5 Benefits of Online Learning

This post was updated in July 2019.

In today’s highly-competitive job market, characterised by constant change and rapid technological advances, being committed to your professional development and a philosophy of lifelong learning puts you in a strong position to be able to adapt and thrive.

This is especially the case in the creative industries, where innovation in products and services as well as in working processes is essential for success. Creative professionals who continue to upskill and expand their knowledge and perspectives can avoid reaching a professional dead-end and becoming creatively stagnant.

With many managing increasingly-demanding work schedules and personal lives and pursuing international opportunities, it’s easy to see why online learning has become the study option of choice for creative professionals around the world looking to upskill and advance in their career.

Here are 5 benefits of online learning:

1. Flexibility

One of the greatest benefits of online learning is undoubtedly its flexibility. You can study on your own terms – when and where it suits you. There’s no need to stick to rigid class schedules, travel, or obtain study visas to complete your studies.

Online learning lets you earn an internationally-recognised masters degree from a respected university on the other side of the world without having to disrupt your life or relocate. If your job or your lifestyle involves frequent travel, you can keep studying and stay connected to your tutors and peers as you move around the globe.

With online learning, you don’t need to reschedule your life around your studies – you can carry on with your day-to-day life and commitments and fit your studies around your own schedule.

2. Keep earning an income while you learn

Online learning lets you continue working and earning an income while you study online at your convenience. And, because all your coursework can be completed online and you can plan your own study schedule, you don’t need to take time off work or sacrifice your income to study. Online learning is the perfect fit if you’re a creative professional who wants to continue learning without having to put your work commitments or your creative career on-hold.

Falmouth Flexible offers a range of masters courses that you can study flexibly online. All courses are delivered by Falmouth University – one of the world’s leading creative universities – and designed to help you expand your career opportunities and excel in your creative career.

3. Grow your global professional network

With on-campus learning, the diversity of your tutors and peers is restricted by the physical boundaries of your campus. With online learning, though, your tutors and classmates could be across the country, or even on the other side of the world. That means with online learning, you have the unique opportunity to access a much broader and diverse range of ideas and perspectives from creative professionals around the world – giving you a much richer learning experience and expanding your global professional network.

Every online masters degree offered through Falmouth Flexible gives you a variety of engaging and interactive ways to stay connected to your tutors and peers around the world, and to grow your global professional network, including:

• Small group collaborations

• Webinars

• Live discussion and feedback sessions

• Frequent networking opportunities

Falmouth Flexible also organise optional workshops with leading creative experts up to twice a year to coincide with relevant industry events. Although not compulsory, these workshops can help you further expand your skills and your global professional network.

4. Gain an internationally-recognised masters degree

One of the greatest myths surrounding online learning is that an online course carries less academic weight and credibility than a traditional on-campus course. This is, of course, just a myth.

The reality is with online learning, not only can you study online through a reputable and credible university anywhere in the world, you can also gain exactly the same internationally-recognised qualification as an on-campus student would.

As an online MA student with Falmouth Flexible, your masters degree will be equal in title and quality as that of an on-campus student. You’ll have access to the same level of academic excellence Falmouth University is renowned for, and there’ll be no mention of "online learning" on your final award certificate. That means for any future employer, you’ll have an internationally-recognised masters degree from one of the world’s leading creative universities as evidence of your competencies and skills.

5. Boost your professional and personal development

A great benefit of online learning is that it significantly boosts your self-discipline, self-motivation, organisational and time-management skills – all of which are essential skills in both your professional and personal development.

Being able to study independently and set your own study schedule requires you to master all these essential skills to be successful in your studies and effectively manage your studies alongside your other commitments. Mastering these skills is something that will not only boost your personal development, but also something any potential employer will look very favourably upon and that will significantly boost your career opportunities.