Emma Roddick

After discovering that studying at a traditional university wasn’t right for her, SNP Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) Emma Roddick found that The Open University (OU) offered her the best route into higher education. 

“I tried a ‘brick university’ and it didn’t really work for me,” Emma says. “I was really excited about being able to study with the OU while working full-time.”

Discussing her previous experience of studying at another university, she explains: “The course itself was fantastic but I didn’t have a lot of money behind me. Although I had not been living with my mother for over a year, it wasn’t at the threshold where I could be considered independent, so I was struggling. 

“I was working, but my wage every month just barely covered student halls… I was far too stressed about finances. I wasn’t able to put my full thoughts into things. It wasn’t working and I had to leave after a few months.”

Funding for OU studies

I don’t think a lot of people realise that it’s an option because there will be full-time grants that we all know about, but there are these options for doing it part-time. And if you’re on a low income, you don’t need to worry about affording it.”

Emma was able to qualify for the Part-Time Fee Grant to fund her studies with the OU, which made studying in higher education financially possible for her.

“I think folk should be aware that I’ve got that grant,” she comments. “I don’t think a lot of people realise that it’s an option because there will be full-time grants that we all know about, but there are these options for doing it part-time. And if you’re on a low income, you don’t need to worry about affording it.”

She adds that “one of the big benefits” of studying with the OU included that all of her books were included with her courses, whereas when she’d previously studied “my first student loan payment went entirely on books”. 

Flexibility around shifts

In 2017, Emma began studying for a Masters in International Relations with the OU, while balancing her job as a scheduled care co-ordinator with the Scottish Ambulance Service covering the Highlands, Islands, Aberdeen and Grampian.

“I was working with the Scottish Ambulance Service and it worked perfectly as my shifts were different every day and it didn’t matter,” she says. “I could do some studying in the morning, during lunch, or in the evenings.”

She also felt part of a student community during her studies, finding that “the Facebook groups for the OU are so active and friendly, so that really helped as well… I’m still in the one for cat owners actually!”

Emma found that she developed a number of transferable skills during her studies, which were relevant to her work at the Scottish Ambulance Service. 

She explains: “It was completely different in terms of what I was learning, but the time management and constantly writing and studying means you’re using your communication skills… it was really helpful to me writing up patient files and speaking to folk on the telephone. You’re constantly in that zone of reading and writing.”

Emma decided to pause her studies when she became a local councillor and in 2021 she was elected to the Scottish Parliament to represent the Highlands and Islands region, becoming the youngest MSP to serve in the current parliament at age 23. 

When she made the decision to put her studies on hold, she says that the OU staff were excellent and “I got all the information saying this is how you can come back… it’s that flexibility that you don’t get in other places”.

Only recently I was looking back at some things I’d written about immigration through my course with the OU. I thought there was something about the EU settlement scheme… so I went back and found my paper and got the statistics that I was looking for ahead of a meeting.”

In her new role as an MSP, she’s discovered that the learning she gained during her OU studies continues to be relevant, highlighting: “Only recently I was looking back at some things I’d written about immigration through my course with the OU. I thought there was something about the EU settlement scheme… so I went back and found my paper and got the statistics that I was looking for ahead of a meeting.”

Access courses

To anyone thinking about studying with the OU, Emma recommends: “I would say to them to make use of the Access courses and see if it’s for them. That way of studying was for me and I know it works for a lot of people, but you don’t know until you’ve tried it… and go into it with an open mind.”

“It’s just a fantastic route into higher education for people who maybe can’t access it in a typical way,” says the Highlands and Islands MSP.