#DILO – A day in the life of an RKC student – Lebo

It’s 2022 and everyone is busy making new resolutions for the year. If you are looking for some inspiration and guidance on how the online studies of Master’s look like, look no further. We continue with our blog series bringing you answers to some of the questions we at Robert Kennedy College (RKC) frequently get from 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 online learning challenges. Hopefully, this will, in turn, help you make an informed decision.  

I believe learning is a life-long process. You never know when an opportunity to learn is thrown your way. Would you grab the opportunity, or would you think it’s too late to learn and study?

Who you are, really?   

My name is Ramona F.

Which Uni are you studying at?   

University of Cumbria

Which programme did you choose and why?  

Online MBA International Healthcare Management. I am a Registered nurse who wanted to have more of a formal training as a nurse manager.

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?  

I work three days most weeks and I usually plan to use two days for studying. But most of the time, life happens and I have to boycott that plan and burn the midnight oil and not sleep to meet the study deadlines.

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What part of the day did/do you find most suitable to study? (e.g., early mornings, lunch break, evenings, weekends?)   

Weekends worked better for me.

How did travelling impact your ability to study?    

Not much. I usually would study at home due to my work demands.

How were you able to interact with peers and/or professors given the time differences?   

I would interact with peers and professors through the forums, WhatsApp groups and email or phone calls. I stayed up late to meet others in different time zones.

How much time did you devote to each assignment?    

As much as I could afford. Sometimes a whole 24 hour day was just used by default to try to get the work done on time.  

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What does a typical day as an Online Masters’ student look like for you?  

Working a 12 to 14 hours shift, getting home and making dinner and helping your kid with homework. Then staying up after hours to do assignments. In nutshell there was no rest mostly.

Any advice you have for students to better plan their studies?    

You can do it! Here are my two cents:

1. Get the cumbria/RKC account set up to your mobile, so that you can participate in forums while not at home and see deadlines or any changes. 2. Print a copy of the weekly assignments with deadlines and strike off as they are completed. 3. Reach out to your course peers. 4. Let the lecturer know if you are facing any difficulty. 5. No question is stupid! 6. Try to get the required textbook. 7. Read several sources 8. Use peer reviewed sources whether it’s required or not. 9. Get access to the UOC library.

Good luck!

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If you have been dreaming of joining a master’s programme or have had this personal goal to gain a higher degree, now is the time! Take valuable advice from our current students, gain from their experience, add your unique study strategies, and make your own success stories! I would love to feature you one day on our college blog.    

Chat LIVE on WhatsApp with one of our Education Advisors for more information on all the programmes we offer, the application process, and for information on discounts we might be offering at this time. 

3 reasons to start your master’s degree in 2021 at Robert Kennedy College

There are only eight days left this year. Some of you must be reflecting on how they fared on their resolutions for the year, while others will be setting new resolutions for the new year 2022. I know it’s been an extremely challenging year for everyone around the world; with Covid-19 restrictions, life has not been ‘normal’ for the longest time. And it’s far from over. I do not mean to end 2021 on a sad note. On the bright side, there are still last few days left of 2021 to do something meaningful and progressive in your life. If starting a master’s degree has been one of the resolutions for 2020, it’s still not too late. You can still embark on the journey before the year ends.  

Everyone looks for “the right time” to start something new in their life. And when it’s about starting an online masters, there are many factors to consider, such as work-life balance, flexibility at work, financial factors etc.  

Here are three reasons why it’s a good time to start your master’s right now:  

ACCOMPLISH YOUR RESOLUTION 

As I mentioned above, it’s never too late to accomplish your ultimate goals. While you may procrastinate or become complacent with your goals or even postpone them for next year, you might regret the decision one day. So, take a quick decision and enrol yourself for the master’s degree programme. Applying for the master’s is simple. The process involves applying online and providing us with necessary documents like your CV and highest education certificate.   

CHRISTMAS PROMOTION DISCOUNT OFFER  

We are currently offering special Christmas promotion until 26th December. With this limited-time offer, you can start with a deposit of just 500 Swiss Francs and receive a discount of 1000 Swiss Francs. (Yes, you saw that right!).  

Or if you pay between 25% and 50% of the fees in advance, you can receive a discount of 1500 Swiss Francs, or if you pay 100% of the fees in advance, the discount is 2000 Swiss Francs. You can find more details on this page where you can also convert the fees to your local currency: https://chf.help/#/christmas  

Save money with our Christmas promotion offer

STUDY AT UNIVERSITY RECOGNISED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT  

Put your mind at rest as the University of Cumbria, the University of Salford and York St John University are fully accredited by the British government and duly listed on the United Kingdom’s Department for Education list of recognised UK awarding institutions. You can verify their official University status directly at the UK government website.  

So, above are three of the many reasons you should start your master’s degree now. Talk to our advisors on WhatsApp, who can guide you through the admission process.  

Let me know in the comments section below your reason for starting the master’s programme! 

A step-by-step guide to the enrolment/admission process at Robert Kennedy College

So, after speaking with our education advisors, going through our programme catalogue and experiencing our OnlineCampus through the 14 day trial access we offer, you have decided to make a positive change in your life and join our online Master degree programme.

