BSC Geography through Distance Learning

Hi, i want to study geography at degree level. I want to do this through distance learning but am unsure of where to go. After looking around online i found both the Open University and the University of London.

The Open University's geography related courses are:
Environment
Living in a Globalised World
Earth in crisis: Environmental policy in an international context

They don't offer just one course that covers the whole of the subject.

I am mainly interested in Human Geography, but would also like to study the physical side of the subject.

The University of London does however offer BSC Geography and Environment. I've looked into this and have rang the information line and may well go ahead with it.

However, i don't know much about how Distance learning works, or about university courses in general. I am concerned that the University of London's course doesn't seem to offer lectures or teaching. I've read online that it offers kind of 'stripped down' versions of the Open University's courses. If i were to go ahead with Uni of London, then would i just be sent papers and web pages to study and then be expected to pass the exams when they come around? I can be motivated enough to do that, but i'd like to have the chance to attend lectures and seminars when possible and to ask questions about the subject to a lecturer or teacher.

Also, i am likely to move temporarily to Australia in a year or so and am wondering whether it will be possible for me to continue the course if i start it when living in England?

Does anyone have any advice regarding the University of London's Distance Learning programs or DL in general? Can anyone suggest any other places to enquire about a distance learning degree in geography?

Being as i work as an electrician at the moment, this is not something that i have much experience in.

Thanks very much in advance.

 

You can complete a U of London course anywhere in the world, moving to Australia would be no problem. Nelson Mandela earned his U of London degree while he was imprisoned on Robbins Island.

You are correct, though, that you will essentially be teaching yourself. That is changing, though. U of L is putting more and more content online, so you probably will have at least some lectures available through their website.

 

Thanks. Do you know, in general, how people get on with this approach of self tutoring?

For example, are the pass rates for DL exams any lower than the pass rates for the equivalent 'full time attended' courses?

I'm wondering how i'd get on with teaching myself and also about the quality of the course handouts and reading lists. Do people generally find that they are able to learn enough to pass exams easily enough this way?

Apart from Uni of London, are there any other centres that have a good reputation for distance learning? Are there any that are especially good for geography related subjects?

 

I have no experience with the Geography courses or anything similar at U of L. The courses I did take were in Mathematics and Economics, which would fall under an entirely different school within the University. I found them far to difficult, and the study materials they provided were, in my opinion, inadequate. But others have done really well in the same program.

I have done well in schools that have a different model of distance learning. I have taken courses that delivered lecture materials through blackboard, and that had a variety of coursework (quizzes, papers, chapter tests) in addition to the final exam, and done well in those.

 

Hmm, does anyone have any idea where to look for advice on choosing course providers?

 

Try entering this search query in google: bachelor OR bsc geography AND "distance learning OR education" site:.ac.uk

This query will return schools located in the UK, offering DL undergraduate degrees in geography. To search other countries, simply change the last bit of the query (e.g. site:.edu.au for Australia).

 

You may want to take a peek at the program offered by Macquarie University

http://www.coe.mq.edu.au/home/pdf/2011%20DE%20UG%20Final%20Schedule%20of%20Units.pdf

and the University of Manitoba

University of Manitoba - Office of the President - Bachelor of Arts in Geography