#DILO (A day in the life of) a master’s student – Andy W

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Continuing with our blog series bringing you answers to some of the questions we at Robert Kennedy College (RKC) get frequently from students who are 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.

Blog series on ‘a day in the life of an online master’s degree student

Let us learn from those who came before and see if what worked for them will also help you become a better student! 

Andy is from the United Kingdom and has completed our 100% Online Master of Business Administration that we offer through an exclusive partnership with the University of Cumbria, U.K., and this is what he had to say about what worked for him. 

An Introduction

Who are you, really? 

Andy W

Which Uni are you studying with? 

University of Cumbria

Which programme did you choose and why? 

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

The Study Plan

Plan the best way to study

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 planned to allocate a certain number of hours per week on fixed evenings and the occasional weekend, but it didn’t work out that way. I’m definitely a “deadlines” person, so the regular modular structure of the course helped keep things ticking along nicely, with draft essays and other assignments keeping me focused on making good progress. It became more of a challenge with the dissertation as there was a) a hiatus after finishing the last essay and then being allowed to start the dissertation, so I completely lost momentum and, b) there were no intermediate milestones/deadlines to keep me ticking along. As a result, I had to be much more disciplined and ended up taking blocks of time off work to complete the dissertation. I clearly needed to get up a head of steam and tackle sections in a block rather than do a little often with stop-start not working for me.

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

As above, longer blocks of time suited me best, rather than a particular time of day. That said, because I was also doing a full-time job and other activities, I was mostly restricted to evenings and weekends.

How much time did you devote to each assignment? 

Unknown, sorry – I didn’t keep a log. 

Travelling and Communication 

Travel and staying connected

How did travelling impact your ability to study? 

Work travel tends to be occasional long-haul flights for me, which helped as I could download relevant readings and could then take notes, etc. on the flight. Most of my study time, however, was spent at home. Travelling was not applicable in my case.

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

The forums were okay, but this is the biggest issue with remote courses in my experience. You simply don’t get the same level of interaction, shared learning, and general camaraderie/shared experience as you do with face-to-face learning. This was particularly noticeable with the excellent week-long sustainability residential in Cumbria, especially when juxtaposed against the comparative isolation (even loneliness) of the dissertation. The benefits of remote learning definitely outweigh the restrictions, however. 

A typical day as a master’s student 

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

Lots of evening reading during the modules, getting the interim assignments complete and then a bigger burst of effort in two or three day block for the final assessment submissions. The dissertation was a whole new ball game with longer blocks of time needed to really focus on getting the job done. 

Any advice? 

Listen to advice, but figure out what works for you
Any advice you have for students to better plan their studies. 

I can only suggest people find their own rhythm – if you’re very disciplined, then a little often may work for you, but I’m not like that so had to adapt to fit my own way of working within the wider context of work and MBA deadlines. 

I hope this blog has answered some of your questions, and please watch this space for similar posts. You can also chat LIVE on WhatsApp with one of our Education Advisors for more information on all the programmes we offer, the application process, and for details on discounts we might be offering at this time.

Feb 29th – an opportunity to reflect on 4 years’ worth of learning?

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2020 is a leap year and Saturday, 29th of February marks the leap day: an extra day in our lives that we encounter every four years. Walking through February 29 is almost like walking through a rare portal that is only accessible to us every four years. Well, when I dug a little deeper into the history of how we actually came to have 29 days in the second month of the year, I found some very interesting facts about this day.

The history of Feb 29th (and/or of Feb 28th for that matter)

A leap year was needed to correct calendar drift because the Earth orbits the Sun every 365.242 days, a number that is fairly difficult to accommodate on a calendar. And it was a lot of trial and error before the world could settle for the modern-day leap year system. Many ancient cultures had taken on to the practice of adding extra days, or even months, to round out the calendar year.  

The National Geographic News explains the Roman civilization would add months to try to correct the drift of the lunar calendar. But this system was sloppy. In the modern sophisticated society, all kinds of things such as paying rent or interest accruing on loans would all mess up.  

Egyptians were the first to determine the true length of the solar year and brought the reformation. Egypt adopted a leap-year system, with an extra day every four years, during the Greek rule of the Ptolemaic Dynasty (305 to 30 BC).  

