A224 Inside Music course Options

[eldatom]

The OU have added to their site that this course begins at the same level as the ABRSM grade 3 paper! Can't hurt to go over some of the basics again, can it??

Just don't get caught out in a false sense of security. OU courses can get tricky quite quickly. I'm doing TA212 at the moment which claims to include all the theory pre-reqs for A224. G3 is probably about right. There was a bit of grumbling on this course which claimed you needed no ability to read music that about 16 hours of study time were allocated to the theory work. This was in the 1st 4 weeks including simple dictation along with the intro to the maths needed and a TMA covering all of it. Fine if you had moderate prior knowledge but a handful of folks got into a bit of a panic about it.

A good point! And A214 said that you didn't need any prior theory knowledge, boy did that get difficult quick! It actually took you up to Grade 8 theory although I know it is only a substitution for Grade 6. I should imagine that A224 is going to be the same. I am doing this to fill in the gaps where I missed out on the course work when losing my sis. I hope once I have completed this to tackle ABRSM Grade 8 theory.

[Jessica123]

I notice the OU offers -

In order to check whether you have the necessary knowledge to start this course, you are strongly advised to look at the preparatory material. If you pre-book for this course, we will send you details on how to access this material when it becomes available in early 2011.

If the material covered there is unfamiliar, you should work through it before starting A224. It is best to do this over several weeks, so that you have time to absorb it, rather than trying to cram it all in immediately before starting the course.

It's a shame they don't allow access to this material before you pre-book the course. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mellow.gif)

I'm in 2 minds whether to sign up for this course (partly because it will be in its first presentation and I've heard there can be "teething problems" with OU courses when they are first offered, and partly because I only have grade 3 theory, which means I'd be going into it with the very minimum level of theory required). I was hoping that they would put this preparatory material up on the website and they now have. Although all it consists of is grade 1-3 AB stuff, so it doesn't help me make up my mind, as I've obviously covered all this in AB exams but am still not sure I could handle A224 if it goes up to say, grade 8 kind of content. (I don't know if it does and this info would be more useful to me! Might have to email the OU about that.)

Anyway, if anybody wants to take a look at the preparatory materials, the link is below (hope it works!):

OU A224 preparatory material

[eldatom]

For those of you that are interested in A224 - Inside Music and what it entails. I asked a question whilst the new module forum was open. This was what I received back:-

Hi ......

Thank you for the question.

The assessment of A224 is quite different to A214. There are 6 TMAs spread evenly throughout the module which are focussed on writing about music and writing music (songwriting tasks, including some reflective writing on the process). These are presented online and submitted through the eTMA system. Full instructions on how to do this are provided, and this includes an opportunity to submit a 'dummy' assignment to experience how the system works before using it for real.

The EMA replaces an exam. There are two parts: you will use the knowledge you have gained throughout the module to write about a piece of music which has not been discussed in the module itself, and you will write a complete setting of some text for voice and piano. You will begin working on the songwriting task in a previous TMA, so you will have some feedback from your tutor to help you when you work on the EMA.

I hope this is helpful, and that you enjoy A224.

Best wishes

Catherine

Dr Catherine Tackley

Chair, A224

Hope this helps everyone make up their mind.

[rabbit]

Now that this course is nearing the end of its first year running - would anybody like to share their opinions on it, how they've found it and whether they think it is worth doing?

Thanks.

[eldatom]

Now that this course is nearing the end of its first year running - would anybody like to share their opinions on it, how they've found it and whether they think it is worth doing?

Thanks.

It hasnt started yet. Its first year begins this October. I will let you know next June, lol. Or better still you could sign up for it. Combined with a level 3 course you can get a music dip. I am looking forward to earning my music dip - only 6000 words away now. On Tma 6 for Aa317 and completed A214 in October 2009.

[rabbit]

Now that this course is nearing the end of its first year running - would anybody like to share their opinions on it, how they've found it and whether they think it is worth doing?

Thanks.

It hasnt started yet. Its first year begins this October. I will let you know next June, lol. Or better still you could sign up for it. Combined with a level 3 course you can get a music dip. I am looking forward to earning my music dip - only 6000 words away now. On Tma 6 for Aa317 and completed A214 in October 2009.

Duh! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) Silly me! Just realised this topic was started this year! How time doesn't fly. Have signed up for it but haven't return all the paperwork yet - too much ummmming and ahhhhing on my behalf lol

[violincjj]

I'm going to do it I think...

[Flossie]

Now that this course is nearing the end of its first year running - would anybody like to share their opinions on it, how they've found it and whether they think it is worth doing?

Thanks.

It hasnt started yet. Its first year begins this October. I will let you know next June, lol. Or better still you could sign up for it. Combined with a level 3 course you can get a music dip. I am looking forward to earning my music dip - only 6000 words away now. On Tma 6 for Aa317 and completed A214 in October 2009.

