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Posted March 29, 2016

The Pros and Cons of Postgrad Distance Learning

Laptop students When planning to enroll for postgraduate studies, distance learning is one of the options you can consider. There are a lot of colleges in the UK that offer distance learning courses. Advances in technology continue to make it easier for students and prospective students to achieve their dreams through distance learning programs. You need to know what to expect with this studying option, and here is a look at a number of pros and cons that will help out.

Pros Study Where You Want:  With a distance learning program, you can study from anywhere. You may want to attend a particular college, but the distance may be a problem. If the school offers a distance learning program, then problem solved! For someone who lives in a remote area, such programs will provide the perfect opportunity. Distance and inaccessibility should not be an excuse not to graduate from the school of your choice.

Study When You Want: With a DL program you have the flexibility to study whenever you want. So even if you can't sleep or you're in a different timezone you can turn on the computer and submit that all-important essay!

Work While You Learn:  Distance learning suits you perfectly if you are a working professional. If you are already working but want to further your studies, a distance learning course is the best solution. A graduate degree can open up incredible opportunities for your career, and it will be worth the investment. An MBA, for instance, will pay for itself eventually and you don't have to take time off work to complete your graduate degree.

Apply Your Work To Your Studies:  Working professionals have the chance to apply what they learn in their job. If you are studying for the same career you are in; you can use some of the new things to improve your work practices. Taking modules outside of your subject can also be of great help .

Set Your Own Pace:  Perhaps the most popular advantage that students get is the chance to set their study pace. Not everyone learns and grasp aspects at the same level. Being able to dictate how fast you go is beneficial in the long run. Distance learning programs offer various resources such as videos, webinars, and online books. Students can always go back to their videos and re-watch them if they didn’t understand some of the aspects. You can decide how much time you put into a particular module, which is something that classroom learning may not offer.

Cons Lack Of Contact With Real People:  When you opt to study via distance learning obviously you won’t have a traditional learning environment. There exist a number of plus points to being in a classroom and engaging with a lecturer face-to-face. However, technology makes it possible to interact in group discussions through video and online chats.

Too Much To Juggle:  It takes a lot to juggle work or family and studies. Finding time to do everything may take its toll on you. However, managing time wisely can give you the opportunity you need to accomplish important duties.

Reliance On Self Discipline: To be successful as a DL postgrad you must have a great amount of self discipline. Yes the workload is flexible - but it still has to get done. And you need to be able to submit the work on time without a tutor breathing down you neck.

As you can see there are many of advantages to studying your postgraduate program via distance learning – however there are also some disadvantages – but with the right approach these can be overcome.

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3 comments

Truda Oct. 15, 2016, 12:38 a.m.

Many thanks, this website is really useful.

BEATRICE N. AKWANAMNYE July 18, 2019, 11:34 p.m.

Thanks for the insightful info. Would help me make up mind on the way to go. Great job!

Charlotte King July 20, 2019, 1:13 p.m.

That's great to hear Beatrice! Good luck with your studies. Charlotte

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