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Arden Psychology MSc Conversion online part-time

I’m am trying to decide whether to choose Arden or Brunel for this course. Brunel is £3000 more expensive but it seems like assignments will fall during times when I am off from work which I would prefer to try and spread out the work throughout the year. For Arden, assignments are due during my busy times at work. Any advice on which to choose?
Original post by thatsmighty3479
I’m am trying to decide whether to choose Arden or Brunel for this course. Brunel is £3000 more expensive but it seems like assignments will fall during times when I am off from work which I would prefer to try and spread out the work throughout the year. For Arden, assignments are due during my busy times at work. Any advice on which to choose?

@thatsmighty3479
Hello! I did my MSc conversion at Arden University and I had a great time - I did have the benefit of working 10 years in education and also having done 2 years post graduate study, I went in with a lot of confidence and experience already. With Arden there is the option of doing the course 100% online or doing it blended learning. What might benefit you is that you have a certain amount of freedom in when you activate the individual units- with permission you can work on two at once too, as long as you finish the course within the deadline dictated by the final exam board.

For an unbiased view, check out any universities rating on the Teaching Excellence Framework - the report is readily available online :smile:

Marc
Arden University Student Ambassador
Hi @thatsmighty3479

Great to hear you're considering Brunel London as an option for studying your MSc in Psychological Science (Conversion).

As this is an online based course you can earn your conversion master’s from wherever you live and work. Studying online, you’ll still benefit from connecting to fellow students, professionals and academics worldwide, through our innovative online learning platform.

Our online modules can be accessed 24/7 and consist of studio-quality video tutorials, industry case studies, class forums, tutor-led discussion groups, podcasts and more. This highly collaborative study environment offers a globalised perspective, which is valuable to many employers.

In terms of future career your BPS accredited Psychological Sciences (Conversion) MSc degree is your first step to becoming a chartered psychologist. In addition to clinical psychology, you’ll gain the skills, knowledge and expertise attractive to employers in a wide variety of sectors such as media, marketing, HR, law enforcement, finance, government, health and education as well as government and non-governmental agencies, and healthcare organisations.

If you want to hear from graduates who have studied the online MSc check out this page full of student testimonials

If you have any more questions - please don't hesitate to reach out,

Sophie
Brunel London University Student Rep.
Original post by BrunelUniStudent
Hi @thatsmighty3479
Great to hear you're considering Brunel London as an option for studying your MSc in Psychological Science (Conversion).
As this is an online based course you can earn your conversion master’s from wherever you live and work. Studying online, you’ll still benefit from connecting to fellow students, professionals and academics worldwide, through our innovative online learning platform.
Our online modules can be accessed 24/7 and consist of studio-quality video tutorials, industry case studies, class forums, tutor-led discussion groups, podcasts and more. This highly collaborative study environment offers a globalised perspective, which is valuable to many employers.
In terms of future career your BPS accredited Psychological Sciences (Conversion) MSc degree is your first step to becoming a chartered psychologist. In addition to clinical psychology, you’ll gain the skills, knowledge and expertise attractive to employers in a wide variety of sectors such as media, marketing, HR, law enforcement, finance, government, health and education as well as government and non-governmental agencies, and healthcare organisations.
If you want to hear from graduates who have studied the online MSc check out this page full of student testimonials
If you have any more questions - please don't hesitate to reach out,
Sophie
Brunel London University Student Rep.

Thanks for your response.

Would you be able to tell me about assessment / assignment for the final module empirical psychology project and the word count expected for this. Thanks
Hi @thatsmighty3479

I think I've just replied to this question on another thread!

If you follow this link you can request a call back from the uni who will be able to walk you through questions like this!

Hope that helps,

Sophie
Brunel Student Rep
Reply 5
I just finished the Brunel course and regret choosing it. The additional fees are completely unjustified, particularly for an online course. They charge the same as more reputable universities offering on campus courses, but you get none of the perks. There were very few opportunities for interaction with staff and other students, I didn't receive much support with my final research project, and the staff were often unhelpful and unresponsive.

In terms of the workload though, it's very manageable. You'll have two essays due around every 8 weeks and they're typically 1500 words each. You get the assignment briefs well in advance so should be able to handle it alongside working. The empirical research project is 5000 words, so again, quite manageable.
(edited 10 months ago)
Original post by vesel
I just finished the Brunel course and regret choosing it. The additional fees are completely unjustified, particularly for an online course. They charge the same as more reputable universities offering on campus courses, but you get none of the perks. There were very few opportunities for interaction with staff and other students, I didn't receive much support with my final research project, and the staff were often unhelpful and unresponsive.
In terms of the workload though, it's very manageable. You'll have two essays due around every 8 weeks and they're typically 1500 words each. You get the assignment briefs well in advance so should be able to handle it alongside working. The empirical research project is 5000 words, so again, quite manageable.

Thanks for that. Does it take up much tedious time weekly or can you skim through it, spending ~7 hours a week for the part time option. Do you get time to catch up at the end of a module or after the submission date for any readings you may have missed.

Also what does the final module entail aside from the 5000 word project.

Much appreciated!
Reply 7
I did the course full-time, so I'm not 100% sure how the part-time course is structured. I think maybe you'd only have to complete one module at a time rather than two. Each module runs for 6-7 weeks and then you get a week off in between, so you can catch up on any missed reading then. It didn't take that long to get through all the course materials though.

The final module involves doing your own research project. You pick your own topic, submit a proposal, and then get assigned a supervisor. You then apply for ethical approval, collect and analyse your data, etc. The final assignments are a poster (worth 10%) and the 5000 word report. The module's 16 weeks long for the full-time course.
Original post by vesel
I did the course full-time, so I'm not 100% sure how the part-time course is structured. I think maybe you'd only have to complete one module at a time rather than two. Each module runs for 6-7 weeks and then you get a week off in between, so you can catch up on any missed reading then. It didn't take that long to get through all the course materials though.
The final module involves doing your own research project. You pick your own topic, submit a proposal, and then get assigned a supervisor. You then apply for ethical approval, collect and analyse your data, etc. The final assignments are a poster (worth 10%) and the 5000 word report. The module's 16 weeks long for the full-time course.

Thanks again!

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