Freedom and self-discipline

Studying on a distance basis provides you with a great deal of freedom while at the same time it makes certain demands on you as a student. Distance learning builds on self-study to a large extent and it is therefore important that you have good study discipline and can set up your own working routines.

• Draw up your own study plan every week and make sure you are able to study without being disturbed. Explain to your family and friends that you need time for your studies.
• Feel free to ask your teacher if you need advice but remember that you might not always receive an immediate answer. Find out when your teacher is available.
• In many cases you can solve problems together with your fellow students. A good idea is to set up smaller study groups so that you can co-operate with and support each other. On website study platforms you can create your own groups with discussion forums. If you live close together it could be a good idea to meet up one evening.

Remember that the amount of work you need to put in will be just as great regardless of whether you choose to study a distance course or a campus course. A full-time course demands a work input corresponding to approximately 40 hours per week. The exact amount of work will however vary from person to person, as in all courses. It very much depends on your previous experience of studying, level of ambition and also perhaps how well you master the technology being used in the coursework.