What can I expect from a distance learning course?

“What can I expect from a distance learning course?” is a common question we get, so we wrote a handy guide on student experiences.

Never studied by Distance Learning? Here’s where we give you the lowdown on what it would be like to take a distance learning course at Oxford College.

Distance learning can be suitable for a wide range of people from all backgrounds and from any country in the world. Our demographic is very broad and the courses are open to anyone over the age of 17 and with a good level of English. The one thing that all our students do have in common is access to the internet for their online study.

Getting the course materials:

When you enrol with Oxford Learning you will receive an email with your username and password for logging into the On Campus area via our website. Once you have logged in you will see a series of links of useful information relating to distance learning. There will be a link there called My Courses which will lead you to your course materials for you to either work from online or to print from home once only. You also have the option to purchase a hard copy for £65. Within the course materials will be your assignments which you send to your tutor. Your tutor contact details will also be found in your My Courses section.

Contacting the tutor:

You will either be given the direct email address of your tutor, the tutor department email address or the ability to upload any questions and assignments directly to your tutor via the online system, depending on which course you are taking. In all cases you are assigned a personal tutor for your course that will answer your questions and mark your coursework offering valuable and supportive feedback and guidance.

Studying at home:

It is important to stay motivated and set out a clear and achievable study plan. As you get used to studying at home you will be able to adjust your study plan and put more time aside for your studies. At first though, set yourself achievable goals to enhance motivation and keep you feeling positive throughout.

Completing the course:

As you work through the course, whether it be online or on paper, you will gain the required knowledge in the subject you have chosen. The assignments will help assimilate your knowledge and will prepare you for your exams or in the case of the BTEC HNDs they will actually go to form your final grade.

Certification:

On successful completion of the course you will be issued a certificate. Depending on the type of course you have taken, the certificate will come either from Oxford College or from the exam board themselves (for A Levels or BTEC HNDs). Your certificate will be sent by post around 6 weeks after you have completed your course.