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CASE STUDY
Carol Hunter (OU Student )
Studying for a career in Social
Sciences
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After high school, I went straight on to
university to do Primary Teaching but
found it overwhelming and not for me,
so I dropped out. I went on to work
in accounts, I was settled, had kids,
and got comfy in my nine to five job
with no real ambition to do anything
else. My Dad knew I could do much
more with my life, and before he died
in 2014 he encouraged me to go to
College, to get some qualifications
under my belt and learn something
that I enjoyed. I had always felt that I
had let my family down by dropping
out of university and that they were
disappointed in me, so now was
the time to help others with care
experiences through my own.
I followed my dad’s advice and went
back to college to do an HNC in Social
Care to get used to learning again as a
mature student and I then went on to do
HND: Social Science. I progressed on
to a degree in Social Sciences with the
Open University and I am so proud to
have successfully achieved a First-class
Honours degree. I have since continued
my studies, I enrolled onto the MA Crime
& Justice last year and begin my final
year of studies this October.
In my extra time away from studying I
was President of Fife College’s Student
Association, which ended this summer
and I have now started as a Guidance
Adviser in the Dunfermline campus.
I have also completed training with
Children’s Hearing Scotland to now
serve voluntarily on the children’s panel.
I’m one of many people for whom
the traditional university route didn’t
work and the OU has made so much
possible for me.