6 Common Online Masters Myths Busted

This blog has been sponsored by the University of Birmingham, University of Bath and University of Glasgow.

Online Masters degrees have had a bit of a bad rep over the years with people accusing them of being easier and less valued than their on-campus counterparts. But since the pandemic, we’ve seen a big investment in online studying. With almost a third of prospective students this year telling us they’re interested in an online or blended Masters, we wanted to set the record straight on a couple of things!

#Myth 1 – It’s all just downloadable pdfs

Back in the old days you may have had course material posted to you or multiple pdfs to download from a webpage but that’s not the case anymore. Doing an online Masters means learning through recorded videos and lectures, live virtual discussion groups and more. It’s a multimedia experience that caters for all learning styles. You’ll also log into a dedicated virtual learning environment (VLE) where you’ll be able to access all your course material in one place, plus upload your assignments and check in on your course progress.

#Myth 2 – Online degrees are easier than campus degrees

This just simply isn’t true. An online Masters degree will cover the same (or very similar) course content as an on-campus Masters, and the workload is the same as well. You’ll be taught by the same academics, and be expected to do the required reading, take notes from the learning materials (videos, case studies etc), discuss ideas with other students and submit group assignments and essays. The only difference is the delivery. Instead of attending lectures in person, you’ll watch a recording for example.

#Myth 3 – You can take the whole course at your own pace

It can be a bit misleading when you see encouraging messages around studying your online Masters course at your own pace. It’s important to know that there will be deadlines for assignments and group work, as well as a weekly schedule of teaching to stick to which you will need to have done the reading for.

What is up to you is how you hit these deadlines and fit studying around the rest of your life. No one can tell you that you have to be hitting the books between 5-8pm each weekday for example, it’s up to you to find the best routine for your learning style. The good news is that you will have 24/7 access to your course materials (you might see this referred to as asynchronous content) so if you’re a night owl then those 2am study sessions are good to go!

#Myth 4 – You’re on your own

It’s true that you might choose to be alone without distractions while you study, but you won’t be handed your materials at the beginning of the course and then left for the duration. You’ll be asked to participate in group work and assignments with your classmates, and have discussions with the teachers and support team.

You’ll also have the same access to services such as IT, Careers, the Library and Counselling as those studying on campus. One thing to be mindful of is that there will be office hours, especially with your teachers. This is the same for all students, regardless of study mode. You probably won’t get a reply to a question at 3am (be especially mindful if you’re in a different time zone), but they’ll pick it up when they can.

#Myth 5 – An online degree isn’t a proper degree

We’ve heard people worried about online degrees not carrying the same value or quality as an on-campus degree. In truth, they’re exactly the same. As long as you’ve gone with an accredited provider (and you do need to check this in your initial research) you’ll graduate with a fully accredited Masters and be invited to a graduation ceremony just like a campus-based student. It may not even say you’ve studied online on your degree certificate, it will just detail the course and your result!

#Myth 6 – Online learning is different to distance and blended learning

You’ve probably seen these terms used a lot in online learning. Multiple phrases can appear in the same course listing which is confusing. What you need to remember is that online learning and distance learning are the same, they’re studied at a distance, not on campus. Previously, distance learning may have been done by post, but nowadays it’s all online, hence why they’re the same.

What is different is blended learning. This is made up of both online and face-to-face activities. What percentage of the course is which will depend on the provider and subject but usually you’ll be asked to come onto campus for specific tasks such as practical training or presentations.

So now we’ve debunked some of the most common myths about online learning, why not find out a bit more about what you can expect as an online student at the University of Birmingham, University of Bath and University of Glasgow.