Alternatives to full-time study Evening Study Garmon ap Garth Widening Access Manager Birkbeck University of London

Why would you choose anything other than studying full-time daytime? Benefits of combining work experience with study Learning on the job, backed up with education A need to work Require flexibility due to caring responsibilities Distance learning – greater flexibility over when you study The scale of part-time study in the UK 1/3 of all students in the UK are part-time – offered at all HE 500,000 students study part-time undergraduate degrees each year Proportion of part-time students who are under 21 is increasing

Different ways of studying flexibly Full-time 3 year evening study 4 year part-time evening study 4 years daytime Distance Learning – Open University specialise in this in particular Sandwich courses and placement programmes Foundation Degrees – can offer more employability focus

Birkbeck’s model: Full-time or part-time evening study Classes take place mostly weekday evenings from 6 until 9 Most students work in the day - diverse and friendly peer group My Birkbeck – student support services to support every aspect of studying with us Traditional student life – student union, access to all of ULU’s sports, clubs, societies and social facilities

Full time or part time evening study at Birkbeck Full-time evening Work around study Part-time evening Study around work Duration3 years4 years Intensity2-3 evenings a week3-4 evenings a week Time of classes6-9pm Application processUCASDirect application to university Entry requirementsSame as part-timeSame as full-time DeadlinesUCAS deadlinesMore flexibility FinanceStudent Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan available Student Tuition Fee Loan available - no Maintenance Loan available WorkRecommend students work no more than 20 hours per week Ability to work full-time

Helping students to think through their options How supportive will my family be? How supportive will my employer be? How much difference will an additional year of study make? Compare the 1 extra year that it takes with the additional money and work experience possible with part-time evening study

Benefits of part-time studies Individual Economic Improved job prospects Improved quality of life Increased well being Societal Social mobility Increased well being Economic Higher level skills Increased competitiveness Adaptability to new industries

Benefits of studying part-time Benefits are seen during the course right from the beginning – 81% of students use their new skills in their jobs whilst still studying. The benefits don’t only materialise at graduation. Even students who didn’t change jobs have greater job satisfaction and take on more responsibility at work The skills students use in their jobs include Subject knowledge; Ability to apply knowledge; Written communication; Self discipline; Logical thinking and Problem solving

Benefits to the individual Economic: 38% got a promotion on graduation 48% had a pay rise on graduation Increase in effectiveness and responsibilities taken: Even students who didn’t change jobs tended to enjoy their jobs more have taken on more responsibility Taken on more responsibility at work – 63% Greater job satisfaction – 61% Ability to do work improved – 80%

Wellbeing and quality of life The vast majority of students reported improvements in their wellbeing and quality of life measures: Did these aspects of your life change as a direct result of your course? Developed yourself as a person – 88% Enjoy learning more: more aware of benefits – 80% Self-confidence improved – 78% Overall level of happiness increased – 55% Children/family become more interested in learning – 32% Reference: Callender, C and Wilkinson, D (2013) Futuretrack: PartTime Higher Education Students Two Years After Graduating – The Impact of Learning Manchester: HECSU.

Wider economic benefits More than 70 per cent of the 2020 working age population have already left compulsory education and many of these are in work. Levels of employment stability are particularly high for part- time students with 81 per cent working throughout their study and two years later. Part-time higher education study is central to the UK’s skills and employability agenda.

Conclusions Many alternative models to f-t daytime – important to ensure range of options for diverse student body Part-time study has significant benefits to the student, society and the economy. By the time you graduate you can have years of work experience as well as your degree Benefits are seen immediately on starting a course – you don’t have to wait until you graduate for you to see the benefits Vital that students are made aware of all the options available