# BA-Oscail-DCU. Distance learning.



## Unregistered (13 May 2005)

Hi there,
I'm thinking of signing up to do the Batcherlor of Arts degree through DCU's Oscail Programme. Its through distance learning. It seems quite in depth, and your degree is awarded through 1 of 4 universtites (TCD,Maynooth etc)
Has anyone done this particular course or any course through Oscail Specifically.? I would love to get some impartial feedback/advice as I've googled it and only get DCU's own website.
Thanks


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## Novice (13 May 2005)

Hi

I'm thinking of doing the IT degree on oscail too. Haven't had any luck finding anything else on it apart from the oscail website.


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## Unregistered (13 May 2005)

Hello, I have been studying IT with oscail for the last couple of years and will finish my Diploma this year. When I started out about 4 years ago I felt that the content was a bit dated but over the last 2-3 years they have restructured the course content and layout. They are also changing the term to be the same as regular college course terms which is better. 

It is very flexible with regards to how many modules you can take per year, so you can tailor it to suit yourself. It can be a bit frustrating if your the type of person who likes to ask alot of questions but if you have a decent tutor they don't mind taking calls and e-mails.


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## Novice (13 May 2005)

Yeah looked at site today - they reckon you can do diploma in 2 years and degree in 4 - don't know how realistic this is. Good to hear that it is now up to date.  I'm always cautious of the certification of distance learning courses so this seems ideal.

I know that it is on a module basis.  When I apply for the course do I have t ospecify how many modules I want to do in the that year and pay for them or can I take on an additional module at any time and pay for it then (i.e. do it module by module)?


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## Unregistered (13 May 2005)

Hi

I have recently completed the Diploma in IT via Oscail.  It took me three years which I think is pretty much standard.  You have to decide at the beginning of the year how many modules to take (and pay upfront) and you then sit exams at the end of the year.  I think you can defer the exam if you feel that you don't want to sit it but I'm not exactly sure how that works.

The content of the course is not too bad although with IT it does tend to go out of date rather quickly.  The tutors I had were good but if you are not in Dublin they may be few and far between.  One of my modules was based Limerick and I know this year there are no tutors in Galway (where I am) for the level 2 modules at all.  Oscail itself is not organised very well (imho).  They do not really treat the students very well and are a nightmare to get answers to questions from (not the tutors themselves but the admin side of Oscail).  

All in all I'm glad I did the course but orignally was going for the degree.  After three years of dealing with Oscail I decided it wasn't worth the hassle.  Although the changeover to normal university timetables is a good one, the phased approach was going to cause me more trouble than it was worth.  (Orignally year started Feb with exams in Nov and a 5-6 week break in the summer.  In order to bring it online over the next few years they are starting earlier and finishing earlier until the eventually start in Sept and finish in May).  I was going to have to do my final exams in early September which didn't suit at all with kids school holidays etc.  

As a word of caution nobody from my year (for want of a better word) went on to to the degree even though most were going to in the first place.  Everyone I spoke to had enough and couldn't be bothered to continue.  Those who were on the degree modules (who we met with at exams etc.) advised  us not to bother as it was just getting worse.  Think hard before handing over your money and try to get some input from OU.


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## Novice (13 May 2005)

Wow that is interestinga and has put me right off.

My main reason for wanting to do the DCU programme was because I thought the course would be better respected than the OU degree course...am I totally wrong here?

Also, UCD do a Business Studies BA by distance learning has anyone had any experience with this?

Worries me that I could hand over all the cash and be landed in the middle of a nightmare.


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## Unregistered (13 May 2005)

Novice

Sorry, I didn't mean to completely put you off.  I was just trying to give a balanced view of the course.  It has plus points aswell as minus points.

On the plus side :

- Cheaper than OU (at least that was what I was told)
- DCU award the IT Diploma/Degree so recognised here easily
- Tutors tend to be good and also helpful
- 8 tutorials per module per year, so not too much but enough to get to meet other students and the tutor
- Total marks (per module) based on three assignments (10,20,20%) and an exam (50%)
- Left to your own devices as to when/where you want to study
- If you are happy to work on your own and ignore Oscail Admin then it is fine

On the minus side :

- Mainly the admin - hard to get hold of, badly organised tutorials dates/times (e.g. one at 11.00am in Galway, second at 1.00pm in Limerick) - they did eventually sort this out after I kicked up a fuss about being told that "it didn't matter as they were not mandatory!"), wrong room details for exam (very stressful when it is 20 minutes after the start time and you are still waiting for the examiner!, eventually told we were in the wrong room - lucky there was about 20 of us so they couldn't dock the time)

- They have now decided that the Diploma is an 'exit' award so if you continue with the degree you have to 'give back' the diploma (not sure how they get it off you!).  This means if you have worked hard and gained a Distinction at Diploma level it is exactly the same as scrapping though on a pass because the degree marks are based on the degree level modules

- Notes are a bit sloppy.  I know they have been recently updated but contain lots of mistakes (when these are formulae it can be very confusing)

Overall it really depends on the type of person you are.  If you are laid back, happy to work through things on your own and don't get stressed over the odd admin mistake then you will do fine.  If however, you like things organised well, notes proof read and correct and like to talk things through with other people and tutors then it might not be the course for you.

Ex Oscail Student


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## 90210 (15 May 2005)

#Q: Arts and Business Studies Degrees or Diploma Courses have seemed more of a vocational course rather than a practical preparation for employment purposes.



Ready for the Cannonballs .....But what do you achieve by completing the above, more particularly Arts?


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## Novice (16 May 2005)

I understand what you are saying and as someone who dropped out of an Art and Media degree I  have actaully done wuite well.  Most of the people I work with have masters etc.  I have done eveing diplomas and courses and do not feell that they really impacted on my professional abilities either.  recently I wanted to change jobs and the fact that I hadn't completed a degree was really a big issue for a lot of employers.  My next step now will be on to management and I feel that my lack of degree will make it almost impossible to get the kind of senior management jobs that I want in the future.  I know it might seem ridiculous that a piece of paper would mean so much to me when I've managed fine without it until now but it  is just something I really want to do.


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## Novice (16 May 2005)

Ex Oscail Student - 

Thanks for the comment.


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