MSc choices

I have been working hard this week, to convince my better half, to let me use some of our hard earned savings to pay for a part-time MSc next year, at a London University.  The course is 2yrs part-time and costs well over £12K!

I have been used to plodding through my Open University studies, each year, at a pace that is financially comfortable and is not too taxing in terms of time spent each week, studying.

However, the Open University simply do not offer me what I want at the postgraduate level.  I am also certain, that they never will either (going by the recent conversations that I have had with several tutors and course administrators).

Bottom line?  The O.U do not believe that it is financially viable for them to offer theoretical science MSc's.  This is despite them having a student base of over 250,000.

So, my potential choice of an MSc, with a very well known London university, is an intensive two year stint, with a minimum of 20hrs per week of studying and at the very least, a monthly trip to London for intensive lectures and study.

I already work in a traditional profession, and clock the occasional 56hr week, so any extra time spent studying, will almost certainly impact on my 'family time'.

So, it's a big ask; "darling, can I spend our savings so that I can see you and the kids even less for the next two years?"  Doesn't sound that attractive.

The course, which I have deliberately not mentioned the title of  yet, combines some pure and applied mathematics, with fairly advanced computer science and modelling.

It isn't a degree in physics, but then I am struggling to find one, that will allow me to complete it part-time, without having to visit a lab each week.

So, I will ponder, cogitate and digest this potential bifurcation point in my study path; whilst I sit and wait for my exam results for this year.

If I don't get a good pass in those exams, I will probably be fairly limited in my MSc options, anyway.

Lastly, why haven't I mentioned the title of the degree yet?  Because I want to settle on the decision myself, since it is such an important choice.  If it turns out to be wrong, then I want that decision to be on my shoulders only.