I have just enrolled with the OU to do A870 Postgrad foundation cert in music, the first course of 3 towards an MA in music.

Hmmm seriously wondering if I'm mad

If you're starting in January, you and mrbouffant can be mad together!

It's something I've considered, but I'd actually have to do some work. Tragically, they won't just give me an MA because I want one. Another retirement project, methinks.

janexxx!! Well Done!! At least I will "know" someone on the course as well
Have you purchased the set text/recommended reading yet?

Yup starting in Jan

I feel some forum moral support group starting between Mr B and me

Good for you Jane.

I'd love to do something like that - have spent a year or so wondering what,
so not much to show so far!

No doubt you'll let us know how you get on - if you have time, that is!

The T Herbert and N Cook??? Yes I already have those. I bought them when I did the dip a few years ago. I read the Cook one, a nice easy read really, but the Herbert one was virtually untouched for that course. I think however that this is a different ball park

Good to find a fellow student already

Awww Maggie, come and join us. Registration is still open until the end of October, and we can all help each other.

I've thought about it for several years, but I only got half-way through AA314 when I took it a few years ago. Mind you, I was psychology teaching as well as flute teaching that year, so I was up to my eyes in lesson preparation and marking, and essay-writing was another chore.

You've inspired me at least to consider it again. I'd like an academic music qualification as well as the practical ones.

Go for it! As you can see, I subscribe to the "more letters the better" school 35 and counting...

But the MA's only two more!

That's why I like the DipABRSM. Compared with the LRSM it's BOGOF.

True, but I'm hoping the MA will lead to a PhD so it could be five

Ooohh now there's a thought.

I always fancied a PhD, but only because when people say "is that Mrs or Miss?" I can say "Dr, actually!" all smug

From what I can see, the PhD would lead on quite naturally.. In the second year of the MA you choose a topic for fairly detailed study and of course in the third year you have a dissertation.. I would hope to choose something which could expand up nicely into a doctoral thesis... I'm heartened that the Head of Research for Music has especial interest in 20th century British music which is one of my favourite areas

January can't come too soon enough for me now.. I can't wait for the course to start! :

Good idea. I have no idea what area I would want to look at just yet

In my experience we should get the course materials (or the first block at any rate) some time before the start date....so can get couple of weeks ahead if we're lucky. Have you done OU study before? are you into First Class?

Wow, I'm excited for you all .

And, at the same time, jealous - doing an MA in music sounds like a lot more fun than writing up my PhD .




AP and I are looking forward to eventually being able to say 'which one?' when someone rings and asks to speak to Dr <surname>...


That would make sense: in quite a few institutions, one registers onto a research MSc at the start of the first year, and transfers onto the PhD course at the end of it, so that those without a clue can be booted out after 1 year without it counting in the dropping-out statistics.

I was toying with doing a part-time music research MPhil at some undetermined date in the future after I've done the MA; something like this one. One can also get a sizable chunk taken off the word count by submitting a performance as well as a write-up.

Actually, would it be worth doing a 2nd PhD for the comedy value....? I'd be called 'Dr. Dr.' then

Hmmm there's a further step that needs to happen before you can do that too...

*Jane starts checking the local hat shops.....*

No OU study before.. and what's "First Class" ?

YAP: "Dr. Dr." lol

It's the OU's computer conferencing system. There will be a conference for the course and you will also get access to other relevant studenty conferences. Even a student cafe??? (Oh gosh...he'll be starting another "come in...sit down" thread ). For this course I guess it willl be an extra voluntary add on, but I have always found these invaluable, otherwise you can feel quite alone at times. For some courses (like the cert in management that I tutor on) it is compulsory that are active in a tutor group conference.

I feel alone all the time. Especially in the middle of the night, when it's cold and the wolves howl at the door...
lol

Sounds like it will be very useful. Can't wait for them to send out the course materials, according to my OU student homepage, the stuff will go out on the 16th December... Bit of light reading over the Christmas hols !!

I'm really getting tempted now...

One reason I left the last course was that, although I love learning, I hate learning on my own. First class had just started then , but only a few people used it, and there were often no posts for days.

If there are two of you I already know, it won't seem so bad.

But, I ask myself, is this another LRSM delaying tactic? Looking at the content of the modules it would certainly help with the viva voce.

You may already have access to the web version of first class then...it may be worth having a look to see if last years course conf is around for a quick preview of what s to come!!

Dec 16th, yup so a 2 week head start

andante_in_c, if you want my 2p I would say "go for it".. Of course there is the cost to consider, but if that's already covered then you are right in that it's got to help with LRSM, plus it's a spur onto FRSM (dissertation would be a breeze and you can credit transfer FRSM for the final year of the MA, thus saving you time AND money!)

hope you take the plunge

Does it not start at the _end_ of January? I might be confuzzled, to use a CE-ism

There would just be the little matter of being able to play the pieces for the FRSM.

Hmmm yup you're right 28th. So 6 weeks getting ahead time then

Now, now, don't get all swotty on me!

*Jane being swotty*

I've done TMA01

Maybe I won't be so smug when I get my marks

But it's not due in until Tuesday; aren't you meant to horde pro plus this weekend and do it on Monday evening?

I go away tomorrow morning, so had to get it done today. I have my "Shostakovichfest" in London and Paris, back on 12th.

Will you miss me?

Why wouldn't we?

Hope you have a good time, though .

Yes, you are a bloomin swot!!!

I have decided to draw on my own personal experiences which makes it somewhat less daunting than trying to pull together a cogent argument from a load of Professors with textual diarrhoea..

I've done 20% of it tonight and I hope to have the first rough draft finished tomorrow...

I don't do essays tho *groans*

Don't expect swottiness for TMA02 though..it's not my prefered style.

<watches with interest, mentally working out whether or not having to write an essay or twenty would be worth the effort for an MA>