Degree offered (and accepted)

Today I was offered and accepted my degree. This is what it said on my student home page...

You have been awarded an Upper Second-class Honours (2.1)

I was never exactly sure what the title would be, but here it is...

Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Computing & Information Technology and Mathematics

And I can use the following letters after my name...

BSc (Hons) CITS (Open)

All a bit of a mouthful but there you have it.

Ceremony, gown and photography is duly booked and will take place in October, after which I will write the final post in this blog and lay it to rest for evermore. No more education for me.

It's all over, finished, done, mission accomplished

Today I took a peek at my OU student homepage, and my exam results were up 8 days ahead of schedule. I was delighted with my results which was a grade 2 pass in both MT365 and M336.

I had been more than a little afraid that I might have flunked M336, but my score was actually better than that from MT365 (73% vs 71%). OK, I obviously just scraped a grade 2 in each, but that doesn't matter now. The result is what counts.

I'm feeling a bit numb currently, so I won't say any more for now. I might sink a couple of cold beers tonight to celebrate though.

My first OU-free day in almost 4 years

It's 6:30am, the sun is shining and I'm about to start the first day where I can go about my business without feeling guilty that I'm not doing something related to my studies, and right now that feels pretty good.

Since October 2010 there has not been one single day where I have not been in the middle of some module or other. This has been because in every year except 2014 I have had modules that ran both from October to June and February to October, so there has been no respite, even over the summer. Try selling that to a student at bricks-and-mortar university.

Sadly, I have to go to work, but hey-ho, you can't have it all good.

M336 Exam

It finally came around, the one I'd been looking forward to like a trip to the dentist.

Four years work all riding on one stinking three hour exam. I only need a pass, just 40% will do. If there is any justice in the world the OU will grant me that small mercy.

The paper wasn't too bad as they go, but whether I have done enough I can't say. I've struggled all year with M336, and I did my best. 'nuff said.

Six weeks hence I will know, but first I have some life to catch up on.

MT365 exam

One down and one to go.

Just got back home after sitting the MT365 exam. Part one was OK, but part 2 was quite different to recent past papers and not what I was prepared for. Naturally, I ran out of time too and only attempted 2 out of the required 3 part 2 questions.

I'm fairly confident I will have done enough to pass, but it will be 6 weeks before I find out for sure.

M336 tomorrow.

My last TMA mark (ever?)

MT365 TMA04, my last TMA mark (ever I hope) ... wait for it ... 83%

Not great, but more than the 0% i needed to get a distinction level mark for OCAS. So my unofficial OCAS for MT365 (according to the grade predictor) is 91.4% before substitution and 92% after substitution.

I'm satisfied if a little underwhelmed.

Exam in 11 days time!

M336 final TMA marked

I wasn't expecting much, since this TMA was incomplete (I simply couldn't do it) but I got 65%, which gives me 87.5% overall for OCAS before substitution, and 90% with substitution. This leaves me in the best possibility going into the exam, that is, there is a possibility (however small) of an overall distinction for the module (laughs). I will be more than satisfied if I achieve a pass!