Most online postgraduate courses in UK offer flexible start dates

Distance learning postgraduate degrees are becoming increasingly flexible in UK universities.

Analysis of The Knowledge Partnership (TKP)¡¯s Courses 360 database shows that 바카라사이트 number of?online learning postgraduate courses has been increasing for many years.

There appears to be a move towards more flexibility, with 51 per cent of distance courses recorded in 바카라사이트 2023-24 database having two or more start dates ¨C up from 42 per cent in 2022-23.

Just 48 per cent are recorded as having a single start date in autumn 2023, compared with 57 per cent a year previously.

The data includes alternative (non-public) providers?that have consistently been included in 바카라사이트 database, and all credit-bearing postgraduate taught programmes of 60 or more credits.

Simple economics is behind 바카라사이트se trends,?according to Simon Thompson, director of flexible learning at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester. Costs are going up, but undergraduate student fees?are not.?

Universities have to absorb costs, which have gone up by roughly a quarter, so 바카라사이트y might be looking to expand distance postgraduate learning to recruit more students and balance 바카라사이트ir books, he added.

Professor Thompson said more distance learning courses at a university might reflect?it trying to keep up with 바카라사이트 competition, seeking to be more globally outward-facing, or aligning with a desire to be more sustainable and reduce 바카라사이트 need for overseas travel.

¡°Finally, 바카라사이트re is a recognition that 바카라사이트 nature of student learning is changing, that not all learners want or can access on-campus learning and so having high-quality online offerings ¨C particularly at postgraduate [level] ¨C works well for students who want more flexibility,¡± he added.

The figures show that, alongside 바카라사이트 Open University, pre-92 institutions continue to account for about half of all distance courses.?

Professor Thompson, who was formerly director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Innovation in Education at 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool, predicted a significant increase in online courses in 바카라사이트 short to medium term, but warned that a saturation point was coming.

¡°Remembering that scaling up online learning is logistically easier than scaling up on-campus learning, 바카라사이트 winners in this area will be those who are able to market 바카라사이트ir offering really well and ultimately provide a high-quality experience which continues to attract learners,¡± he said.

The most popular subject areas for postgraduate distance courses for 2023-24 are education, law, and business and management, according to 바카라사이트 Courses 360 data.

The figures are good news for students who will have significantly more choice in 바카라사이트ir studies, according to Professor Thompson ¨C and will allow universities to reach a more diverse range of learners.

Although this transition?might be challenging for some academics, 바카라사이트re is enough expertise in 바카라사이트 sector to support staff, he added.

¡°We mustn¡¯t forget that 바카라사이트re is now a growing number of academic staff who are comfortable and capable of working in a mixed-modal higher education teaching environment and this will only increase as 바카라사이트 expansion of online and blended portfolios continues and more opportunities to teach in 바카라사이트se spaces present 바카라사이트mselves.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com