Experiences with the Durham BSc (distance learning)

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Hello everyone,
I've signed up for the two year Durham distance learning BSc. Has anyone else done this or will be starting it in September?

 

i've never heard of this one, i'm stunned frankly. if its for real what made you decide to take this route and how will you get practical experience?

 

i think its for converting to a BSc from a diploma. almost like a top up.

I might be wrong though.

 

Sorry I should have explained! Sam is correct - it is basically a top up degree for those already registered with the HPC.

 

do you know who your tutor is yet fronny?

Sam

 

To quote Manuel 'I know nothing'.

 

I did mine at Brighton Uni.....absolutely fantastic experience....enjoy

 

Hi Fronny,

You will have different tutors for each module. This matters little, because you will do all of the work yourself - the degree is a research degree - not a taught degree.

In the first year the non-elective modules are statistics, qualitative research and quantitative research, There are also 3 elective modules - choose any 3 from 6.

You can exit with an unclassified degree at the end of the first year (BSc), or complete the second year for BSc(Hons)....in which case you can score a First, 2:1, or 2:2. The degree is in Podiatric Medicine - BSc(PodMed).

The first year is conducted by exchange of (in my case) just 4 emails, so very little input from tutors except for in the statistics module which is the reason for your first weeks attendance at New College Durham. Tutors do, however, mark and give generous feedback on submitted work.

A worthwhile exercise - you will have to give time to it and be prepared to write and re-write over and over again to develop your work. You will need to be critical of your own work and match it to the criteria you will be given.

 

Many thanks for that John. It is exactly what I needed to know and I can now start reading around statistics and research.

 

Fronny

I have research books available if you want them - pm me!

Angie

 

Hi Fronny

I did mine at Brighton Uni and it was a great experience and tool. Hard work though. Colleague of mine has just completed hers at Brighton Uni and come out with a First!

Ian

 

Hi Fronny

I too did mine at Brighton Uni and thoroughly enjoyed it. Lots and lots of hard work but well worth it in the end.
Statistics played a big part so the more you can read about them before you start the better.
A book I found useful was' Statistics Without Tears' by Derek Rowntree.

Good luck at Durham and enjoy the experience.

Paul

 

Hello Fronny,yes I did the first year of the course,it was very interseting and has helped me.

 

Hi there,

I am hoping to complete the SMAE diploma this year and then go on to do the conversion course in Durham by distance learning.
I am based in Dublin. If I do the Durham distance learning course I require a clinical mentor who is a registered podiatrist here in Dublin to supervise my clinical training. Has anybody in Ireland done this Durham distance learning and how have they managed with this aspect of the course?

Has anyone in Ireland done the conversion courses in Edinburgh or Brighton (or anywhere else??)and how have they been received by the Irish Society for Podiatrists?

All info or suggestions are welcome., thank you.

 

Kimberley,

You're a bit muddled. To do the Durham top up degree you have to be HPC registered - I assume that you're not. In addition I'm in the final intake, the current two year cohort is the last. Hope that helps.

 

Hi Fronny,

thank you for the update. I have contacted HPC about membership. They recognize the BCHA of which I will have membership, so I await their response.
If Durhamn is stopping the Bsc distance learning degree course, that is disappointing. Durham are starting this Foundation Degree Assistant Practitioner in Podiatry course. Which can be done distance learning but you need to have a clincal podiatrist mentor with whom you can work in your area. Organizing this in Dublin may be tricky if I was contemplating this and a lot of this may have been covered by SMAE. I await a transcript.

The other options are the conversion degree in Edinburgh or Bristol which are both distance learning degrees. I have asked both places if the SMAE diploma is sufficient for entry. HPC membership was not required from what I read but I await full reply.
thanks again.

 

Hi Kimberley,

I think you are confused about podiatry medicine. Fronny is correct on top-up/conversion degrees are post registration course only. SMAE currently doesn’t do Diploma in Podiatry maybe on Footcare.

HPC is not a membership club, it is a regulatory body. To be registered with HPC you must complete 3-4 years degree approved by HPC. Also you need to fulfill other legal requirements.

Somuz

 

Thanks Somuz. SMAE is not a podiatry diploma but a diploma in foot health. Trying to upgrade this via distance learning.

 

Kimberley,
I hope that you have not been mislead, but what you want to do is not possible. Currently the only way onto the HPC register as a chiropodist/podiatrist is via a 3 or 4 year podiatry degree.

 

Hi Fronny,

My colleague has just completed the assistant practitioner course at Durham, and is still sitting in a corner like a gibbering wreck. She constantly had to chase things up herself, attended cancelled lectures without notification and the rest of it. If she wasn't so determined, she'd have just given up!

Stay on your toes.

(Rubbish pun unintended)

 

I have done a bit of research on this. I understood that so long as you don't call yourself a chiropodist or a podiatrist you can do most of the treatments.(within the UK)
SMAE and when I was younger, the Strand school of chiropody (anybody remember that one?) offer footcare courses. Not leading to anything at the moment.
Where does a medical pedicurist stand?

 

Hi fronny,

The BSc top-up degree is hard enough as it is. You will need plenty of help and back-up if you want a decent degree at the end of it.
My advice is that if Durham aren't pulling their weight, look somewhere else.

The Durham top-up degree used to be very good. I did one of the first (think we were the second year they'd run it) and we had two residential weeks, several residential weekends, and plenty of help in-between.

 

Thanks David,

It's a bit late to look anywhere else as I've nearly completed the first year! So far its been great, I've learned a lot and stretched my brain cells around research. Planning to do the second year for honours so wish me luck!