's I was lucky to go straight into employment, however I realised that I need some more qualifications to progress. I went back evening school for 2 years and obtained an 'A' level & 2 GCSE's.

As I wanted to work in IT, I also started studying the Microsoft Certified Professional exams, becoming initially a MCSD and more recently a MCSE. However as Microsoft keep bringing out new or updated software products, meaning that every few years you have to re-qualify, usually by taking another 7 exams or so....

So I started looking a round for a more permanent qualification, and came up with the idea of an Open University course! I'm now (Nov 2006) just finished on my 6th year of study and 10th course.

In 2001 I studied T171 You, Your Computer and  the Internet, which is all about the history of the Personal Computer and the Net. Its a Level 1 course worth 30 points (you need 360 for a honours degree!).

The course was very challenging, being delivered entirely over the internet via the course web site, although their are two set books for us to read (Where Wizards Stay Up Late & Accidental Empires). We also use an email system called First Class to access our online tutor group and various T171 discussion groups.

The most difficult aspect of the course has been working alone without any face-to-face tutorials, although out tutor group managed to get together on occasion at a local pub for general chat and self help session. (T171 has now been replaced with T175)

The next year I studied T209 Information and Communication : People and Interactions. This is a level 2 course worth 60 points and is half the points I need to obtain a Diploma in Information Technology. This course consisted of 5 modules, covering such topics as Mobile Telecommunication, Voice Recognition and System Design, Security, Network Management and 'Cyborgs'.

Next I studied the 3 TT28x web design courses. At the time I took these they were new courses on their first presentation, and their were a few difficulties in their presentation, including the answers to one of the CMA's being inadvertently published before the cut off date! On the whole though these were excellent courses giving a good grounding in HTML, Javascript & Active Server Pages.

Fore more details on these and the other courses I've done, follow the links on the left!

Generally OU courses are worth either 10, 30, or 60 CAT points, 120 points is roughly equivalent to a years full time study. Courses are also taught at either level 1, 2 or 3, these being equivalent to the 1st, 2nd or 3rd year of a full time degree course. For an honours degree you need 360 points passes on courses worth 120 points at level 2 plus 120 points at level 3!

Courses at level one are generally marked as pass or fail.

Level 2 & 3 courses have 4 grades;
Distinction 85% or above,
grade 2 pass 84%-70%,
grade 3 pass 69%-55%
grade 4 54%-40%,
 scoring below 40% is marked as a fail.

Most courses have two components, TMAs & CMA's and then a final exam or ECA. To get a distinction you need to score both components above 85%, otherwise you will end up with a lower grade eg 85% on the continuous assessment part (TMAs & CMAs) and only 70% on the final exam will get you a grade 2 pass. Their is some scope for upgrading you to a distinction, but the general rule holds.

http://www.marxonline.org.uk/ has some useful applications, so you can get an indication of what you final course score will be, together with your overall degree classification.