Study experience

We design our courses for online delivery from the start. This means you get a flexible, engaging, and high-quality learning experience.

With expert academics, a supportive community, and an easy-to-use online learning environment, you can achieve your goals from anywhere.

Flexibility to fit around your life

Our online students have varied schedules. So, you'll have the flexibility to study whenever and wherever you prefer. You should expect to devote around 20 to 25 hours a week to your studies. This will vary depending on your personal learning pace. You can set your own study schedule, but there are deadlines for some assignments and activities.

Our learning model lets you access course materials anytime. This is ideal if you’re balancing your studies with work, family, and other commitments. This flexibility ensures that you can fit your studies into your life without compromising on quality or academic rigor.

Blackboard: Your virtual learning environment

Blackboard, your virtual learning environment, is at the heart of your online study experience. Accessible via your web browser, it serves as your central hub for everything study-related, from viewing course materials to submitting assignments.

Its interactive and user-friendly design provides seamless access to a variety of content, including:

• engaging learning materials: Explore book chapters, videos, podcasts, and case studies tailored to your course
• live webinars: Engage in real-time with your tutors and fellow students. Watch on-demand recordings if you miss a session
• guest lectures: Watch online talks by industry experts for real-world insights and knowledge
• interactive forums and assignments: Collaborate with fellow students, engage in discussions, and apply your learning to real-world scenarios

Required equipment and software for online studies

You will need a suitable PC or laptop, a reliable internet connection, and a web browser. We recommend the following browsers:

• Mozilla Firefox
• Google Chrome
• Safari

It’s also important to ensure that your devices run on a recent operating system version. Check that you have the most recent browser updates installed, too. This is vital for data security and access to Blackboard, our virtual learning environment.

Hardware

In terms of hardware requirements, we recommend the following as a minimum:

• RAM: 2GB or higher
• 20GB of available hard drive space
• sound card and speakers

Internet

• High speed: download speed of at least 1.5Mbps, 750Kbps upload speed.
• To participate in live webinars, you’ll also need a webcam and microphone.
• You’ll need word processing software to write and format your assignment submissions. While it’s best to have the Microsoft 365 suite for this purpose, you can also use free solutions such as Google Docs.

Your community and support

With us, studying online doesn’t mean studying alone. You’ll be part of a vibrant community of students, scholars, and industry professionals. Learn about the support services available to you at every step of your journey, from registering your interest to after you graduate.

Before you study

Our team of advisers is here to support you at every stage. They’re available to answer your questions, offer guidance on online study, and help you determine if one of our master’s degrees is the right fit for your goals

During your studies

• Programme director: Your programme director sets the academic direction of the course and has overall responsibility for the programme.
• Module leaders: Your module leaders design the academic content and assessments for each module.
• Online tutors: Your online tutors will lead weekly webinars and moderate discussion forums. They’ll serve as your main point of contact for academic support and day-to-day queries.
• Student advisers: Your student adviser team provides personalised, non-academic guidance throughout your studies.
• Career services: As an online student, you’ll have access to career advice, workshops, and networking opportunities to support your professional development.
• Your fellow students: Connect with other students on the course through the discussion forums, where you can meet, collaborate, and build relationships throughout your studies.

After you graduate

• Career guidance: You’ll continue to have access to our career support and guidance services for up to 5 years after you graduate.
• Global alumni network: Become part of the University’s global community of over 285,000 alumni, providing valuable connections and networking opportunities around the world.

How you’ll learn

We design our courses not just to educate, but to engage. We use a variety of teaching methods and content types to ensure that your learning experience is as interactive and enriching as possible. Your learning resources will include:

• multimedia content: You’ll get access to presentations, videos, and infographics to enrich your learning
• research papers and written content: We’ll provide you with detailed reading materials and research papers that give you authoritative subject-matter knowledge
• case studies and guest lectures: Learn from real-world scenarios and industry experts
• live and recorded webinars: Our interactive, engaging webinars are delivered live, but you can also watch replays of them at a time that’s convenient for you
• weekly discussion forums: Each week, we present a new discussion topic on our interactive forums. You and your peers will use these topics as a springboard for debate, enriching your knowledge through a variety of perspectives from fellow students around the world

Assessment and feedback

We’ll assess you via a combination of written assignments, and individual and collaborative projects. You’ll also receive regular feedback from tutors so that you know how you’re doing and where you can improve. This will help you stay on track and fulfil your potential.

Assessment methods will vary depending on your chosen course.