If you are starting to think about applying to study a Masters in the UK then you may already have decided that you are interested in completing a masters degree online. This would mean that you would not be on campus for the duration of your studies. If you are thinking about this type of course, you may find the below Frequently Asked Questions helpful in deciding if online learning is the right method of study for you.
With online masters you will be working from home for the duration of your course. The components of the course, as well as the academic support, will be online. This means that lectures and seminars will be hosted on an online platform for you to log in and take part with everyone else. However, there is flexibility with this as some lectures are pre-recorded so you can watch these back at a more suitable time for you.
Distance learning has come a long way! Universities now allow students in the UK to earn a masters degree through online courses. Online masters degrees are constantly increasing in popularity because of their many benefits. Students who wish to earn their masters degrees online need to be self-motivated. Studying online means you have to be responsible for managing your own time and making sure you get the work done. Furthermore, you need to have great organisational skills and dedication to be able to successfully complete your degree.
For the majority of online masters degrees, the answer is yes. Every aspect of your studies will be undertaken online. However it is worth checking with each course what the exact course set up is. If you think that spending no time on campus would not be something you enjoy, then studying distance learning might be more suitable instead as this method of study allows some campus-based activity throughout the academic year.
Even though you won’t be on campus, there will still be support offered to you. This could be in the form of a tutor, but sometimes may be the programme administrator and will mostly be online or via email. However it may mean that support isn’t available every single day, so you should check this with the university. If taking part in debates and discussions in seminars is important to you, it’s a good thing to find out how each course handles this aspect as it will generally be via an online platform.
You could also ask current students how good the response times are if they have questions or difficulties and find out what types of support are offered. Current students will be able to give you a good idea of how much time is allocated to this per week, and if it’s all online or if there is the option to have telephone or skype support sessions with tutors.
Peer support is also a great tool to utilise with online learning and the use of online forums and social group chats, such as WhatsApp and Facebook, can help you bounce ideas off other students in the same situation. Groups such as this not only help you academically and answer any queries, but also help to alleviate any isolation you may feel as an online learner.
Many people choose to study a Masters online because it fits in better around their home life. This allows you to study when you have the time to do so, and that can be a big advantage of these types of courses. So if you are in employment and can only study in the evenings or weekends then an online learning programme allows you the opportunity to do this. However, it does mean that you have to be self-motivated to make sure you set the time aside to work on your coursework and not fall behind.
Completing a Masters online may even make you more desirable to employers, as it demonstrates you can clearly juggle a variety of commitments and succeed at doing so.
Read our post on The Flexibility of an Online Masters here.
You will be studying in a non-educational environment, most likely your own home. It’s important to be prepared to undertake academic work in the same way you would in a university library. You will most definitely need a PC/laptop with fast and reliable internet connection that is also affordable. You may not be on campus, but you are still a student so take advantage of any student offers you can find! Online learning offers great flexibility and autonomy but can become very frustrating if your IT lets you down. Regularly saving and backing up your work is important, especially when it comes to dissertation time.
Online masters degrees are eligible for the UK Government Masters Loan. However, you need to be living in England and it depends on your nationality. You may save some money on travel and accommodation by studying online. It is also possible you could save money on other day-to-day living costs that you would need to spend with a campus-based course. It’s advisable to check out the full costs of the courses you are considering before applying to make sure it is financially viable.
Read our post on The Costs of an Online Masters here.
Individual universities may also make bursaries or scholarships available for these courses but it would be on a course by course basis. You can search for Masters Scholarships and Funding opportunities on Postgraduate Studentships. You can also search Postgraduate Studentships for Charities and Trusts with scholarships and funding available for postgraduate students.
Many universities offer an alumni discount, so it might be worth checking with the university you completed your undergraduate qualification with if this is available. Not all universities will offer this discount, and not all will offer it for courses that aren’t taught on campus so it’s worth checking with the university.
The average length of an online masters programme is one to two years. Completion times will vary depending on numerous factors such as different subjects or modules which is why other students take four to seven years to graduate.
Nowadays, you can study nearly any subject online. Some projects are more in-demand than others but there are thousands of online Master’s subjects that are available and specifically designed for the needs of all students. Check out our online masters courses section to what’s currently available for UK students.
Of course, in fact it’s recommended you do just that! The best way to discover if an online degree is right for you is to speak to the university you’re interested in qualifying with. They will be able to provide you with all the information you need to help you make your decision. You can attend an Open Day on campus, or a virtual event online where staff will answer your questions. You can take a look of the upcoming Open Days here.
It’s important to get as much information as you can before undertaking a masters course online and the best place to get this information is from the university you are interested in studying with. Whether it’s the admissions department, a tutor or a programme administrator or fellow student, asking questions will help you to decide if this is the right method of study. You could also check out the social media presence of these courses or student groups before you apply and see if you can gain any insight before applying.