I first started thinking about doing a degree in my 30s but I could never choose one subject.
What motivated me?
I was interested in why people behave in certain ways, why they do the things they do, how social backgrounds and poverty affects you. 20 years later with work and caring responsibilties, I learnt my interests are considered 'behavioural science and behavioural psychology' and googled The Open University to read up on the course content.
Together with flexible learning, my husband and two teenagers said: 'Just go do it, mum'.
They'd heard me talk about it so often, so I finally applied after my 50th birthday!
Why now?
With 30 years away from education – when it was O Levels, no computers, IT, still fountain pens and chalkboards – I took the Access course to check out if I was even capable of degree-level study. Thankfully I was, and after six years of part-time study while working, caring, ill health and a lot of juggling, I completed my BA (Hons) degree in Social Sciences (Psychology) in July 2025. A huge thanks to my patient tutors over the six years.
What did I learn?
I learnt so much along the way that is truly valued by employers, and learnt lots about myself too. I learnt how to operate computer systems and programmes, found buttons and tabs on computers I never knew existed! I was brave and contributed online to forums, learnt what a blog was, and how to write one. I enjoyed discovering skills I forgot I had – creative writing, putting my point of view across, that communicating is a two-way street of listening and talking, team collaboration, time organisation, and deadline-meeting.
Most importantly, IT can be achieved at 57 with a lot of patience and quite a lot of teenage help!
Wider impact of learning from my course
I also learnt about cyber secuity, advertising influence, media, world affairs, a wider social viewpoint, commitment, never giving up, and learning from international students too.
It's never too late to change career or direction
Writing this at 57, I had felt I'd left it too late to pursue my dream of studying a degree and changing my career. If I could tell anyone leaving school, college or university now at a careers event, I'd say that learning is a lifelong journey, and you learn lots through life, work, challenges and personal experiences, as well as from text books. Being at the OU, it opened my eyes and expanded what was a voluntary interest to a wider opportunity.
My PPIE interest became my motivation to let patients have a voice
I wrote this article about my PPIE work (Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement). Their work is about giving a voice to people to discuss their physical and mental health.
I wanted my experience as a patient to give a voice to people who are not heard or listened to enough, inspired by my learning various modules of social sciences and psychology.
Be part of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)
Everyone is a patient and we all experience health in different ways – positive or negative, our stories need to be heard. I used my knowledge to reflect patient voices in health and social care, and to encourage others that people can make a difference when we speak up.
My voluntary interest gained more focus for me to represent a wider community and public view of physical and mental health in health and social care. I used my learning and experience to reflect real stories of cultural, underrepresented, minoritised, LGBTQA+ people etc – to be more inclusive and address health inequalities, and how people's experiences all overlap and intersect.
The future
The Open University inspired me to use their career services after graduation, and I encourage others to take advantage of it too. The Graduate Future Skills offer advice of how to write a CV, ideal if you haven't updated one in 20 years! Find out the importance of narrative CV, networking, speculative job hunting, and writing a personal bio and selling yourself.
It helps graduates target their careers, goals and offers guidance in a competitive world.
Get workplace ready and future-proof your career | Careers stories | Open University
0 Comments