4 reasons why you should study an online Master's degree

When you’re researching for potential degrees to study what’s the first question you ask yourself?

• Is it: what modules will I study?
• Or is it: how much are the tuition fees?
• Perhaps your ask yourself: where is the university based?

Perhaps instead the first question you should ask is: can I study this degree online?

Distance learning courses – or blended courses where part of the degree is online – are nothing new, but they are becoming more and more popular every year.

There’s many reasons why people choose to study an online degree, but if you’re not sure why that may be here are the top four reasons why you may want to consider it as a potential option.

1: A flexible approach to your studies

If you’re planning to complete your degree whilst continuing with your current job - or have family commitments that you cannot reschedule – an online degree may give you the flexibility that you need.

With many online degrees making use of pre-recorded lectures, you can study at a time that best suits you without impacting any existing work or personal commitments.

2: Opens the world to you

When searching for a face-to-face degree there’s one limitation that most people come across is distance.

If you can’t move for your studies then you are immediately whittled down to just a handful of institutions that you can travel to from home. Even if you can move, there’s a lot of potential costs and perhaps you won’t be able to move far.

An online degree means you can study at any university in the world; no longer do you need to worry about travel time.

This means that the perfect degree you couldn’t study because the university is on a different continent is now just as viable an option as a university in your home town!

3: A more affordable option

Another key consideration when applying for study a degree is the financial impact of your studies.

Not only do you need to work out how you’ll pay your tuition fees (self-funded, government loan or work sponsorship, for example), but you also have to take additional costs into account such as:

• Travel
• Books and resources
• Living costs
• Any trips or other activities that form part of the degree

By studying online you can remove some of these costs from consideration. You don’t need to worry about travel costs and there shouldn’t be any impact on your living costs. Many online degrees also offer cheaper tuition fees than their face-to-face alternatives.

4: Study from anywhere

Everyone learns differently and the environment you’re in has an impact on this. Some will prefer the lecture theatre setting, but for others being in a space by themselves will help them to absorb much more information.

So, if you’re put off by the idea of being ‘stuck’ in a classroom, remember that with an online degree you could be learning at your desk from home, or your kitchen, or your local library, or a nearby coffee shop… you get the point!

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