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elliot_spencer · Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 495

Hey guys, I am going to be starting an MA in October with a UK uni via distance and have several unis in mind.

Most unis say the course lasts 2.5 yrs and I think this maybe is too long.. do I really want to spend the next 3 years studying!?!

However, one uni (Uni of Sunderland) has a course lasting 18 months- I jus wanted to do .. realistically how realistic is it to do an MA in 18 months while working full time? Or is it next to impossible?

Also is doing an MA over 3 years really that bad?

Is it better to do MAs which involve classroom based research projects or?

Thanks

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

I did UBham's distance programme, which is (or was, maybe has changed) two years min, including dissertation. 6 years max. Working full-time, I did it properly in 2.5 years. For me, I found that the limit of 2 was going to mean I had to rush through my diss, and I wanted to get the most out of it. For me, this paid off in a very solid mark at the end which is reflected on my degree. It also helped when I applied for Phd study.

Classroom-based research degrees are highly regarded by those who know the difference. The application of theory to practice, and its study, makes the degree more solidly useful in the real world. When I was on hiring committees, we looked for this sort of degree.

That said, I can vividly recall the little black cloud of the MA study hanging over me for the 2.5 years it took me to do it. It was indeed a great relief to have it (successfully) over!

elliot_spencer · Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 495

would u say that 18 months plus working full time too much? not doable?!

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

For me, it would not have been. But I like to have a couple of hours off work now and then Very Happy

I know other people who were able to do it.

It really depends on your work habits and how much of your 'other' life you're willing to give up on a daily basis.

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

"Would u say that 18 months plus working full time too much?"

As Spiral pointed out, it depends on you and your work habits. You'd need to be extremely organized, motivated, and focused and have great time management skills. I completed my first MA (non-TESOL) 15 years ago in under 18 months while working full time and attending two different universities (two separate programs) concurrently. So yes, doable, but not a walk in the park!

elliot_spencer · Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 495

I suppose I'd just like to get it out of the way.

I mean, I am planning to put 10 hrs aside for it a week

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

Ten hours a week isn't realistic for full time study. You'll most likely need to put in a minimum of 20 hours instead.

elliot_spencer · Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 495

What so an MA in 18 months is classed as full-time?

20 hours plus working full time is too much!

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

If in doubt, then contact the specific department at the university to ask about the minimum amount of study time expected per week.

mozzar · Joined: 16 May 2009 Posts: 339 Location: France

I've done mine in 24 months. I think 18 would be possible but you won't be getting as high marks as you could. I'm sure if I'd taken longer I'd have been able to read more, study more and get higher marks. Coming into the last month of my course though and I'm glad that it's almost over.

hollysuel · Joined: 07 Oct 2007 Posts: 225 Location: Connecticut, USA

I did an online degree in two years by working full time. I did take one summer and worked part time so that I could take more classes. It is doable, but as other posters have said--it all depends on you and your work ethic. Plan to not have a life and to basically be working most of the time--when not working your full-time job, studying for your full-time job. Remember, most professors believe that students' studies are their jobs!

reddevil79 · Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2011 7:52 pm Post subject:

I�m coming to the end of my full-time (12 months) Masters, and I�ve found that it has been very much full-time in the truest sense of the word. Others on my course have tried to work and study and some have really struggled.

It also depends what you want to get out of the course. Some are just content to scrape a pass with minimum effort and get their Masters certificate. Others (like me I guess) have sacrificed a lot for their Masters, and want to get good grades, which takes a lot of time and hard work.

I would say 18 months is doable, but grades may suffer