In 46 BC, the Julian calendar came to be used as a reformed calendar after what came to be known as the Year of Confusion. But there was an inherent flaw that caused the drifted Julian calendar to drift 10 days by the late 16th century.  In 1582 the Gregorian calendar was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, and it slowly but surely became the main calendar system for most of the world. 

Now you might be wondering why I am talking about the history of leap years? Well, apart from its historic relevance, I consider the leap days significant as the day of reflection and reminiscence.

A day for reflection

A wise person would say, don’t live in the past nor the future, stay in your present. However, it is important to foresee the future to identify the goals you want to achieve and reflect on the past to see how far you have come along your planned path, appreciate your achievements, recognize the pitfalls and improve upon them.  

Reflection is a key part of learning – it is not dwelling or beating yourself up for past events, but rather recognizing the pros and cons of past experience. Standing on the leap day today, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the achievements and memorable moments for Robert Kennedy College and its exclusive partners, during the last 4 years of imparting Swiss quality education online.

Scroll through the slides to see some of my favourite highlights of RKC history..

  • University of Salford awarded business school of the year award
  • Prof. Dr. iur. David Costa, Dean Robert Kennedy College and Stefano Costa MBA, Finance Director Robert Kennedy College (RKC), visited NASDAQ New York to commemorate the success of RKC in providing Swiss Quality Education in partnership with top British Universities for the last 19 years.
  • Celebrating 50 years of University of Salford
    Celebrating 50 years of University of Salford To mark the occasion for our residential students, Robert Kennedy College hosted an exclusive live masterclass conducted by Prof. Spicer and Richard Dron, Technical Innovation Officer at Salford Business School. The celebrations continued through to the evening and concluded with a gala dinner that also included our residential students.
  • Neil Robinson – MSc Project Management Graduate – Wins PMI Education Foundation Student Paper of the year award in 2017
  • University of Cumbria ranked 28th in 2019 WhatUni Student Choice Rankings
  • The University of Cumbria Law ranks 1st in the North West and 8th in the UK!
  • Mobile App launched for University of Cumbria in May 2019
  • Mobile App launched for York St John University in June 2019
  • Celebrating our Graduates – University of Cumbria
  • Celebrating our Graduates – York St John University
  • Celebrating our Graduates – York St John University
  • Celebrating our Graduates – University of Salford

To top it all here’s a short University of Cumbria 2019 graduation video. I hope this inspires you to take the walk as a proud master’s graduate yourself one day (hopefully before the next leap year in 2024!)

So I would encourage you all to take the opportunity that this great day, that comes once in 4 years, has to offer. Reflect, plan, set your intentions and take the plunge! For any guidance that you might seek on our Master’s programme, just reach out to our dedicated education advisors. 

Happy Leap Day! 

Value of an International degree

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If you’re looking to pursue a Master’s degree and contemplating that an online course at an international university could be the right choice for you, then I’m sure you’re in the same shoes as our student ambassadors were before they started their Master’s programme with Robert Kennedy College. Have a look what they have to say after having completed their degrees:

 

“The quality of education is world class. The rewards of the programme both professionally and personally are amazing! The MBA programme was special because of the knowledge, values and experiences the international students brought with them which enriched the high level of academic training brought on by our professors. My advice would be to participate often in the class forums, ask questions and help others when they need assistance.”

Lew Figol, Chief Member Services Officer, Your Neighbourhood Credit Union

 

“When I enrolled with RKC my one aim was to achieve the Masters level Degree; however, I underestimated the value of the learning experience, which has been hugely rewarding and personally fulfilling. Further, as a result of the degree I have clearly improved the quality and quantity of my work output which has opened up new and exciting career opportunities. To be clear, obtaining your Masters is a lot of work but the rewards are well worth the effort.”
Christopher Gardner, Senior Project delivery manager, Metro Bank, MSc Financial Services Management

You are thinking of studying online but want to be sure that the degree you earn will be worth your effort.  Well, studying from a university in the UK offers you a world-class education, an internationally respected qualification, and outstanding career prospects.

