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S283 Planetary Science

thing

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thing

thing

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Anybody done this OU course? If so was it interesting? I'm changing direction, instead of doing a straight astrophysics degree I've realised I'm more interested in planetary processes so I'm going the geology and S283/S282 combo route.

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thing

thing

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Too 'mathy' for me. I'm OK at maths, I'm pretty sure I would cope with the third year stuff, but maths as a subject doesn't interest me much. I like my science hands on as in breaking a rock open and having a gander at it. I've always been fascinated by planetary science anyway.

They are also rewriting the third level stuff and if you know anything about the OU you never take a course unless it's at least three years in...............

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Dave Smith

Dave Smith

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I did S283 last year and S282 the year before. Am currently doing S260 (Geology). I much prefered S282 to S283, the latter being more waffley. As I'm already trained in physics S282 was more to my taste. If you are planning on S283 and S260 it may be preferable to do the geology first. Another thing is that next year is the last year that polarising microscopes are provided. After then it is computer simulation. I wouldn't have enjoyed it so much without the microscope. This year I also did SXR260 which was fantastic and very much helps with S260.

Next year I'm doing SXR208 the astro course based in Majorca.

I hope that helps

Dave

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digitaldave

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I haven't done S283, but I did an older astronomy course, S281 Astronomy and Planetary Science. It was an interesting course that covered everything from planetary structure to cosmology. It looks like they have split the old course in to two new ones that cover the areas in more depth (S281 was 30 points, I believe the new split courses are 30 points each as well). There was some maths, but not as much as you'd expect in astrophysics courses.

Sorry that didn't directly answer your question, but I hope it helps a bit :clouds2:.

Dave.

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thing

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Thanks for the replies. Dave (or two Daves!) Just finishing MST121 and I'm doing S260 next year, as you say it's the last year with the big home kit, I'm also doing SXR260 next summer. Then I'm doing S282, 283 and 279. Then S330 Oceanography and 369, geological record of environmental change. I think they may have rewritten that one by the time I get to it. Oceanography looks good, be interesting to map those processes onto the ice/ocean rich moons.

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thing

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As I have mentioned in another thread, im on the astrofizzix run at the moment, and am doing MST121 now, is it so bad it puts you off the rest? Cos if so, then I may have to consider the geosciences instead too....

What is MST121 bad do you mean? It's pretty straightforward. Interesting even in places. I don't have a problem with maths, I'm just not that interested in it and astrophysics, especially at level 3 is very maths intensive. Are you just starting it this year?

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timetraveller

timetraveller

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I did the earlier version of this course along with Geology geophysics geochemistry and environmental science as part of my degree all excellent courses and a very good grounding for Astrophysics and Astronomy courses too. Found the content to be just about right balance but if you really want scary maths try the understanding space and time and quantum physics courses heavy heavy duty calculus etc

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freerange

freerange

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Is it the maths in MST121 that's put you off, or maths in general? I ask because I did MST121, I'm doing MS221 & signed up for M208 next year & each course doesn't bear much resemblance to the one before. DS is about to start MST121 & has more of a physics bent than I do. He's been told that most of the physics courses aren't that mathsy until level 3 & even then its not 'scary' maths. Although I suppose that depends on your definition of what's scary!

Of course, if the change of mind is because you like the planetary & geology stuff, rather than disliking the maths, then those courses look like great fun! Best of luck with them.

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thing

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Is it the maths in MST121 that's put you off, or maths in general? I ask because I did MST121, I'm doing MS221 & signed up for M208 next year & each course doesn't bear much resemblance to the one before. DS is about to start MST121 & has more of a physics bent than I do. He's been told that most of the physics courses aren't that mathsy until level 3 & even then its not 'scary' maths. Although I suppose that depends on your definition of what's scary!

Of course, if the change of mind is because you like the planetary & geology stuff, rather than disliking the maths, then those courses look like great fun! Best of luck with them.

No I don't have a difficulty with maths, I've averaged 97% so far, just the last TMA and CMA to send in. I know I've done OK on those. It just bores me. I've always been able to do maths, it's not a case of actively disliking it, I just have no interest in it. I will do sufficient maths to enable me to do the science. But I don't want to waste years doing sufficient maths just to do level 3 astrophysics. I'm not doing the degree for anything, it's just something to keep the old gray matter ticking over, so I might as well do something I like. Thanks for the best of luck, I might need it when I get onto level 3 Oceanography :clouds2: .

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Rosanella

Rosanella

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Anybody done this OU course? If so was it interesting? I'm changing direction, instead of doing a straight astrophysics degree I've realised I'm more interested in planetary processes so I'm going the geology and S283/S282 combo route.

S283 seems gentle comparing to MST221 (2nd level pure Maths I'm doing now... :clouds2: ...) and the rest Physics/Maths stuff.

I'll be taking S283 after MS209 (the 2nd level applied mathematics) and S207 Physics, because by then I will most definitely need a more chilled out year, big time! :)

Have fun with S283 :)

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Bufferz

Bufferz

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Rosanella - Pure AND applied maths, now THAT's dedication! I'm looking to get away with 121, and 209, and avoid pure maths like the disease riddled leper that it is! :) But need to do 121 first(in progress), then S207 next October, before doing MST209. :clouds2:

Dave - Is S250 worth a gander at too? Its a general bit of everything course, 30pt level2, with the added bonus of no exam, just an ECA!! 8) 8) Looking at doing that in Feb, as it wont impact on the maths stuff much, as I am aiming to have the bulk done before xmas!

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thing

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Rosanella - Pure AND applied maths, now THAT's dedication! I'm looking to get away with 121, and 209, and avoid pure maths like the disease riddled leper that it is! :) But need to do 121 first(in progress), then S207 next October, before doing MST209. :clouds2:

Dave - Is S250 worth a gander at too? Its a general bit of everything course, 30pt level2, with the added bonus of no exam, just an ECA!! 8) 8) Looking at doing that in Feb, as it wont impact on the maths stuff much, as I am aiming to have the bulk done before xmas!

Looks a bit generalised to me. I don't need it to make up the points TBH. I need 300 points to get a BSc, they kindly gave me 95 points for an HNC electronics that I have, I have 30 from MST121, 10 from S184, then I just need the 180 including, 60 at level 3. That will give me 315 actually but I wanted to do the Intro to Astronomy course S184 just to see what the OU was like.

If you're just doing 121 on it's own which I did you should be able to get the bulk of it finished in about 4/5 months. I started in Jan this year and had it more or less finished by July. I'm just doing 30 points a year, I want it to be enjoyable rather than stressful, plus it gives me something to do for the next 6 years.

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GazOC

GazOC

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Be careful of racing ahead, its OK with MT121 but a guy on my AI computing course did it, misinterpreted a key idea and had to totally redo 2 assignments out of 4.

TBH everyone on the course was made up as he was a real smart Bottom and always posting "I finished that module 3 months ago" type messages. The thread in which in gradually realized his mistake (when the rest of the group had caught up and started discussing the last two assignments) was comedy gold. :clouds2:

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