Yesterday, Robert Kennedy College (RKC) Dean, Dr David Costa, conducted a live session introducing our 100% online master’s and bachelor’s degree programmes. This interactive session was held online and was packed with essential facts and information about the college, the universities RKC has partnerships with, and the master’s and bachelor’s programmes we offer. The session received an overwhelming response and participation from all the attendees.
As the session began, Prof. David Costa gave a brief presentation about the history of Robert Kennedy College. He also provided information about the University of Cumbria, the University of Salford and York St John University. The presentation also showed the participant’s sample degrees certificates and transcripts from all three universities.
Live session conducted by Dean Dr. iur. David Costa (top left)
Prof. Costa also explained the reasons that make RKC’s degrees unique. The factors include (but are not limited to):
a practical and flexible online programme
minimum duration of one year
100% online, contemporary courses
no formal examination system, assessment based on assignments
British degrees that are recognized worldwide
Prof. Costa also discussed the fee information and the discounts being currently offered. He also introduced our “ask the Ambassador” initiative, which allows you to chat with either a current student or alumni and ask any programme related questions or about their experience studying at RKC.
RKC alumni network work with top companies across the globe
After the presentation, Prof. Costa opened the floor to questions from the interested candidates. He answered queries ranging from fee information, assessment method, eligibility requirements, referral discounts, course delivery methods, and more.
Does this look like something you wanted to attend and get information first-hand from the Dean himself? Do not worry. You can watch the live session recording and find answers to your questions. And if you still have questions or feel confident to apply right away, talk to one of our advisors in real-time on WhatsApp.
Continuing our a day in the life of RKC student series, we asked some of our past and current students to share their thoughts and opinions, to give their feedback on how they handled the challenges of online learning.
There is no better way but to learn from those who came before and see if what worked for them will help you become a better student! Hopefully, this will help you to make an informed decision..
An Introduction
Who are you, really?
I am Paul M.
Which programme did you choose and why?
The MBA programme. The MBA obviously has the essential business basics, that improves our ability as leaders with contemporaneous knowledge of current best practices combined with reiteration of essential skills which every leader should know. I chose RKC because of the convenience of an online degree and the fact that it partnered with quality UK universities.
The Study Plan
How did you plan to study each module, and what was the reality? How many hours did/do you have to put in each day/or in a week?
Robert Burns’ poem To a Mouse, (1786) includes the line “the best made plans of mice and men” which is interpreted that even the best made plans will go wrong…and they did. I set aside time each evening for course reading and the online availability made it easy when traveling. Over weekends, I was locked down on Sunday evenings until midnight, regardless. Each week required at least 12 -20 hours of study time to see any progress.
What part of the day did/do you find most suitable to study? (e.g. early mornings, lunch break, evenings, weekends?)
Evenings and the occasional early morning.
How much time did you devote to each assignment?
Each class has different requirements, so this is tough to quantify. In average each assignment (Paper/ report) requires around 40 hours of self directed study and another 20 in terms of prep and writing the paper. The dissertation is a whole different time management project and requires STRUCTURE, if you cannot be structured and meet / set deadlines this will be a challenge.
Photo credit: Canva.com
Travelling and Communication
How did travelling impact your ability to study?
If there was internet, I was on the site!
How were you able to interact with peers and/or professors given the time differences?
Some direct messaging and interactions mostly on the forums. It was much more due to COVID.
A typical day as a master’s student
What does a typical day as an Online Masters’ student look like for you?
FIRST THING 1) Check forum posts
2) Check for any updates on syllabus and deadlines 3) Plan any activity for the day 4) Regular work day 5) Study one to two hours and engage on forum.
Photo credit: Canva.com
Any advice?
Any advice you have for students to better plan their studies.
Have a plan and work the plan. If you fail, reset and get back on the plan, learn to adapt to the challenges that life sends you. Above all have fun the end result is worth it.
I hope this blog has answered some of your questions, and please watch this place for similar blogs. So, if you have been thinking about doing a master’s degree and now understand how to study better for an online programme, look at our programmes and see if anything interests you.
Continuing with our series of blogs that answer some of the questions we at Robert Kennedy College (RKC) get asked frequently by students looking to join one of our online programmes. We asked some of our past and current students to share their thoughts and opinions, to give their feedback on how they handled the challenges of online learning. Hopefully, this will help you to make an informed decision.
Let’s learn from those who came before and see if what worked for them will help you become a better student!
Be disciplined and prepared to devote time and energy to the course.
Tahera Sultana
An Introduction
Photo by Vladislav Klapin on Unsplash.
Who are you?
Hi, my name is Tahera Sultana (it means pure). I am female, married with no children. I am also a Compliance Officer and have worked for different financial institutions for more than 20 years.
Which programme did you choose and why?
I am studying the Master of Laws (LLM) programme. I have been working in the compliance field for over twenty years, and I find more of my colleagues and subordinates are law graduates. I thought to myself, if I pursue a law degree, I could enhance my knowledge grow beyond being a Compliance Officer.
The Study Plan
Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash.
How did you plan to study each module, and what was the reality? For example, how many hours did/do you have to put in each day/or in a week?
I am a full-time employee and a part-time student. Before starting a module, I will understand the module requirement that I am about to enrol. Each week, I print out all presentation material and listen to the recorded lecture; I make my notes and review the lecture a few times until I can digest the topic. I spent approximately one hour per week on lectures and 2-3 hours reading time for the required chapter in the module.
I spent most of the time working on my given assignment. The research process takes up to 10 hours. After reading the related material, I will start writing the paper. As I have done three modules so far in the programme, writing time takes up to 5-6 hours per 1,000 words. As a full-time employee, I work on my assignment in the evening and during the weekend. Assignment time is not an easy task for me, but a very fruitful experience. I enjoy writing on meaningful and interesting topics.
