Going Further

Do I have to study full-time?

Universities these days are mindful of, and sympathetic to, the difficulties of balancing study with work or domestic commitments for mature students in particular. Lots of people come to writing later in life and may have an existing career, as well as a family, to juggle with their ambitions and creative development.

In Wales there are many opportunities to pursue both undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses – including a PhD – on a part-time basis. A part-time course allows you to pursue your studies over a longer period; you will not need to leave employment. You will need, however, that extra level of drive and strong organisational skills in order to balance the pressures, and you may require some degree of flexibility on the part of your employer, too, in order to attend seminars and tutorials, depending on the precise nature of the course. Some specially tailored part-time degrees organise seminars and tutorials during weeknights and sometimes weekends to increase flexibility.

In addition, Distance Learning enables students to maintain their day to day commitments and decide when and how they study. Thanks to the information age, an increasing number of universities are moving towards some element of distance learning, which can widen access to study for those who could not otherwise benefit. The University of Glamorgan’s MA/MPhil part-time degree programme consists entirely of distance learning study. Departmental websites will carry details of distance learning options where these are available.