OU Course update

As mentioned ages ago, I signed-up for the OU T189 course on Digital Photography. This takes 10 weeks and is done entirely online and without direct tutoring, but its an introductory course and is my first efforts at higher education since getting my Master's degree in drinking in '94... maybe I'll put more effort in second time round...

Anyway, its not started yet and I'll report back at the end on how I found it, but so far the financial numbers are quite good! :

Course cost £47.50 (in Tesco Clubcard Vouchers, £190 otherwise).

A copy of Adobe Photoshop Elements V.8 just arrived in the post today as a freebie from the course - that's £55->77 worth in its own right, so already quids-in.

I also bought Lightroom 3 at Student Price - £66 down from £232. Scanned-in my acceptance letter from the OU, submitted it with the order, and it was approved within 2 hours. So I can now get at my archive of 4,000 photos again, phew! Limited to one computer instead of two, but I've put Lightroom on the big one and PSE on the laptop.

So all this, for less than the price of a copy of Lightroom, AND I get an introductory course on photography and 1/36th of a degree as well!

I just hope I get enough spare time to actually complete the course, Oct/Nov/Dec are somewhat on the busy side for work... still, its only 4 hours a week...

Best of luck flossie, I will be most interested in your progress. I have been hunting around for something myself but failed as all the local collages only do total beginners courses or full time degrees. I did look at the OCA course as a possibility.

Hi Flossie - good luck with the course, it looks like you are getting good value for money there.


Technoblurb - have you tried taking a look at the Open College of Arts? They do a modular course that you can build up to a degree.


link


I understand John Freeman who has written some excellent photography books wrote the course.

I'm seriously considering doing the last two units to top up my HND to a BA, if I can get their APL approval (Accreditation of Prior Learning) for the first 4 units.


H

Sorry Technoblurb - just re-read your post and saw you've already looked at it.........

No problem, I only discounted this course because I wanted something more hands on with a bit of shared experience.

I did the course a couple of years ago. It was interesting however no actual tutor input it is mostly like a forum you comment on others photos and they comment on yours.

Sandy

Can you tell me how much is about using the camera and how much about using the Elements software?

It is a job to remember because the course was on line so no course books etc. I think it was about 50/50 but they did not support a Mac it was just PC's.

Sandy

i had a look at the blurb for this course and came to the conclusion it is the same as doing the basic and intermediate courses at the local college in what it covers. this course 4hrs per wk, college courses 2hrs each per wk. the plus with the college is that you have a tutor and mixing with a variety of students .the cost is also on a par £99 full per course or £25 per course concession if you qualify. i have done the basic and start the intermediate on 23rd,on this course we are out on 4 field trips which would be difficult to do with ou course. the courses also last 10 weeks
K7,Tamron 28mm f2.5,Asahi Pentax 50mm A f1.7,Sigma 105mm f2.8 Macro,
Pentax 16-45mm f4, Pentax 55-300mm DA f4.5,Jessops AF Ext.tubes,
AF 1.7X Converter. Signa 170-500mm arriving soon
P.S The tutor is a Pentaxian. so a bonus at our college

sadly college courses aren't an option for me, as my work makes any kind of regular meeting impossible

Hi Flossie,
Just looked at the link. Very interseting but in the small print it says::
The course is designed to be studied over a ten-week period, with approximately ten hours of study each week.????

So is this course any good http://www.oca-uk.com/distance-learning/photography-1-art-of-photography

Slightly away from the topic, but can PSE and Lightroom share the same index/database of photos?

90% sure they don't, but as I don't own a current version of Elements I could be wrong.