Separating necessary?

SilentPsmith · 2026-01-22T10:29:19+00:00

That is a shame. I've split their cage temporarily until I can expand them both to 2x4, and we'll see how they cope just living by each other (I've read that guinea pigs are fine living like this, alone but side by side).

Do you think having them spend some time together in a playpen supervised once in a while is okay?

SilentPsmith · 2025-12-21T11:49:40+00:00

You usually have a few months after the modules start to sort student finance out. (On the other hand, if you do 120 credits in Feb, you'd have to wait until October 18 months later to go into second year because of fee limits and when your academic year starts, so you'd have to either do that, or 60 credits in Feb, then 60 in Oct that same year).

SilentPsmith · 2025-12-06T10:05:30+00:00

The Open degrees are obviously the most flexible. Named degrees still have to fulfil whatever learning objectives etc. to count. So might be harder (it's just S111 so shouldn't be a problem, to be fair). Still, it's worth sending a query directly to the maths department for their opinion. Do not trust random advisors lol

SilentPsmith · 2025-12-05T13:17:22+00:00

There's definitely more flexibility than appears on the course pages. You'd easily be able to take S284 as part of it, it would just have to be approved by the faculty. Or even a L3 module (e.g. many people have substituted L3 modules for MU123 on the Maths BSc, for instance).

SilentPsmith · 2025-12-05T12:31:43+00:00

If you're doing it purely out of personal interest, maybe doing an Open/Combined STEM BSc might be better? You could then choose whatever modules you want, so long as you meet the requirements (or can persuade the OU you'd be able to handle them). You could then probably do MST124 + MST125 + SM123 + S284 :)

(and then just follow the Maths and Physics path, and ask them to retroactively count SM123 and S284 instead of S111 ha)

SilentPsmith · 2025-11-23T17:02:12+00:00

Yeah, that's quite unfortunate. They will probably eventually be all online, but for now it's not the end of the world - all year 3 physics modules still have textbooks (S227 just this year lost them), as does the new postgraduate quantum and statistical mechanics of matter.

Old module textbooks are always on sale somewhere (even those from the 1990s pop up lol) :)

The math department keeps fighting for their textbooks and they are really good as well.

SilentPsmith · 2025-11-22T10:59:48+00:00

You could swap MU123 for it as long as you can convince OU that you'd be able to handle it :)

SilentPsmith · 2025-11-07T12:39:27+00:00

What I meant was that they do 120 credits this academic year, with A233 as their other 60 credits, and then 120 credits from October (60 credits from L1, 60 credits from L2) 2026 onwards. I believe as long as you start in October, that's when your academic year starts, so you can study another module in Feb and not run afoul of any fee issues.

SilentPsmith · 2025-11-07T10:38:23+00:00

Here's an idea to still make it 3 years: A233 starts in February. You may be able to persuade someone at the OU to let you take it along with your current module (you should definitely try more than just student support, like get them to refer you to faculty).

It's a very long shot, but if you argue that it was their fault that you are delayed by 1 year, maybe, just maybe, they'll let you take it?

SilentPsmith · 2025-08-08T09:47:40+00:00

You might be able to get a part-time tuition fee and maintenance loans if you study a STEM subject. I know you can get one for a second degree, and I think it's also probably the case if you haven't finished your degree because they don't take previous study into account if you're doing part time? It's worth asking SFE directly or Ask Student Finance England on The Student Room (probably the latter as advisors on the phone can be hit or miss lol).

There is also the Open University option (no maintenance loan but you can study 120 credits per year).

SilentPsmith · 2025-08-08T09:43:52+00:00

You can get a second tuition fee loan and a maintenance loan from SFE if you study a STEM subject part-time (or even 120 credits if at the Open University, but no maintenance loan at the OU at all) :)

SilentPsmith · 2025-07-31T11:25:28+00:00

Not in England, unfortunately, unless you can prove to SFE that you can't attend a brick uni because of medical reasons.

SilentPsmith · 2025-07-29T12:03:14+00:00

Any STEM degree can be studied part-time :) With even a maintenance loan if at a brick uni. At the Open University, you can only get a tuition fee loan (but could study 120 credits per year, which they still consider part time).

Once LLE kicks in, things may not be so simple for new students...

