Part time degree courses

Have you always wanted to study for a degree but never had the time? If so then these short programmes are an ideal solution as they give students from all backgrounds an opportunity to gain a first-class education that doesn’t infringe on their work and family commitments.

Due to their growing popularity many universities now run part time undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses in a huge range subjects. No matter what topic or academic qualification you want to study you can be sure there is a institute of higher education out there running a course on it.

The main reason for this expansion is the ease with which a evening or weekend course can fit around a students life. This makes them perfect for a whole batch of people who in the past would never have considered enrolling on one. A good example of a typical student is the working professional who wants to undertake a course of academic education specifically to help them with their career development.

The advantages of a part time degree course
Studying part time at university not only allows you to broaden your horizons academically, but will also at the same time equip you with a range of additional transferable social, organisational and learning skills that are highly sought after by employers. Other benefits of these short courses are;

• You can continue to work and earn a income whilst you study.
• A broad range of subjects is available to study.
• They can enhance your job prospects.
• Some employers may be willing to contribute towards your studies.
• Gain a great deal of knowledge about a subject in a relatively short space of time.
• Depending on the subject on some courses you need fewer credits and fewer classes than full time students.
• The financial cost of a course can be spread over a greater period of time.
• Enjoy the full use of a universities academic and social facilities.

The disadvantages of a part time degree course

• They require a tremendous amount of commitment, discipline and perseverance from students. It can be difficult to motivate yourself after you have been working all day long.
• With some employers a part time degree qualification can have less prestige that a equivalent full time one.

How long does it take to complete a part time degree 
The length of time it takes to complete your degree really depends on how much time you have available for the course and the amount of time you can afford to devote to your study. Although a university will not stipulate how long you should take to complete your degree, you must study a set minimum number of credits per year. The more credits you choose to study every year the quicker you will graduate. For more information on the minimum number of credits you need to study you should contact the course coordinator.

Part time degree course structure
Timetables are flexible and classes are compact, highly informative and well structured with tutors providing professional support and teaching methods. Everything is geared towards providing students with a rich experience across all disciplines. As a part-time student you will attend the same scheduled daytime classes as full-time students, however it is up to you how many modules you choose to do and therefore how many hours you wish to study. Classes are usually held on weekday mornings, afternoons or weekends and the level of teaching that you will receive will be the same as that given on full time courses.

Transferring to full time study
If you find that personal circumstances change or you enjoy it so much that you want to commit to more time to your study and finish your degree at a much faster rate then you should be able to transfer to full-time study.

Part time degree courses are ideal for

• People who are bored with their present jobs and are looking to train for a different career.
• Anyone who dropped out of a degree course when they were younger and not complete a degree when they were younger.

What to look for in a part time degree course

• Check to see that the teaching quality at the university has been independently rated.
• Find out the maximum size of the classes, as in smaller ones you are more likely to receive face to face tuition.
• Enquire about the lecturers, are they leading researchers and authorities in their disciplines.
• What sort of resources does the university provide its undergraduates, look at the research environment and quality of the training equipment. Look at the Library, online resources and IT facilities.
• Will help be available when you need it? Check out the support services offered to students.

Links to more short courses
Evening courses London
Evening classes London
Evening photography courses London
Part time MBA London
Short business courses London
Weekend courses London

Part time language courses 
Evening English courses London
Evening language courses London
French evening classes London

General courses
University courses

Student resources
Essay writing
Graduate internships
Introduction to graduate fasttrack schemes
Revision timetable
Revision tips
Student accommodation
Student loan company
Study skills
UCAS personal statement
University interview questions

Student CV examples
Student CV templates (over 30 free professional written examples)

More career resources
Cover letter examples (over 50 expertly cover letter examples)
CV templates (over 300 free professionally written samples)