A lot of people get the idea that they’d like to study psychology. Usually they have a curiosity about people combined with something they saw on TV, maybe a documentary that piqued their interest, or maybe something like Wire in the Blood. But many of these people have jobs and other commitments, and don’t have the flexibility to be at a specific place at a specific time each week.
If this sounds like you, but you still really want to study psychology, then distance learning might be the answer.
Distance Learning in Psychology
From A-level and equivalents, degree courses, and masters, the option is there to study psychology from home. Most institutions offer distance learning options, and often with distance learning courses, you find that the entry requirements are slightly looser, as they know that this from of study will appeal to mature students, people returning to study after a break, and so on. Some institutions, such as the open university, do not have any formal entry requirements.
Is Distance Learning Right for you?
If this is your computer, distance learning may not be for you… (credit: blakespot)
If you’ve been away from education for a while, then take this decision seriously. It will be a bigger commitment that you are probably expecting, in terms of time spent, but also the physical and mental energy you’ll need. And you won’t have regular face-to-face contact with your tutors, so you’ll have to be fairly self-regulated to do well, and study even during those times you might not feel like it, because the external pressure won’t be as hard.
On the plus side, you enjoy greater flexibility, you can study to your own schedule and work how, when and where you want. You’ll still have phone, email and sometimes conferencing contact with your tutors, and you may be able to locate other students in your area to buddy up with.
Tips for distance learning success
I don’t see the strategy for success in learning to be much different than on-campus study. Once the lectures are over, ‘normal’ students are in exactly the same position as you are. So your only difference would be in making sure you take advantage of any opportunity you can for actual contact with tutors to answer your questions and queries. On top of that:
1) Make sure you’re completely comfortable with the course materials, and in particular, the electronic resources you’ll be given access to.
2) Make sure you have reliable internet access that doesn’t cause any headaches.
3) Create a study schedule (buy an academic diary), and make sure you stick to it.
4) Never leave any assignments or reading until the last minute – make sure you stay on top of your work, and if you get behind, catch up.
5) Stay in regular contact with your tutors and teachers. Make sure they know who you are.
6) Form a study group in your local area if you can
7) Get access to other universities’ libraries. In the UK, you can use the SCONUL scheme for that. If your institution is far from where you live, this is absolutely essential.
Personally, I like distance learning. My course is a little of both, we have lectures once per month and are left to our own devices the rest of the month. I like the flexibility of being able to set my own schedule. If you’re similarly minded, then look into starting a distance learning psychology course. Browse the websites of a few universities to get a feel for what’s available, and of course, subscribe to this blog too!
Distance learning does sound like a good idea, especially for working adults. Just wondering, doesn’t learning psychology require some practical work? What about the practical aspects like talking and working with other people or ‘patients’? How is that done through distance learning?
Tom,
If you’re going into counselling or psychotherapy, yes you’ll need in-person training. But most careers in psychology aren’t one-on-one helping jobs. Also, the first (bachelors) degree is a really broad, wide look at the subject overall. If you were going into talk therapy, you could do the first degree as a distance course and then follow up with a masters in-person to get the training you need.
Online degrees have recently improved their visible pedigree in the real world. It wasn’t always so throughout the first half of this first decade.
Yet years ago I met someone who had earned a Ph.D. in psychology that wasn’t able to find a job. As in any field you wish to enter, it’s like investing in a sure fire stock – due diligence is of the essence. Is there, or will there be, easy pickings for you after you graduate? That is the most important homework you will ever finish.
As I see the list above, a degree in sport psychology looked very interesting in an accessible sort of way. I’m not saying go for it, but maybe look into it. The world seems wide open today about the role of the attitude in becoming a performing winner. You might find yourself a big fish in a big pond.