Open University

[Gibbon]

I'm doing AA100 at the moment. Going on to do a classical route. Being reading the stuff for years anyway but wanted to be able to think about it in a more disciplined way. Really enjoying it and wish I'd done it years ago.

[ookook]

A conversion course is for people who've got a basic degree - ie Geography, who then want to convert to Law. It's usually a one year course that crams the most important Law modules in, Contract / Commercial / Equity / Criminal / Property etc

Then you have to pay for a LPC or legal practice course which teaches you the mechanics of being a solicitor, rather than the case law - because 99.9% of solicitors work will never touch any case that makes new legal ground (like you study in the degree)

After that you compete for a placement - which is two years long on very low salary (12-14k in Manchester) and should cover 6 odd months in 4 different areas of law (obv depends on the size of the company)

Then you're qualified and spend the next 5-15 years trying to become partner.

Ironically enough I did a one year conversion to IT after the initial law degree to get into Sun's graduate scheme

[SueEllen]

Was interested in how much of an impact it has on your life, is it like a couple of hours a during the working week then 8-10 at the weekend, assuming you're going to complete the degree within 4 to 5 years?

Depends totally on the course and you.

If you do a course that involves lots of reading/rote learning and you take public transport then just do your reading/learning on it. I did a social science course last year and only wrote my essays at home the rest I did on the train/tube even when I was standing up.

However if you do a course where you need a computer or to write things down then you are stuck doing it in a location where you aren't moving.

30 point courses are suppose to take 6-7 hours per week for a year and 60 point courses are suppose to be twice that but that's just a guide as I know people who have done Maths and IT courses that mean they have to study more than that.

[DaveB]

What are you planning to do with a Law degree? I've got one, and all it means is that you have to complete a year of the Legal Practice Course which costs around 5K - then IF your lucky enough to secure a training contract with a Law firm - another 2 years on terrible money and a lot of slog before you qualify.

I'm angling for a move out of IT and into Legal and Compliance work, current employers are paying for the OU course and I'm looking to transfer internally to the legal dept at some point in the next couple of years, as I know they have issues with staff retiring and not having internal replacements available.

Whether I go and do the full qualification route as a solicitor is something I will think about when the time comes. The OU course is 6 years and I'm only in the 1st year atm. If nothing else it gives me somthing else to think about apart from IT

[Mich the Tester]

Why does "The Grass is always Greener" suddenly spring to mind?

It possibly is this time.

[cailin maith]

A conversion course is for people who've got a basic degree - ie Geography, who then want to convert to Law. It's usually a one year course that crams the most important Law modules in, Contract / Commercial / Equity / Criminal / Property etc

Then you have to pay for a LPC or legal practice course which teaches you the mechanics of being a solicitor, rather than the case law - because 99.9% of solicitors work will never touch any case that makes new legal ground (like you study in the degree)

After that you compete for a placement - which is two years long on very low salary (12-14k in Manchester) and should cover 6 odd months in 4 different areas of law (obv depends on the size of the company)

Then you're qualified and spend the next 5-15 years trying to become partner.

Ironically enough I did a one year conversion to IT after the initial law degree to get into Sun's graduate scheme

I see - thanks.

[Gibbon]

Why does "The Grass is always Greener" suddenly spring to mind?

Because the grass is always greener in the valleys! Ask Tom Jones.

[threaded]

I've just counted in my head over 23 courses I've done with the OU, graduate and post grad level. Range through mathematics, law, history, languages, IT and management. I've also done a similar number of courses with other universities: art, engineering, design.

I blame it on being stuck in hotels with nothing to do in the evening.

It gives me the ability to talk total arse with experts in any field.

Which is nice.

[Paddy]

Seems there are a few of us here doing OU courses at the moment.

I'm in the first year of a Law degree as part of the grand plan to get out of IT.

Whats everyone else up to and how are you finding it so far?

Please give the first three legal precedents they taught you?

[Olly]

I started an MSc Computing for Commerce back in 2002.
Some of the modules were really pretty out of date and it wasn't overly impressed. That coupled with my inability to study unless an exam is looming 3 days away or I have a cute study partner meant I dropped it.

Also it was the company paying and I would have needed to pay the rest out of my own pocket and 400 quid for a few books was too much at the time.

MBA on the horizon but I'll do it full time I think