If you're thinking about studying for your degree but need a bit more freedom than the traditional university model can offer, here are six reasons you should consider studying at Arden University:
No matter what stage of life you’re at, whether you’re starting your GCSEs, or 25 years into your career, there’s always time to take on a challenge and learn something new.
There are so many choices in front of you when you start thinking about further education. While it can seem like the traditional university path is the only one out there, you might be surprised by how far things have come.
We’re going to run you through the top six reasons to choose Arden University: from the reduced cost of studying, to the career-boosting courses we offer. Never mind the fact that with Arden, you can do it all in your pyjamas – if you really want to!
1. Flexible Learning
Traditionally, unis can be pretty strict. You get a full-on timetable, you need to live in whichever city you’re studying in, and some universities won’t allow you to work while you study.
At Arden, we believe in flexible learning – fitting your educational needs around your already busy life, making university come to you rather than making you go to it.
You can choose between our two learning styles: 'Distance Learning'and 'Blended Learning'.
Online Learning
This is the most flexible way to study there is. Learn at your own pace with our online courses and study wherever and whenever you like, all you need is a WiFi connection. You can fit everything around the kids, work, hospital appointments, or even the cat – whatever it is that keeps you busy!
With our immersive online learning platform ilearn, you can access your course material, engage in forums and reach out to your tutors. Chatting with your peers in forums, or via our Facebook groups, really lessens the 'distance' element of studying this way, making you feel part of a year group and supported.
Blended Learning
A combination of online study and face-to-face classtime, Blended Learning offers the best of both worlds. With the majority of your study carried out online, you can fit this into your week as and when you please.
You'll then attend 8 hours of timetabled sessions at your chosen study centre to get that extra support and guidance from your tutor. Timetabled sessions will fit one of the following patterns:
Weekdays*: 2 days per week, 4 hours per day (either 9.00–13.00 or 13.30-17.30)
Evenings**: 2 evenings per week 17.30–21.30
Weekends**: Saturdays
With study centre sessions only taking up 8 hours of your study time each week, this means the remaining weekly hours (25.5) can fit around you and your existing priorities. This will include online lectures, and time planning and writing assignments.
*hours will be allocated by Arden
**subject to numbers
Here's what your weekly timetable could look like if you signed up for a Blended Learning course:
2. Take your career to the next level
Our courses are designed with your career in mind, with a strong focus on employability. Whether you’re at the start of your career or aiming to boost it to the next level, your course could give you the skills, tools and knowledge to bag your dream job and excel at it.
We offer many accredited courses, this means you can be certain your qualification is meeting industry standards. We also have an online careers portal where you can work on your interview skills using our simulator, learn to build the perfect CV, and view employer videos and e-learning courses covering the business skills you need to get ahead.
What sets us apart from other universities is that all our courses are designed to make it as easy as possible for you to work while studying. Many of our students find they start to benefit at work from their course even sooner than they imagined.
Read Arden student Rupinder’s testimonial to find out how his MBA course improved his career.
3. Cut down costs
Most UK universities now charge £9,250 per year for tuition fees. Things get even more expensive when you start to consider living costs on top of this.
At Arden things are different: our degrees are below the average price of a UK qualification, and most of our students live at home while they study, so they don't have the added costs of university accommodation.
4. Pick your city
Our Blended Learning courses offer you the opportunity to study in three of the biggest and best cities in the UK: Birmingham, London or Manchester, and we also offer courses in Berlin! But if the big city life isn’t for you, you can study from the comfort of your own home too with a Distance Learning course.
Our study centres are nestled in each of the city's centres and in London you’ll find three, in Ealing, Tower Hill and Holborn.
The best way to decide which city is right for you is to come and visit. Come and check out our Arden Open Days, where you’ll see our facilities, explore the area and speak to staff who can answer all your questions!
5. Unlock your potential
It’s never too late to challenge and push yourself to accomplish something new. If you dream of a new qualification and career, there's no time like right now to start!
Take Law graduate Richard Wing, for example. After years of wanting to be a solicitor he found he could work and study at the same time with Arden:
"I can honestly say that studying my Law degree has been the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. However, it has also been the most exciting and the most life-changing thing I could ever have done, and I am so glad I took the plunge and made the decision to change my life."
6. Support
We’re with you every step of the way at Arden University: from our induction module, which introduces you to your course and tells you all about online study; to our team of support staff, who are ready to offer you guidance whenever you need - from module 1 through to graduation.
When you start studying with us, you’ll be allocated a support coordinator to answer any questions you have along the way.
Watch this short video for a summary of the types of support available to you and your family as an Arden student:
University should work with you...
As life can be tricky enough, Arden University tries to make getting your degree as simple as possible.
If you like the idea of traditional uni and have the time to attend classes, but need a bit more flexibility to make it work - Blended Learning could be the perfect fit for you. If you need the kind of flexibility where you can do everything in your own time with total freedom of location, then you're most likely going to be suited to an online Distance Learning degree.
For more insight from our students who've either been there and done it, or are currently studying with us, click the button below:
