Online learning: A flexible way to fast-track your career

Online learning is now a popular way to study for students all over the world. It’s easy to see why, as studying remotely will provide you with advantages such as flexibility and cost savings, as well as making it easier to balance your employment, life, and study. It can also open up a much wider range of courses, some of which might not otherwise be available to you in your local area or home country.

Benefits of online learning

Study from anywhere

Online learning makes it easy to study from wherever you are in the world, without any barriers such as visas or relocation costs. All you need is a reliable internet connection to access your course materials and to interact with your tutors and fellow students. 

If you take a course with the University of Dundee, you won’t even need to have a physical library nearby, as all of your materials will be available online. We offer full access to our online library and our Ask the Library service is available 24/7.

Save time and money

Being able to study from your own home will also reduce your living costs significantly, as you’ll save on travel or commuting costs as well as additional accommodation expenses. 

Another advantage of online learning is that without any travel time you'll also be maximising the time available to you for study.

Flexibility

With online learning you are less likely to be constrained by a timetable in the same way as a face-to-face class. You can design a study schedule that fits your own circumstances and preferred ways of working. 

Here at the University of Dundee, we build flexibility into our online programmes by scheduling our live sessions for various different time zones, so that our online learners across the world can join in.  We also record sessions for later access, and despite being UK-based, will arrange tutor appointments at convenient times for you, even if it’s outside of the standard UK working day. 

We also understand that challenges such as family illnesses or workload increases can arise unexpectedly, and you can request extensions or temporary withdrawals to manage these situations. 

At Dundee, our modules and reading materials are always accessible, so that you can study at your own pace. Whether you're a working professional, a parent, or simply balancing various commitments, this flexibility is invaluable.

Do employers recognise online degrees?

Prospective students often ask whether employers consider a degree gained online to be equal to one gained on campus. The answer is yes, provided your course is through a respected institution, then an online degree is highly valued by employers. 

If you complete your degree while working, this can even enhance your CV by highlighting  your time management and dedication.

Professional accreditation

Courses which are accredited by a professional body are particularly sought after as it shows that these courses meet industry standards. Where relevant, our courses are professionally accredited. For example, all of our archives courses are accredited by the UK Archives and Records Association and The Records and Information Management (RIM) Professionals Australasia. Our Community Education MSc has a CLD Standards Council approved qualifying route, and our MEd course is accredited by the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) and the General Teaching Council Scotland (GTCS).

Online vs in-person degrees

At the University of Dundee, all of our online degrees hold the same weight as those achieved in person. We ensure academic quality through rigorous reviews, adherence to Curriculum Design Principles, and annual monitoring. Our online modules match the academic standards and content of their on-campus counterparts, differing only in delivery, and are led by the same subject matter experts. For example, our healthcare courses both on and off campus include teaching staff who are currently working in the NHS.  

Apply your learning in the workplace

For some of our degrees, particularly in fields like education or healthcare, staying in your current job allows you to directly apply your learning in the workplace, gaining practical experience and making an immediate impact in your professional environment. Indeed, it is a requirement for some of these courses that you are in relevant employment, as you will use workplace-based activities, reflecting on your professional practice experience, as the foundation for your academic study.

This also means that you can continue to earn money while you study and won’t need to take a career break in the same way.

Our community

Learning online doesn’t mean learning in isolation. Right from the start, you’ll be a valued member of our community, and invited to participate in University-wide online activities. We encourage you to attend graduation, arrange to meet staff, and take a tour of the University. Whilst some of our online learners live thousands of miles away, others are more local and are always welcome to use our campus facilities. 

Become part of a worldwide community of alumni

Although you might have studied online, you are welcomed fully into our global network of alumni. Even once your degree has finished, it doesn’t stop there. Make new contacts, develop your connections, and find even more career opportunities when you attend the prestigious alumni events that we hold. 

Our online courses

If you're interested in studying online with us, learn more about the online degrees we offer in the following subject areas:

• Archives and Information Studies
• Community Learning and Development
• Computing
• Dentistry
• Education
• Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy (CEPMLP)
• English
• Forensic Science
• Health Sciences
• History
• Languages
• Law
• Medicine