Online distance learning

LEARN SOMETHING NEW THIS AUTUMN

If during the lockdown you’ve had second thoughts about your career, or you want to beef up your CV, why not look into online distance learning.

An Open Degree isn’t for everyone, however, the positives are there for all to see

Online distance learning offers you the opportunity to get an Undergraduate or Postgraduate degree from the comfort of your own home. Allowing you to add something new to your CV and move closer to your dream career.

Distance learning is offered by countless universities in the UK. The most popular is The Open University, who have helped over 2 million people to get a degree. They offer Undergraduate and Postgraduate degrees in a huge array of subjects including Arts and Humanities, Business and Management, Politics, Health Sciences, Education and many more.

With over 120 undergraduate qualifications available, you will be able to find the right course for you and your career. And with 70% of Open University students working full time, you won’t be the only one struggling to manage your time. Luckily, The Open University has a handy Time Planner to check it’ll work for you.

The team at The Open University are fantastic and very helpful. If you have an idea where you want to get to in your career, their Careers and Employability service will guide you to the right course to get you there. Each course has a range of optional and compulsory modules which as a part-time student will be completed in a specific order over six years. However, if you are struggling for a year, you can defer.

Each annual module is broken down into Teacher Marked Assignments (TMAs) and Examiner Marked Assignments (EMAs). TMAs are basically coursework assignments whereas EMAs are an exam based assignment done from your own home. Some degrees do have an actual exam where you will have to travel to a nearby Open University registered building to take your exam.

At the start of each module, you will receive a study pack with study materials and your study guide. If you are proactive you can get ahead of the curve or you can follow the dates suggested to spread the module out over the term period. You will also have direct contact with a dedicated tutor, student forums and optional learning events to ensure you’re never alone.

Once you finish your degree, if you choose, you can keep on studying and maybe even get a Masters in your subject. Having a degree on your CV will open doors that were previously closed during your career, however, you do need to check you have the right work/ life balance to complete the degree.

‘But I won’t get accepted for a student loan’ or ‘I can’t afford it,’ I hear you say… Well, actually, you can apply and will be eligible for Student Finance UK if you’re a UK national

ORIGAMI

With over 120 undergraduate qualifications available, you will be able to find the right course for you and your career

(or have settled status). If you’re currently working and are looking to study part-time you may be eligible too as long as the course intensity is 25% or more – which is around 18 hours a week.

You will only start repaying your student loan when your income is over the threshold amount for your repayment plan. The threshold amounts change every April. The earliest you’ll start repaying your course is the April after you leave your course or the April 4 years after the course started.

Most students will only start paying once their income is over £511 per week before tax and deductions. Generally, once you are over the threshold you will pay back 9% of the total you are over the threshold. Your payments will be automatically taken out of your salary and you will be able to see the payments on your payslip.

An Open Degree isn’t for everyone, it is a lot of hard work over a long period, however, the positives are there for all to see… If you can’t get a Student Finance loan you do have the option to pay upfront or in instalments.

Notable alumni of the Open University include Lenny Henry, Mylene Klass, Talulah Riley and Meles Zenawi the 8th Prime Minister of Ethiopia. Registration for this year closes on the 10th September for courses starting in October, and you can order a prospectus online