You can only get the Music Diploma if you meet all the requirements by December 2012 (the qualification is being withdrawn because the OU is standardising the undergraduate Diplomas and bringing them in-line with those of other institutions and Hefce/NQF standards).

It is still possible for a new entrant to get the music diploma if they take both A224 and AA302 starting in October this year - but this would be a lot of work (120 credits is equivalent to 1 year of full-time study) and you would need to be confident of passing both at the first attempt because a resit wouldn't meet the completion deadline. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[eldatom]

Now that this course is nearing the end of its first year running - would anybody like to share their opinions on it, how they've found it and whether they think it is worth doing?

Thanks.

It hasnt started yet. Its first year begins this October. I will let you know next June, lol. Or better still you could sign up for it. Combined with a level 3 course you can get a music dip. I am looking forward to earning my music dip - only 6000 words away now. On Tma 6 for Aa317 and completed A214 in October 2009.

You can only get the Music Diploma if you meet all the requirements by December 2012 (the qualification is being withdrawn because the OU is standardising the undergraduate Diplomas and bringing them in-line with those of other institutions and Hefce/NQF standards).

It is still possible for a new entrant to get the music diploma if they take both A224 and AA302 starting in October this year - but this would be a lot of work (120 credits is equivalent to 1 year of full-time study) and you would need to be confident of passing both at the first attempt because a resit wouldn't meet the completion
deadline. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Thanks for pointing that out Flossie, I did think of that afterwards.

[andante_in_c]

I'm also thinking of A224 this year, as I need to register for something to keep my fees at the current rate. I haven't studied with the OU since 2002 (when I dropped out of AA314) but I still have my original qualification open.

It's a bit of a long story, but essentially I completed all the Level 2 and Level 3 units then necessary for a BSc in Psychology, but never got round to getting the credit transfer from my Nottingham BA sorted out. They've since downgraded one of my courses to a 30-pointer, so I would need another psychology 30-pointer for that degree, but I'm not really bothered about a named degree now as I'm not going to be working in psychology. So my plan is to change it to a BSc Open and take at least another 90 points for that.

I have the old A241 in addition to my psychology modules, which was the 30-point predecessor of A214 and I passed way back in the 1980s.

Clear as mud? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[Tixylix]

You can only get the Music Diploma if you meet all the requirements by December 2012 (the qualification is being withdrawn because the OU is standardising the undergraduate Diplomas and bringing them in-line with those of other institutions and Hefce/NQF standards).

It is still possible for a new entrant to get the music diploma if they take both A224 and AA302 starting in October this year - but this would be a lot of work (120 credits is equivalent to 1 year of full-time study) and you would need to be confident of passing both at the first attempt because a resit wouldn't meet the completion deadline. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

This is what I'm doing, because I'm very stubborn determined and I haven't had to do a resit yet - well I'll find out on 5th August if that's still true (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) but I'm reasonably confident. I'm also not working so I only have to worry about OU modules...well that and G8 piano, but that can be moved.

According to my StudentHome my A224 materials are being sent out on 12th August - how early do most people get their course materials? If I get mine first I'll give a sneak preview. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[eldatom]

You can only get the Music Diploma if you meet all the requirements by December 2012 (the qualification is being withdrawn because the OU is standardising the undergraduate Diplomas and bringing them in-line with those of other institutions and Hefce/NQF standards).

It is still possible for a new entrant to get the music diploma if they take both A224 and AA302 starting in October this year - but this would be a lot of work (120 credits is equivalent to 1 year of full-time study) and you would need to be confident of passing both at the first attempt because a resit wouldn't meet the completion deadline. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

This is what I'm doing, because I'm very stubborn determined and I haven't had to do a resit yet - well I'll find out on 5th August if that's still true (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) but I'm reasonably confident. I'm also not working so I only have to worry about OU modules...well that and G8 piano, but that can be moved.

According to my StudentHome my A224 materials are being sent out on 12th August - how early do most people get their course materials? If I get mine first I'll give a sneak preview. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Which course results are you waiting for Tixylix, I have my AA100 around 5th August. I am also registered for a224 and have my materials showing 12th August. They usually arrive around the time they say. We are quite lucky as I am also doing A215 and materials dont come for that until September.

I am really excited to start A224, just got to get through one more Tma and Eca first.

[CJB]

I don't want any new materials until TMA06 and the EMA are done. I don't need any more interesting diversions

[andante_in_c]

I've just registered (and paid) for A224, and changed my target qualification to BSc Open. No going back now! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Seer_Green]

I've just registered (and paid) for A224, and changed my target qualification to BSc Open. No going back now! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Well done!