Online postgraduate degrees continue to increase in popularity for busy professionals juggling work with study because of the flexibility and convenience it offers.
Despite these advantages, you might still have a few questions about online postgraduate study. For example, you might be wondering how you’ll learn and whether studying online will affect your career outcomes. This could be because there has long been a perceived chasm between online and quality education.
Tim Lien, Sandra Micallef and Kyara Ramraj completed the Master of Business Analytics, one of UQ’s 100% online postgraduate degrees. They've busted 5 common myths about learning online to help you feel confident in your decision to study this program.
1. Online learning is lonely.
Remote learning might seem like a solitary experience. But completing postgraduate study online can actually be a social experience for many students.
The Master of Business Analytics encourages discussion and debate between peers and teachers. With interactive forums and video groups, students can tap into an immersive virtual community and bond with peers.
UQ student Tim found the online study experience in the Master of Business Analytics to be collaborative and social.
"I got to know the other students in my class well and I think those connections make the learning outcomes better", he says.
"Being online still allowed us to interact together," Sandra agrees.
We got to learn about each other, our home situations, our families and our work.
2. Online learners receive little support.
If you study the Master of Business Analytics, you’ll have the same support as other UQ students learning on campus.
"It was a supportive learning environment," Tim says. "Lecturers encourage everybody to post online on the discussion boards. My tutors were responsive and even offered one-on-one sessions."
Kyara agrees, saying she found the flexibility of the program and support available helpful.
"This program accommodates full-time working professionals like myself," she said.
All lectures are held after regular working hours and recorded for those who can't join due to personal commitments. The lecturers are always open to consultation. This makes learning personalised and very supportive.
In addition to teaching staff and tutors, this program gives you access to a dedicated programming mentor. This mentor can help you with programming concepts, debugging skills and how to approach programming questions. You’ll also have access to the University’s support services like the Library and careers and employability services.
3. Online course content is inferior to in-person learning materials.
As a 100% online program, the Master of Business Analytics program was specifically developed for this mode of delivery.
Certified by Quality Matters, the program offers a gold standard in online design with course content that's:
- engaging
- tailored to postgraduate student needs
- aligned with program outcomes
- informed by best practice.
Kyara confirms she found the program to be practical and industry relevant.
"The content of the program is highly relevant,” she says.
“It's forward-thinking, innovative and a great blend of academic study and application to real-world challenges - challenges brought about by new technologies and ways of working."
4. There are limited opportunities to connect with industry.
The idea that studying business online will limit your ability to network can discourage people from considering online learning. But the online environment can provide valuable opportunities to meet other industry professionals.
UQ's Master of Business Analytics provides multiple opportunities for students to connect with industry, peers and teachers. Through in-person and online industry events, projects and guest lectures, you can gain valuable new contacts to increase your professional network.
"I've enjoyed learning how business analytics teams use insights to increase profits and improve customer and employee experiences," Sandra says.
"I gained formative insights into industry intricacies by learning to run an analytics project through realistic group activities in an agile environment," Tim says.
UQ's Master of Business Analytics connected me with a network of data-driven business professionals and new career opportunities in leading data analytics consultancies.
Online postgraduate degrees allow you to make connections outside your area, state and country. Developing an international network while you're studying can further expand your career outcomes long-term.
Shape your studies to fit your life and ambitions anytime, anywhere with UQ's 100% online Master of Business Analytics. Learn more.