Apart from the high quality and flexibility of an online programme at Robert Kennedy College, you will gain many benefits from the international exposure you will experience at an on-campus residency for a week where you will interact with people of other nationalities and cultures in an intensive learning environment.

 

The photo represents a truly international class at the Online MSc Programme

For employers, candidates with international experience offer a more rounded set of abilities. Even if such skills may be regarded by potential employers as ‘nice-to- have’ rather than essential, they can make all the difference between two otherwise similar candidates.

In short, it is imperative in today’s competitive business world to have an international degree proving to employers that you have necessary skills they demand. Apply now to gain an internationally recognised degree that can transform you and your career.

Check out all the programme information here: https://college.ch/catalogue?j=fbpagemt

 

 

Make the Most of Your RKC Experience

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Graduate school programs such as an MBA can provide the advanced skills required to take a career to the next level. They not only offer academic knowledge but also peer interaction to test ideas, hone abilities and gain insights into one another’s strengths. Building and nourishing a strong academic network can form a valuable circle of influence to provide a pool of knowledge and sounding boards for challenging career moments. Academic networking can build upon the theoretical benefits of a graduate degree when applied within practical professional arenas for a lifetime of learning.

Robert Kennedy College (RKC) in Zürich, Switzerland, hosts and manages the online portion of master’s level programs. A notable advantage of the RKC combined online and residency program is the global network of professionals from several universities interacting in the online forums and Campus Café. With over 5,000 students from 130 different countries, the opportunity to build an international professional network is exceptional. These interactions are not only virtual; students also meet face-to-face while attending their residencies.

The Masters level programs bring mid- to senior- level professionals with wide ranging experience and geographical locations together. Within a traditional university, students are all living and working in the city or region. However, at RKC, students live and work in their home country, bringing their local perspectives into each discussion and lesson. Students learn how to effectively collaborate and achieve results within remote working groups. In an ever more international world, developing this flexibility is a unique skill.

Robert Kennedy College students and alumni are able to network with thousands of others opening access and creating career opportunities that otherwise may have been missed.

One example of such post academic business collaboration is Mircea Baldean, MBA, alumni from the University of Wales/Robert Kennedy College program and Carol Aebi, MBA, alumni from the University of Cumbria/Robert Kennedy College program. Carol and Mircea interacted through the RKC online forum then stayed connected after graduation. When Mircea was developing a new business idea, he tapped into his university network for validation and concept development, engaging Carol for her start-up strategic expertise. The two also partner with Gabriel, a Silicon Valley-based geospatial technologist, and their business MeetVibe, Inc. was founded. From Zurich to Toronto to San Francisco, the team works remotely but in a very cohesive and collaborative manner, a valuable skill developed through the RKC program.

RKC Alumni and MeetVibe founders – Mircea Baldean and Carol Aebi, joined by co-founder Gabriel Paun (left) at Web Summit 2017

Their app is the next evolution of social technology, creatively layering IoT interactions with market-validated social technologies into a unified platform. Last year they released the MeetVibe beta for iOS. Students from across programs joined in. Influences such as Asad Imam, Mohamud A. Verjee, Slobodan Bogovac, Joyce Njeri, and Jeremy Hewitt all provided guidance and spread the word. With a network of support, in January 2017 the beta for Android was released.

MeetVibe launched their business offer in July 2017 at the largest tech conference in Asia, and participated in the Web Summit, the biggest tech conference in the world held in Lisbon in November 2017.

Are you maximizing your professional networking opportunities and tapping into this talent pool?

It is not enough to simply collect a list of names or link social media profiles. Meaningful relationships extend beyond the online environment and are built with time and attention. Carol and Mircea’s MeetVibe app can help. Sign up today and share calendar availability and social media profiles with fellow students and alumni. Schedule a virtual meeting, call or get-together to develop valuable relationships.

Make the most of your RKC experience – build a global professional network to support your success!

Dean’s Message for the New Year 2018

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Prof. Dr. iur. David Costa, Dean Robert Kennedy College, wishing all of our graduates, students: current and prospective, a very happy and successful New Year 2018. Encouraging everyone to start something new and achieve new goals.

