My plans

Having now started in earnest, my undergraduate studies in Maths and physics; I will just provide an overview of my plans to complete this part of my studies.  I want to try and obtain sufficient maths , to be able to cope with higher level physics work.  But, at the same time, I want a good grounding at undergraduate level, in some physics specialist areas, so that I can expand on these in a Masters degree, in the near future.

I already have 100 points at 1st year level, 60 points at second year level and 30 points at third year level.  This is all from my first attempts at studying with the OU.

These points were made up from about 4yrs worth of Humanities courses with a 3rd year business course, thrown in.  I can use these, to count towards a B.Sc (Hons) Open degree (kind of like a mix and match majors, option), which needs 360 points, with at least 120 from year two courses and 120 points from year 3 courses.

So I already have a mixed profile of 190 points, leaving me the following science courses to get:  20 points at first year level - 60 points at second year level - 90 points at third year level. This is a total of 170 points, to get!

My plan to achieve this, is as follows:
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Jan 2011

MST121 Using Mathematics (30 points, level 1) - Core Maths
S196 Planets: An introduction (10 points, level 1) - Basic Physics / Astronomy
S197 How the Universe Works (10 points, level 1) - Basic Physics
Modern Cosmology and the Distant Universe (12 points, level 1) - Basic Cosmology

Interim qualifications gained:

Professional certificate of development, Astronomy (Liverpool John Moores)
Certificate Higher Education (OU)
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Jan 2012

MST209 Mathematical Methods and Models (60 points, level 2) - Mathematical Physics

Interim qualification gained:

Diploma Higher Education (OU)
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Oct 2012


S207 Exploring the Physical World (60 points, level 2) - Core Physics
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Feb 2013

SM358 The Quantum World (30 points, level 3) - Specialist Physics

S383 The Relativistic Universe (30 points, level 3) - Specialist Physics

Interim qualification gained: B.Sc Open (OU)
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May 2013

SMXR358 Quantum Mechanics: Experiments, applications, simulations (10 points, level 3) - Residential course
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Feb 2014


SXP390 Science Project: Radiation and Matter (30 points, level 3) - Physics research methods

Final qualification gained:

B.Sc (Hons) Open (OU)
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All of this should give me a degree with a good mix of maths and physics at level 2 and 3, from which to then springboard into a post graduate degree.  I'll later post my post-grad options, which are many.