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