Get inspired with the dean’s message:

 

So let your career take-off and achieve new heights this new year. Our one year online masters’ degree programmes combine quality British education with Swiss ingenuity. Download the catalogue here: https://college.ch/catalogue?j=fbpagemt

 

Online education is the future of education system

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It’s a changing world. We live in era of technological innovation, digitization and an internet boom, and the education sector has evolved to a stage which would hardly have been believable a few years ago. Change is often inumbrated by resistance, and bringing about any change to education, likewise has been no simple task. Only a systemic change could prompt the establishment of new teaching methodologies and the application of advanced technology in education. But despite challenges, online learning is making tremendous progress in permeating all pillars of education, from corporate learning, to higher education, to K-12 schooling. Leaders in these areas have discovered some significant ways in which online learning is better than in-person learning, and as a result we’re seeing the widespread implementation of connected technology to drive education initiatives.

With the advent of digital innovation and e-commerce, the world is your oyster where you can get almost anything and everything at the tap of your finger, without leaving the comfort of your home. There is nothing in this world you cannot get online, so why not education? Gone are the days when the only way to learn and advance was to sit through tiresome lectures. As the number of online users grows by the day, more and more people are taking to the internet for their learning needs.

Yet if you’re considering moving to online learning, it’s important to know why you should. Well, there are several reasons why online education continues to grow in popularity and is indisputably the next big thing. The factors range from the wide variety of course offerings, flexibility, and learning pace, to quality of pedagogy and networking opportunities.

Robert Kennedy College has been a pioneer in online education for the last 19 years. Its online masters’ programmes combines Swiss quality education at a distance with residencies at the college’s premises in Zürich, Switzerland or in England at the campuses of the College’s exclusive partners: the University of Cumbria, the University of Salford and York St John University.

The advantages and benefits of online learning offered by Robert Kennedy College make their education unique and stand out from the competition:

  • Wide range of courses offered – Online MBA, MSc and LL.M
  • Blended Learning – Learning opportunity both online and in-person with one-week residency
  • Network building opportunity with peers and colleagues from all over the world
  • Proprietary state of the art technology
  • Outstanding teaching faculty
  • Superior student care

At RKC we are changing lives. Come and be a part of this revolution. Click here to find out more about the online programmes.

Neil Robinson – MSc Project Management Graduate and Winner of 2017 PMI Education Foundation Student Paper of the year award

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Neil Robinson found the Online MSc Project Management programme, as a golden opportunity to steer his Project Management career in a new direction. He says, “The MSc Project Management programme is opening up options and possibilities for me which were previously out of reach as a pure practitioner. As evidenced by the LIAP experience, with the right education, research, academic writing skills and dedication, the world really is your oyster to pursue whatever directions your heart desires, creating and opening your own doors along the way.”

We asked Neil, what is LIAP and what inspired him to write this award winning paper:

“Since leaving my homeland (Australia) twenty years ago I have been fortunate in that my life’s work as a Project Manager has immersed me in an incredible kaleidoscope of diverse cultural experiences. Whilst working in a predominantly blue chip corporate environment, I was increasingly drawn to the case studies of “social good” projects in developing countries and the work of philanthropic bodies such as the PMI Education Foundation. The academic paper “Life is a Project: Project Management as an Enabling Life Skill” was researched and written to coherently document and share with the widest possible audience the LIAP concept, pilot observations and an exploration of the potential benefits of Project Management as an everyday life skill with reference to relevant academic studies and theories of cultural transition. The driving inspiration behind this work is to connect with and motivate an audience of like-minded others who believe in the value of “social good” projects and to inspire them to take action to help “open doors” for others.

How was his experience studying Online with Robert Kennedy College:

“As a mature-age student with substantial practical experience in the field managing Global Projects, the opportunity to return to academic studies at Masters level at RKC (Salford Business School) has been transformational. The academic writing skills I’ve attained through the programme’s learning, assessment and feedback processes have opened doors to forums, audiences, and opportunities which were previously inaccessible.The online learning format of this course, whilst presenting its own unique challenges, has given me the flexibility to study the course materials, whenever I want, wherever I want, accommodating the realities of today’s busy and unpredictable demands. With this format you need to learn to overcome self-doubt and forge ahead with a belief in your own capabilities and interpretation of the task at hand. Self-discipline and time management skills are also critical.”

