OU Foundation Degree Options

[Jee]

I've found this interesting course...

Foundation Degree in Materials Fabrication & Engineering

It mentions you need to have a TWI (Welding Institute) Diploma at Technologist for this course. I cannot find this diploma, anybody done this?

I'm interested in enrolling on this course.

[skaginn]

Hi Jee
You will find it here.
http://www.twitraining.com/includes/docs/c...rldOverview.pdf

JC

[Jee]

Yeah, 10 units at £1100 each!!!!!!

They can poke it.

[boilermaker]

Jee
I am sure you can find some less expensive alternative. I managed without the TWI for 50 years.

[Tiggy_Dorset]

I was interested in the OU degree. Then realised I needed the TWI diploma (at Technologist level). My current NVQ 3's only allow me to do the TWI at 'Specialist' level. To do the 'Technologist' level I now need a NVQ level4/5 or HNC. Myself and a few others on here are currently investigating the HNC's. It seems a long road to get to the OU degree. I am eager to do the HNC and may possibly do the TWI. Im not sure if I will ever get to the OU degree due to cashflow, time and life but I will go with the flow and see where it leads me.

[rodofgod]

Hi All!

I have done a couple of OU courses many years ago! Learnt alot, but you do need to stick to their timetable as regards study! Not so easy whilst trying to hold down a full time job with plenty of overtime!
Might be easier now a days with broadband internet an all!

The TWI courses! well!! I have looked at them and for most privately funded people, they are well out of the question on price alone!

The best bet for the working man, at the moment is:

http://www.cranfield.ac.uk/students/courses/page845.html

I know a couple of lads who have or who are intending to take this. Am thinking about doing it myself!

Also Bradford collage used to do a distance learning course for 'foundation' metallurgy which also seemed flexible enough for most workers!

Regards

[Poacher Turned G...]

Hi All

Just to reiterate what has already been said and having just come throught the mill myself, I'm probably as qualified as anyone to add my twopenneth.

EWF Diploma via TWI - yep costs a fortune and unless you have an employer willing to fund it - as RoG alluded to, becomes out of reach to most if self funding.

It seems a shame that the OU are specifying the Technologist diploma as a pre-requisite for their foundation degree - in my mind, far better to open it to the wider market. Just means that you would have more modules to study (to make up the 90 credits awarded for the EWF diploma).

Disagree slightly with RoG on this one though. MSc in Welding Engineering from Cranfield is an option and they do appear to relax their entry requirements based on experience, which is a good thing. However, the cost is not. Attending on a full time basis over 12 months is cheaper than doing it part time over 2 years. Part time cost will be approx £10k - again, a fair chunk of money if you don't have a willing employer.

As for Bradford College - I've just finished a BEng (hons) with them. They were offering,by distance learning, a foundation degree in metallurgy and materials with top up to BEng (hons) possible beyond that. However, as I was approaching completion they hit a redundancy situation with the loss of 2 lecturers and from what we were told, they were also planning to run the metallurgy and materials courses down over the next 2 years (with no new enrolments) only to allow those already on programme the opportunity to complete before ceasing to offer this route. But it may be worth giving them a call.

Regards
PTG

[loswf]

Hi all
I enquired about this course about 8 months ago via TWI, and was told also that i would need to do 10 courses at £1100 + vat! the TWI then said said they could generously put me up for £75 a night!!! Even if i had that sort of money I would not pay it on principle. I cant believe that the TWI can do this, I thought the OU courses were supposed to be accesible for working people wanting to study in their spare time. Anyway I have enrolled on the the full degree route withn the OU and im gonna start my third course in October. They are very good courses and a good way to study. I know its a long haul but if you are dedicated and really want it, go for it, why not, thousands do.
Best of luck
regards
LOSWF

[Tiggy_Dorset]

Loswf, are you still doing the TWI course for your OU degree? If not, how can you get around it and still be able to complete your OU degree? Or are you doing a different OU course which doesnt require TWI?

[loswf]

No I am not doing TWI courses, the qualification linked with the TWI course is a foundation degree which can be topped up with extra study to a full honours degree. I am doing a full honours degree but without the TWI courses.