Distance universities are not a new concept but the arrival of the internet has meant that these universities have become far more accessible to a wider audience. Brick universities are still far and away the most popular forms of university education for school leavers but there are many different generations of people who are utilizing online universities.

Contrary to popular belief, the qualifications which can be gained from online universities are in many cases, exactly the same as the standard that is offered by brick universities and this is what has attracted so many people. Not only can you get many different bachelor’s degrees online, there are also advanced degrees available such as an MBA, or you can receive your doctorate of education here. Today we are going to look at the pros and cons of online universities and see if this is something that you would like to do.

Pros

Let’s start by taking a look at the benefits of online universities and how they can help you to gain an education.

• Flexibility

Online universities generally don’t follow a schedule and as such you will have full flexibility when it comes to studying. This kind of study helps people who work full time or have commitments at home that do not allow them to allot a certain day or time each week in which to go to a class. Students will receive their syllabus and study materials at the start of the term and then will be required to study on their own at times that suit them best.

• Cost

Because the needs of an online university are far lower than those of a brick university, the cost of courses are generally far cheaper. Not only is the tutorial fees far cheaper but there is no reason to live away from home thus bringing down the potential cost of living on campus.

• Support

Because of the nature of an online course, there is a huge amount of support online for students. Students can interact with their professors at all times and can benefit from a huge amount of online study resources.

Cons

There are some cons of studying online, whilst the qualification ay be the same, avoiding a brick uni is not always ideal.

• Discipline

In order to gain the best grades possible, you will be required to have an extremely high level of self discipline when it comes to your studies. There will be nobody to tell you when or how to study, there will be less testing and there will be no one to motivate you.

• Social

Because you are not attending classes, you will not have the ability to create a social circle around your studies. The social side of studying often helps many students to stay focussed and use the network to support themselves during their studies.

• Limited Courses

There is a vast array of different courses which you can undertake at online universities but they still don’t offer the level to which a brick university can. If you plan on studying something that is rather niche, then it is more likely that it will be offered by a brick uni over an online university.

Have you studied at a brick or online university? Tell us the pros and cons in your view in the comments below.