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Looking for genuine part-time Geography/Environment MSc

I've just finished an evening degree at Birkbeck and it's highly likely that I'll get a first. I would like to do an MSc in something along the lines of physical geography/environment-related subjects, however I have a part-time office job (I live in London and work every weekday morning) so I'm looking for a part-time course. I'm a mature student and can't afford to just quit my job and go full-time, plus I like my lifestyle of doing both.

A few months ago I went to a postgraduate fair. Lots of universities advertised as having part-time courses available, but most of them couldn't give me even the most basic information about teaching hours, which is surely the most important thing that part-time students would like to know. Many of them said the timetable changed each year, and some unis even advised me to apply first and then find out the timetable, which I found really unhelpful.

The only things I've come up with so far are:

- Stay at Birkbeck, which is not a great option as their masters courses are a bit too social science based, and anyway I'm fed up of Birkbeck and would like to go to a better uni.

- Cranfield have a great system where each module lasts for one week (a very intensive Mon-Fri 9-5), so if you're part-time then you take a week off work and go and stay at Cranfield for a week. They even have their own hotel on site. However, I would have to do four modules per year, so this would take up my entire annual leave.

- I went to an open day at UCL and they were very nice about it, and said they could try and change a couple of modules to afternoons but couldn't guarantee anything. Anyway, they have very few part-time students and it felt as if they'd been added on as an afterthought, so I think I would feel a bit sidelined and not part of the main group.

Does anyone know of any other universities, in London or within commuting distance, that would be suitable for me? I keep hearing anecdotally that other universities offer the same intensive-module system as Cranfield, but I can't find any information about it anywhere.

Reply 1

Duncan2012

'Part-time' can mean different things. You'll have to check with each admissions team. For example I'm doing a part-time MBA at RGU and classroom time generally consists of 1-2 weekends every 2 months spread over 3 years so it doesn't take any time out of a normal working week.

If you get fobbed off with information about teaching hours and changing timetables then ask to see the current course timetable to get an idea.

Unless things have changed at Cranfield in the last couple of years there's not a hotel - it's halls of residence.

Have you considered online learning at all? Obviously there are pros and cons to this. Good luck!

Reply 2

environment

Thanks. I went to a Cranfield open day a few months ago and they have a hall of residence that actually has a hotel at the back. Any member of the public can stay at the hotel, but if you're a Cranfield student then you get a massive discount, so apparently a lot of the part-time students stay there.

How did you find out about your course? Were you particularly looking for a weekend course, and how did you find the information? Did you have to just send a load of emails to loads of different universities, or did your uni advertise how it's done?

Reply 3

Duncan2012

Original post by environment

Ah, I see. I think the CMDC accommodation is new, and Mitchell Hall wasn't marketed as a hotel when I stayed there.

I knew which course I wanted and narrowed down the universities based on reputation. I wanted something that didn't clash with working (or if it did, would be small enough I could get my employer to agree to it). The website and course handbook described the course delivery so I didn't need to contact the university before applying, and I only applied to the one course.

Weekend classes are a big feature of masters level courses, as universities recognise that people will be working and may have to take time off to attend. That said, I know next to nothing of the London market, your target universities or your area of interest, so I don't know how helpful I can be here.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 4

albina

You could study with the Open University - I am currently studying for a MSc with them.
http://www.open.ac.uk/postgraduate/atoz

Reply 5

albina

The Open University do part time / distance learning Masters degrees including Environmental management and Earth science.
I am studying for a MSc with them, and all the tutorials are done online.

I also work full-time and use my annual leave for revision and exams, plus much needed time off.

Reply 6

beautifulbigmacs

Quite a lot of unis offer online degrees. I recommend a Google frenzy.

Reply 7

environment

Thanks, but the OU and other online courses really aren't for me as I wouldn't have anyone to motivate me. I need to go to a real-life building full of people and have friends there to keep me going.

Reply 8

sj27

Original post by environment

Thanks, but the OU and other online courses really aren't for me as I wouldn't have anyone to motivate me. I need to go to a real-life building full of people and have friends there to keep me going.

Are any of the University of London online courses of interest? You can use their facilities in London and I understand that there are often study groups etc organized as well. It's not ideal obviously but it's better than being completely faceless.