Open University

[Starjust]

Goto this link it appears they are combining the courses in some way for distance learners

Astronomy by Distance Learning

University of Central Lancashire - List of courses - Astronomy

Thanks for the link

[martin_b]

Martin. I have been looked at the Galaxies course at the JUM. Ideally want a course for interest as I'm not bothered about getting a qualification at the end. Is this course scientific in nature, as opposed to descriptive? They said that it is related to resaearch work they do so is quite up to date in content. I can cope with the maths.

It was a couple of years since i did this module but i remeber it as being a good one, they all do start from first principles though, so you may find it too easy. For examaple I found the Cosmolgy module quite easy and I'd done a lot of what was covered during my Physics degree, however the Gamma Ray Burst one was all new to me and hence more challenging.

All the JMU course's I've done seem to take a similar form. The assignments have consisted of a two or three "data wrangling" exercises, a short popular article, and finnaly a multiple choice test.

Regards

Martin

PS: Its not the maths i found frustrating, its Excel!

[MontyUK]

Martin

Thanks for your reply. That's what I was worried about. I don't need the qualification but want to do something interesting. The alternative is to read a book. Do you get more out of the course do you think? JMU's are all level 1 courses. You appear to have done several of them, also, I guess, without needing the qualification - so you appear to benefit or enjoy them. The OU seems to suggest not starting with a level 2 course, but is that reasonable?

[martin_b]

Martin

Thanks for your reply. That's what I was worried about. I don't need the qualification but want to do something interesting. The alternative is to read a book. Do you get more out of the course do you think? JMU's are all level 1 courses. You appear to have done several of them, also, I guess, without needing the qualification - so you appear to benefit or enjoy them. The OU seems to suggest not starting with a level 2 course, but is that reasonable?

I just enjoy them. I started doing them as I felt my brain had gone into semi-retirement early, and wanted to kick the unused portion of it back to life.

What I do find is that having the assignment/exam element does get the competitive juices going and gives you a nudge to do some work when you'd rather be down the pub! ( as you say the qualification itself is pretty irrelevant to me)

I'd be happy starting on a level 2 course, ( but my first degree is maths and physics) but i just havent found one that I fancy yet, and fits in time wise. If i do undertake one though I'm dumping Excel and getting a copy of Mathematica.

[Patrick Gilliland]

I did my m.Sc in psychology with OU never thought about a course to support this hobby, of to have a look now, thanks for pointing out the obvious lol.

[01gringo]

Well, I got my course material this week for S194. Already started reading through the book, but have got another two weeks to wait before the course starts. I can feel the frustation already.

Jon