What part of the day did/do you find most suitable to study? (e.g. early mornings, lunch break, evenings, weekends?)
I had no choice in choosing my study time. For me, after work is the most suitable time to study. If I had a choice, I would have chosen early mornings to do my studies. For the most part, weekends are not good for me because I work from Monday to Friday, from 9:00 am to 7:30 pm (normal office hours is 9 to 6, but in Hong Kong, we have unofficial long working hours). Over the weekend, I go hiking and spend time with my family. If I have to complete an assignment, I will work extra hours during the week to meet the deadline. I will also skip hiking and family time to achieve the goal.
How much time did you devote to each assignment?
Every 1000 words will take me approximately 5-6 hours of writing time. I devote approximately 20 to 22 hours to each assignment (excluding research & reading material).
Travelling and Communication
The challenges of learning while travelling. Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash.
How did travelling impact your ability to study?
I find it very hard to study if I have to travel. I may skip one weeks’ lecture and catch up in the coming weeks, i.e., after my business travel. If I have to submit an assignment during my travel, I carry all my research material onto the aircraft and work during the flight. I remember, it was late Jan 2020, I had to fly from Hong Kong to London; I worked 10 hours on the flight. Fortunately, I had three hours of sleep during that trip.
How were you able to interact with peers and/or professors given the time differences?
Interacting with peers and professors is no big deal in these modules. We have once or twice zoom / Blue Jean meetings in each module. I am not concerned about the time difference, as I am in Asia; 3:00 pm London/Swiss time is 9:00 pm Hong Kong time. That suits me, for I can join after office hours. However, when I am travelling, there will be a problem with the change in the time difference, and I might end up missing the meeting. At one time I remember I used my computer in the hotel during my business trip to interact with the whole class; I could not hear clearly what they were discussing due to hotel Wi-Fi.
A typical day as a master’s student
What does a typical day as an Online Masters’ student look like for you?
I find myself glad that there is an online course that I can take advantage of. I can still work as a full-time employee and study during my off-hours, although it is not an easy task when there is travelling involved. I take pride in my decision to gain a Master’s degree; I understand that hard work is needed, and I know this will help me progress and enhance to the next level.
Any advice?
Any advice you have for students to better plan their studies.
Be disciplined and prepared to devote time and energy to the course. Know that all classmates are your partners, and the professors are very experienced and are there to help you succeed. I am glad that I made a good choice to achieve my Master’s degree.
I hope this blog has answered some of your questions, and please watch this place for similar blogs. So, if you have been thinking about doing a master’s degree and now understand how to study better for an online programme, look at our programmes and see if anything interests you.
You can also chat LIVE on WhatsApp with one of our Education Advisors for more information on the programme that is right for you, the application process, and for details on discounts we might be offering at this time.
Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es.” [Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are].
Anthelme Brillat-Savarin
You might be wonder why I am writing about food today and what is its impact on studying the master’s programme and academic performance. It is a widely believed fact that you are what you eat. Studies have shown that the food that we eat has a bearing on our academic performance. Hence the direct correlation between nutrition and academic performance.
When I was a young kid, my mother always insisted on eating healthy food and wanted my brother and me to develop healthy eating habits. But we loved what every other kid adores – junk food. I preferred eating French fries over broccoli any day; little did we understand the effect of food on our bodies and mental health. Nor did I realise that not eating a balanced diet could lead to several deficiencies in the body, such as iron deficiency, vitamins, iodine, and zinc. These deficiencies can negatively impact cognition, intuition, perception and, mental concentration.
Photo credit: Unsplash.com
According to WHO, nutrition is an essential element of the health and development of human life. Food plays a vital role in physical and mental development, productivity, and performance. Food is fuel for our body and mind. Eating right early in life yields benefits in the later stages of life as we grow older. It becomes even more critical as an adult to maintain good eating habits and consume nutritional food as there are many roles and responsibilities one caters to in everyday life. From being a parent, to being a business owner, working for a corporation or being a mature student, one will wear many hats. You can take care of others only when you yourself are healthy and in good health. Studying for a master’s is a challenge while balancing study, work and life.
Here are 3 ways how nutrition effects academic performance:
Cognitive development
Good nutritional food brings satisfaction to the body. With a satisfied body and mind one can have better concentration and self-actualization. If there is no fuel provided to the body, the mind becomes sluggish too and there is a lag in the need to excel in studies. Hence good nutrition is necessary for the optimum realisation of one’s cognitive and economic potential.
Good nutrition is necessary for the optimum realisation of one’s cognitive and economic potential. Photo Credit: Canva.com
Better learning potential
Healthy mind stays in a healthy body. Our brain’s potential is much more than we actually utilise it. Providing adequate nutrition and rather enhancing our diet with super foods improves mental learning performance manyfold. The spontaneity of student and concentration is much better when they are well nourished. This is turn improves the learning potential.
Build immunity and prevent illnesses
Our cells produce energy required for all our daily tasks and also for additional un-anticipated events. Last few years have been very challenging with Covid-19 spreading all over the world and only fittest could survive. Good nutrition will ensure your body has built adequate immunity to fight all the unprecedented diseases and illnesses. And when the body is illness free, the mind can excel in academic performance.
Photo credit: Canva.com
Good food, balance diet and exercise is the mantra for healthy living and excelling your academic performance. Also check out our blog on how exercise can make you a better student.
Chat LIVE on WhatsApp with one of our Education Advisors for more information on all the 100% online master’s degree programmes we offer and the application process.
