Given the massive hike in university fees and the loss of maintenance grants, is distance learning the way to go?

There are many positive reasons for undertaking a distance learning course as there is an enormously diverse range of high quality degrees, courses and qualifications on offer.

Many universities have become aware of the need to offer cheaper study options as the number of students that express concern about the costs of full time university study rises. One of their solutions to this growing problem is to offer distance learning courses as an alternative and much cheaper way to gain a degree.

Studying online through distance learning

Course materials can be accessed through the Internet in a virtual learning environment such as Moodle, which more and more of you will be familiar with from school. You can undertake a range of activities and assignments which build up to a qualification and you will receive regular support from a tutor and possibly take exams at the end of the course. It’s as straightforward as that!

In many cases, there is also the possibility of interacting with other students - through online conferencing systems, tutorials and study groups - so studying at home is not necessarily as lonely as you might think!

Positive reasons for considering distance learning:

• Distance learning from home in your own time and at your own pace, could be a very practical and realistic solution to gaining worthwhile qualifications which could really improve your life and earning power.

• Distance learning is international, allowing you to gain access to excellent courses at world- renowned universities and interact with students across the globe whilst remaining in the UK.

• If you have to care for relatives or children or have impaired mobility, distance learning allows you to gain access to a high quality education without having to leave the house for great lengths of time.

• Distance learning can less than actually attending university and having to pay the hugely increased fees, as well as having to cope with the living costs you’ll incur as a result of living away from home.

• You may be put off the thought of higher education by the idea of being back in the classroom, competing with with other people - distance learning removes this classroom aspect, allowing you to work independently in familiar surroundings - at your kitchen table or sitting comfortably on your sofa!

• If you are already undertaking a traditional university-based education, distance learning can provide an easy way to gain extra, stand-alone qualifications in another subject which interests you or one which could significantly maximise your career options.

• Distance Learning offers a wide range of programmes combined with individual support so that everyone’s needs can be accommodated and catered for - distance learning is no longer considered to be the second- rate alternative to the traditional, university-based way of gaining a first class education and genuine qualifications! There are rigorous quality control systems in place to ensure that the academic standards are the exactly the same as those you would expect from a regular university.

There is a wide variety of qualifications to choose from, including undergraduate and postgraduate degrees as well as MBA programmes. Distance learning allows you to choose from and study more or less the same diverse number of courses found in traditional universities but from the comfort of your own home. There are degrees in anything from history and law, to nursing practice and sport. You can also combine modules from other subjects with your main degree. One of the oldest and well established establishments offering online learning courses in The Open University. As well as standard degrees, The Open University offers Foundation Degrees, Diplomas of Higher Education, OU Diplomas, Certificates of Higher Education, OU Certificates and independent module courses. The possibilities are endless!

Distance Learning really does offer options for everyone whether you want to focus on one subject because you are aiming for a specific career or whether you’d simply like to study for pleasure or to improve your job prospects.

Setting your own deadlines and working at your own pace means that you’ll have to keep yourself motivated. There is no-one to chase up your work or drive you to succeed - you will have to be disciplined enough to do that yourself! Distance learning might not be suitable for you if you find it difficult to motivate yourself and if you are someone who likes the support of other students and would enjoy the social aspect of going away to college, the independent learning environment may not work for you. For practical reasons there are some skills and qualifications you cannot pick up from a home study course - some courses can teach you the theory of a subject which may give you a head start but to qualify in some jobs, the practical element of gaining qualifications is essential – like Plumbing, for example.

 

Case Study

Here, Stéphanie Thomson shares her own personal experience of Distance Learning. Stéphanie wrote the following on The Guardian newspaper’s Student Blog:

‘If you have money worries or work commitments, studying remotely can help you stay in education’. Stéphanie decided that she wanted to go back to university to study an MA but she did not want to relive the days of frugal spending and debt worries that she experienced during her time as an undergraduate. Keeping her day job, Stéphanie signed up to a Distance Learning MA in International Relations at the Freie Universität, Berlin.

Stéphanie was able to take advantage of studying at a world- renowned university in the comfort of her own kitchen at times that suited her. She did not build up any debt as she had done whilst studying her first degree and achieved a top-class MA degree after only two years of Distance Learning. Stéphanie said, ‘One of the main things I have learned from my Distance Learning experience is that education isn’t just about doing a traditional Bachelor’s degree, it’s a lifelong journey. Distance Learning makes that journey more accessible and very rewarding.’

 

Glossary

MBA stands for Master of Business and Administration. It is recognised as the world’s best postgraduate qualification for people concerned with Business and Management.

Foundation Degrees are recognised nationally and focus on a particular job or profession by combining workplace learning with academic study. They are equivalent to two thirds of an Honours degree.

Diplomas of Higher Education are recognised nationally and are also equivalent to two thirds of an Honours degree. They focus either on a particular job or profession or on academic study.

OU Diplomas and OU Certificates are specialist Open University qualifications, focusing either on a particular job or profession, or on academic study.

Certificates of Higher Education are recognised nationally and focus either on a particular job or profession, or academic study. They are equivalent to the first year of a full Honours degree and are the most basic level of qualification that can be gained in Higher Education.

Stand-alone Module Courses are a qualification in one module, taken from a specific subject or from a professional course.

BSc (Hons) stands for Bachelor of Science (Honours) Degree, which is a degree award, generally lasting three to five years which is awarded for science-based subjects.

MA stands for a postgraduate Master’s Degree.