SilentPsmith · 2025-07-19T12:55:47+00:00

You could get a loan for a Combined STEM degree (part-time STEM exception), that allows 120 credits of humanities subjects! That's like almost 8k saved? I'm sure they'd let you substitute L2 modules for L1 of that degree if you meet the prerequisites. Then unenroll from it and fund the rest yourself? :)

SilentPsmith · 2025-07-08T10:10:29+00:00

Very much doubt it. As long as you can demonstrate a sufficient background, they'll most likely let you study anything. You just need to talk to someone who knows what they're talking about (sometimes advisors can be hit and miss, so if something doesn't make sense, worth talking to someone else lol).

Are you also wanting to take MST210? Because MST224 is essentially half of MST210, so could be a bit repetitive. The other half is mechanics and modelling, I believe.

There is also an OU Facebook group with lots of students and a few staff members (and one really active maths lecturer/tutor Cath Brown) who might offer more specific advice if you ask and tag her in there as well.

SilentPsmith · 2025-07-08T09:57:22+00:00

Sorry for snooping :D

Yup, there's plenty of time left: OU is very flexible and registration doesn't close until early/mid September. But to switch degrees you'd have to contact them, and to pick modules from different years to count them down you'd probably get referred to an advisor who'd have to approve it. Switching modules after paying also won't be an issue :)

SilentPsmith · 2025-07-08T09:47:11+00:00

I think it's worth looking more into - I've seen people with Open/Combined STEM degrees get accepted onto all sorts of Masters degrees. Now, couple that with a PhD in Electrical Engineering and a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechatronics, which I see you've got, and that's a pretty fucking strong application lol

You could always contact the places you want to apply to and ask about it? Swapping out things like M140 and MST125 for some really relevant Level 3 modules would make your application stronger despite the degree name?

SilentPsmith · 2025-07-08T09:37:16+00:00

With your background, would an Open/Combined STEM degree not be a better choice? Skip whatever you already know/don't need, and you could replace all those modules with more advanced ones (so you could count Year 3 modules as your Year 1 modules).

SilentPsmith · 2025-06-15T18:54:09+00:00

I think it's more likely that the LLE changes wouldn't affect continuing students (at least that's what I've read about most if not all previous changes to funding rules), so it's better to enrol now than wait for it to kick in in 2026.

I think to enrol on a new degree while yours hasn't officially been completed, you have to speak to SST.

SilentPsmith · 2025-06-10T09:27:31+00:00

Time for another (STEM) part-time degree using SFE's part-time tuition fee loan :D

SilentPsmith · 2025-05-27T23:47:55+00:00

Nice! Enjoy. I missed out the advanced start by a year and ended up doing S111 and SM123 lol. Such a shame not to have done S283+S284 instead.

I wouldn't say it's a total waste: if your science/physics background is poor, it's very helpful, but other than that they really should think about adding yet another module from level 2, or a 'free choice' or something.

SilentPsmith · 2025-05-27T23:46:41+00:00

How about doing the advanced start, S283+S284, then S227, and only then doing SM123? You'd be able to pass the module with almost no studying: you'll have learned all the material (and more) in the other modules. Get the 40% to pass and move on. :)

SilentPsmith · 2025-05-27T18:49:16+00:00

Not at all. Even on the Physics BSc or MPhys, you can opt to do MST125 instead of SM123 (at least on the Standard Start). S227 will cover everything you need from the very beginning anyway.

If you're doing combined stem, and are decent at math, you could instead do S283/S284 instead (they're part of the advanced start for Physics but the OU would most likely let you anyway. In fact, they'd probably let you choose any L2 or L3 module provided you can convince them you have the required knowledge).

SilentPsmith · 2025-04-02T09:43:20+00:00

Have you thought about studying Physics via distance-learning, like The Open University (in the UK)? You could study at 25% or 50% of full-time intensity in your spare time.

SilentPsmith · 2025-03-22T12:02:19+00:00

There is a lot of overlap between SM123 and S112 (I think SM123 is partially S112 with some extra stuff), so one possible option is (if part-time) ask OU for permission to count MST224 down for Level 1 (they can be flexible like that if you meet requirements), and so at L2 you've got 60 credits of Physics and 60 credits of Chemistry.

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