You may already have an undergraduate degree but want to make the best use of your time inside by working towards a postgraduate diploma or degree. You will have to find out what the rules are regarding Open University study in your prison, for it is different, for instance, between Scotland and England. You need to remember that you will need the support of your probation officer whether inside or whilst on licence.
Start by getting a print-out of the OU postgraduate prospectus from your library or whoever runs the careers service at your prison (Shaw Trust, etc.). They will need to go online (www.open.ac.uk/request/prospectus) and request a prospectus (ask them to click on ‘via post’ otherwise you will have to pay per page for the print-out). You can get up to three prospectuses free from the OU so ask for ‘Postgraduate Courses’, ‘Open Qualifications’ plus a subject specific one to make sure you have all the information you need.
For funding you may be eligible for a student loan (the prospectus explain how to apply for a loan), or you may have to sit down with this Directory and see which funders you could write to. If you are able to contribute something it will help, for you are very unlikely to get all you need from one funder. The most obvious charity for those who have done at least 30 credits with the OU already is OUSET (www.oustudents.com/open-university-students-educational-trust-students-charity). As they are purely online, again you will need support from your personal officer, the library or whoever provides careers advice in your prison.
You will need to prepare for the course by reading around the subject and collecting together general textbooks, paper, pens, highlighters, etc. and also finding out early what the set books are will help.
Once you start the course you will need to work harder than the average student to keep up. Write regularly to your tutor who will be able to send you extra e-tutorial and screen-cast print-outs that the OU won’t have included. Join the Open University Students’ Association (OUSA) www.oustudents.com/ subject group: OUSA sell past papers to undergraduates, but not postgraduates but the subject group may be able to send you the questions used in their revision weekend. You could try writing to them at OUSA, P.O. Box 397, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes. MK7 6BE.
Get into a routine by doing a set amount of work every day. If you share a cell then you may need to negotiate a quiet time to study, and ear-plugs from the canteen really help. You will find the Open University are very flexible in terms of how you present your work so don’t rely on getting computer time in the library, otherwise a lockdown will disrupt everything. Neat handwritten essays are fine and you may be even offered the opportunity to hand-write your dissertation.
You may be in the situation where you will be leaving prison fairly soon and so are not able to start a course whilst inside, or you may be just completing your degree and want to take your studies further when you leave prison. You can use your remaining time to prepare for postgraduate work. If you are considering applying to a conventional university then do that through your probation officer to ensure you have any disclosure done properly.
There is no doubt that doing any qualification in prison shows potential employers that you have real drive and determination. It will be a struggle at times to get materials, time, peace and quiet to study but all of that struggle will make you stand out as a good person to employ.
Bruce
Former postgraduate student