For your better understanding, what follows is the step-by-step breakdown of our admissions process. Please note, we welcome applications from students who may not meet the formal entry criteria but who have relevant experience or the ability to pursue the course successfully.

  1. Putting the required documents together.
    • Copy of your Bachelor’s degree certificate. Please note, if your certificate is unavailable or if you have not completed your bachelor’s degree, please check with your Education Advisor for further guidance.
    • Your updated CV/ Resume with correct dates of employment and education (month and year).
    • Signed application form (Please download the application form, fill it, print it, sign it, scan and email it to your education advisor).
    • A reference letter from your present employer on the company letterhead. The letter should be current dated and addressed to The Dean, Robert Kennedy College, Zurich, Switzerland.
  2. Application Fee payment of 100 CHF (Swiss francs). A credit card payment link will be emailed to you once your online application has been created. You can also make the payment by a Bank Transfer, details will be provided once the application has been created.
  3. Statement of Purpose (SOP) of a minimum 300 words, in English, this statement allows the admission office to determine your suitability for the programme.
    • Points to cover in your SOP –
      • Why did you choose Robert Kennedy College and the University of Cumbria?
      • What is your ambition and motivation to study and graduate from this master programme?
      • Where do you see yourself, professionally, in 5 years’ time from now?
      • Please ensure that your SOP has no spelling, punctuation or grammar mistakes and no short forms is to be used and is to be written in your own words and is not to be copied.
      • You can write and email the SOP to your education advisor as a Word/ PDF document.

Alternatively you can directly create an online application digitally sign the application form, upload the reference letter, degree certificate and your CV, write the SOP and pay your application fees.

At Robert Kennedy College we have truly simplified, modernised and streamlined our admissions process but at every stage we recommend that you keep in touch with and take the advice of your Education Advisor who is there to be a guiding hand.

Advantages of an Online Education

An on-campus education offers a number of traditional benefits – from access to the infrastructure of the university, face-to-face interaction with the faculty, and better networking opportunities with your peers, to on-campus placements and career opportunities.

However, with the access given us by technology these “traditional benefits” are no longer unique to an on-campus education.

Most universities that offer an online programme usually give their students access to their online libraries. These online libraries usually come better stocked with a wide range of reference papers and ebooks as there is no physical space required for the library and these online libraries can be accessed by students at any time and from anywhere in the world.

A number of online education institutions have also adapted video communication tools like Skype, Facetime, etc., to give a virtual classroom experience to their students. Through these virtual classrooms students can interact live with the faculty and fellow students, discussing subjects, answering questions and experiencing a classroom environment from the comforts of their homes.

Through social media, students and institutions have created a more extensive and robust network than anytime before in history, creating platforms for not only the sharing of ideas and discovering partnerships but also creating and broadcasting job opportunities that might have otherwise have gone unnoticed.

Another advantage of an online education is that most of the students who enrol in a programme also have a full-time career and are pursuing their education parallel to career and life commitments in order to enhance their career prospects. Having to effectively manage work, life and education has the added benefit of making a student learn to manage time better and become more self-disciplined.

In today’s global village, organisations are truly multinational and technology plays a vital part in the decision-making and communication process of an organisation. Having completed an online programme, students are prepared for this modern business environment, with familiarity in online communication and information platforms and learnt skills in online research, data mining and appropriate writing etiquette.

Robert Kennedy College with almost 14,000 students from almost every county in the world offers one of the most diverse online master’s degree programmes in both Law and Business through exclusive partnerships with British universities. For more information download programme catalogue.

Choosing the right University

A Master’s degree is one of the keys to success in your professional career.  It’s a commitment that demands a financial investment and at least one year of your life, so choosing the right university is the most important decision you’ll have to make to ensure that success.

The process of choosing a Master’s programme can be made less daunting if you break it down into a few important points to consider:

  1. Online or On-Campus: Following a programme on physical university campus represents a very substantial commitment in both time and money. Yes, it can be a rewarding experience in terms of knowledge gained and networks built, but we live in exciting times where innovations in technology and communication have resulted in a richer and more complete online education experience than was available in the past. The gap between an online and an on-campus university experience has been drastically reduced in recent years.
  2. Choose the right programme: Choosing the right programme is as important as choosing the right university. Look carefully into the course content and the delivery method to ensure that it satisfies what you’re seeking in a programme. Be clear about where your interests lie and the career path you wish to take, and identify the programmes that align with them. After all, the aim is that after successfully completing a programme you should be rewarded with better job opportunities.
  3. Cost: Have a clear understanding of your finances, and fix a budget on how much you’re willing to invest in your education.
  4. Accreditation and Ranking: The standing of your degree depends on the standing of the awarding university. There are several different ranking systems for universities which are drawn up by organisations that use different metrics to come up with their top university lists. But whether they measure academic and educational performance, or the teaching environment, the internationality of the institution, or whatever, the major ranking systems are data-driven hierarchies which outline the competition between major universities worldwide.
  5. Alumni Network: A strong alumni network can have a positive influence in long-term business and career opportunities. Get in touch with the alumni of your choice and get first-hand feedback on the university, the programme and the delivery mechanism. The easiest way to get in touch with the alumni would be to ask your Student Advisor to put you in touch with them.

Robert Kennedy College offers a number of online master’s degree programmes in Law and Business through an exclusive partnership with British universities. For more information download programme catalogue.