It is that time of the year again. Registration for modules starting next October, February or April open around the middle of March. I like to sign up early.
Not least because the Open University is experiencing record levels of enrolment due to the pandemic. Some of the computing and IT modules are among the most subscribed in terms of student numbers.
Usually by this time, I am clear about which modules I want to study in the next academic year. There was not much of a choice in Stage 1. TM111, TM112 and TM129 were all compulsory.
The only choice then was between the maths modules; MU123 (easier) and MST124 (harder) It depends upon how comfortable you are with maths or how long since your previous study. Neither prevents you from choosing certain modules in later years.
A better-than-expected result in TMA02 (robotics) helped me to understand that I enjoy and am good at programming. There are a few programming heavy modules in Stage 2; M250, TT284 and M269.
I want to study all three. Since, I am on the broad degree pathway with a computer science focus, M250 and M269 is compulsory. The general advice is not to do them both in the same year if you are studying part-time and to study M250 before you study M269.
M250 Object-oriented Java programming, does what it says on the tin and teaches you about the object-oriented approach to programming using the Java programming language. There is an exam at the end, assuming we are back to having sit-down exams next year, which will be my first in many years.
TT284 Web technologies, appears to be broadly about web development. So I think it would be a good idea to do some preparation on relevant programming languages such as Javascript, PHP, SQL etc. There is no exam with this one. Just an End of Module Assessment (EMA), as with TM129. I would not relish doing two exams at the same time.
So, starting October 2021, I will be studying M250 and TT294, providing I pass TM129 this year. I am leaving M269 Algorithms, data structures and computability until October 2022. It is rumoured to be one of the most difficult modules but is sounds like a pure computer science module. It also has an exam.
I have no idea what my final Stage 2 module will be right now. I previously toyed with the idea of switching to the new Cybersecurity degree but would have had to give up M250 and M269.
The Stage 2 module on that degree, TM256 Cyber Security, sounds like a very interesting module. However, it also has an exam and, oddly, only has a February start, not an October start. Still, it is one to consider for 2022/ 2023.
In any case, registration this year was not a smooth operation. In fact, I could not have enrolled on TM256, or any of the new cyber security modules in Stage 3 for that matter. They were not available to enrol at the same time as other modules.
It is fair to say that the facility to enrol on modules through Student Home, the part of the website students see when they log into the Open University, has a few bugs. Not all the modules were showing. So, if I wanted to enrol on any more modules, I would need to do so by telephone.
Nevertheless, that is one task down. My registration on M250 and TT284 starting in October 2021 has now been confirmed. I am just beginning to feel that new module excitement.
Before all of that, there are the not so small matters of TMA03 and, of course, the EMA for TM129 to finish before I make too many plans for the next academic year . . .