Amid ongoing lockdown restrictions in the UK, The University of Law (ULaw) has reported a huge 79% year on year increase in acceptances for its online campus.
With campuses around the UK closed from March until September 2020, it seems the appetite to continue to learn did not fade, as searches for ‘online degrees’ increased by 50%, peaking in May with 46,380 related searches.
The total number of searches for ‘online degree’ averaged at 161,100 between March and September, with specific queries such as ‘universities who offer online degrees’ seeing an uplift of 100%.
This trend is reflected in the number of applications ULaw received for its online campus with an uplift of 79% noted compared to the same time last year. With online courses offered across a range of topics from undergraduate to postgraduate, ULaw is encouraging prospective students to learn in their own way, without jeopardising the quality of teaching or qualification they will obtain.
For those looking to study an undergraduate degree or a specialist Master’s course, ULaw currently offers a range of online courses designed to provide the same experience as on-campus. With 24/7 access to learning materials on all devices, students can fit their studies around work, family, and personal commitments with ease. They will receive high levels of interaction through the course, through both peer and one-to-one professional tutor review.
All of ULaw’s online courses carry the same qualification as the on campus counterparts, meaning that all online undergraduate law courses are Qualifying Law Degrees and all online postgraduate business courses are CMI accredited.
In March, ULaw successfully transferred the delivery of classes from face-to-face to online streaming and as part of the September guarantee, this will continue if campuses are required to close again at any point. Online learning will reflect the usual face-to-face experience that students receive on-campus, follow a similar delivery timetable, and will help students transition back into face-to-face teaching as easily as possible.
The University is also offering flexible study options for students, including the option to start classes at one campus and switch to another at a later date, as well as online and blended learning courses. These online and blended learning courses will all follow the same experience, quality of teaching and material as those studying on-campus, but students can take them whenever and wherever is best for them.
Commenting on the surge in online studying, Carol Draycott, Dean of ULaw’s Online Campus, said: “With the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic still dominating our daily life, we expected to see an increase in interest for remote learning as well as our online courses. The peak in interest has reflected people’s change in attitudes towards learning and we’re so pleased we are able to offer these people the opportunity to learn and obtain a degree from the comfort and safety of their own home.
“We have developed our online programmes to deliver the same quality of teaching and learning experience, but with the convenience of being able to study when, where and how you want. We’re also proud to say that for those who would have otherwise been on-campus, we’ve been able to deliver the physical course material needed for their studies.
Supporting our students is at the heart of what we do, so in spite of the challenges 2020 has thrown at all of us, it’s fantastic to see that the determination and ambition among staff and students hasn’t wavered.”
To find out more about ULaw’s online courses, visit: https://www.law.ac.uk/study/online/