Life @ UCLan - distance learners
A realistic Guide to life at UCLan - written by students!
Article by Natalie Mason, aged 21, BSc Forensic Science and Criminal Investigation, 2nd year.
After leaving school at 15 due to illness, I was looking for a way to gain the qualifications I needed without compromising my health. I completed my GCSEs through home study and after realising that my passions lied in science and law, I began looking into forensic science and decided it was exactly what I wanted to study and eventually gain a career in. I searched for a reputable course that I could complete in conjunction with my A-levels and came across the University Certificate in Forensic Science offered by UCLan. I completed the course successfully and enjoyed it so much that I undertook the subsequent certificate and am now enrolled on a full-time degree!
I found distance learning with UCLan extremely beneficial and convenient.
With no rigid timetable to stick to like at school, I decided when and where I wanted to learn, and this flexibility meant I never felt under pressure with my A-levels or part-time work. Although I was responsible for my studies, I received good one-to-one support and feedback from my tutor so that, despite sometimes finding it hard not talking to other students like at school, I never felt alone and I knew that help was only a phone call away if I needed it.
Having been involved with distance learning already, I was accustomed to learning independently but to those new to the experience, the difference from conventional education may seem daunting. You have to be very self-disciplined and organised on a distance learning course- no one will chase you for work or constantly remind you of deadlines like at school! But I found the experience worthwhile in helping me become a more independent, focused and organised student and person in general, which proved valuable in the transition to my degree.