 

So how did this Masters help Neil in his career development?

“As touched on previously, the academic writing skills I’ve acquired have granted me access to whole new world of opportunities. Moreover, the course content thus far has been incredibly enlightening and relevant in terms of providing theoretical and strategic perspectives to the cross-cultural, international business contexts in which I’ve been managing projects as a practitioner all these years.I’d love the opportunity to take my project management career into the field of meaningful International Development or humanitarian work, preferably in a cross-cultural or developing country environment. This is an aspiration which I know is also dependent on the attainment of a Masters level qualification.”

Any words of wisdom for our future students Neil?

“The moral of this story is that Education really can “open doors” and with programmes like this, it’s never too late to “follow the dream”. As a mature age student, without an undergraduate degree, I harboured secret doubts about my own ability to study, research and write academically at this level. But so far, so good. I have to say thank you to RKC and Salford University for providing me with this life changing opportunity. I now see myself continuing to study, research, and write indefinitely as a means of saying what I want to say to the world, and being heard, in this project called Life. My advice to your prospective students? Don’t think it’s going to be easy, it’s not. But if you’re motivated, reasonably intelligent and capable, disciplined, able to work independently and serious about committing the time and effort….just do it! ”

 

Congratulations to MALIC 2017 Graduates!

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Congratulations to the students of Robert Kennedy College who graduated in early November in the stunning setting of York Minster with a Masters degree in Leading Innovation and Change, a programme in RKC’s exclusive partnership with York St John University.

Students graduated alongside an array of leading figures in the charity sector, conservation, psychology, business, sport, music, television and the Deaf community, who were awarded honorary degrees. Recipients included children’s campaigner Baroness Floella Benjamin OBE, actress Dame Penelope Wilton, and Steve Rowe, Chief Executive of Marks & Spencer. Also recognised were the Yorkshire Rows, the oldest all-female crew to row across the Atlantic who started learning to row at the Guy Fawkes Boat Club in York.

Professor Karen Stanton, Vice Chancellor of York St John University, said: “This year’s honorary graduates are an especially motivational group of people.”

The graduation ceremony was streamed live from York Minster (in the video above, take a look at the ‘view’ our graduates get when they take to the stage to receive their degrees). Some students, for this special occasion, wore their national costume under their graduation gowns.

There were different entry points for the guests and the graduating students. While the guests entered the Minster by the Great West Door (facing Deansgate), the graduating students entered by the South Door (near the Roman Column and the statue of Constantine). At the appropriate time, they were directed onto the stage where their award was conferred with a handshake, and as the new graduates they joined the academic procession at the end of the ceremony. Both the students and the guests then came together for refreshments and visited a series of exhibitions at Holgate.

 

At this formal graduation ceremony, 16 students from Robert Kennedy College came together from around the world.                          (RKC announcement begins at 26:50). It was a truly diverse group with students from countries like Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany, Singapore, Ghana, Mexico, Jordan, Cyprus, Netherlands, Ireland, Sweden and Guatemala. They depicted the truly global student community that Robert Kennedy College produces year after year. You too can be a proud graduate and part of this global community by enrolling into our Online Masters programme. Don’t take our word for it, have a look at the group of happy RKC graduates for yourself:

 

 

 

Celebrating 19 Years of Swiss Quality Education

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Prof. Dr. iur. David Costa, Dean Robert Kennedy College and Stefano Costa MBA, Finance Director Robert Kennedy College (RKC), visited NASDAQ New York to commemorate the success of RKC for providing Swiss Quality Education in partnership with top British Universities since last 19 years.

“Having the name of Robert Kennedy College at the center of Times Square, New York was mesmerizing and surreal but more imperative was this unique opportunity to extend thanks to our staff, students and graduates throughout the world”

During the 19 years the college has served thousands of students across over 130 countries. Thanks to proprietary state of the art technology, outstanding teaching and superior student care, the college has pioneered the concept of blended and online learning throughout the world. #RKC instructors are graduates from some of the best universities worldwide. With over 5,000 students from 130 different countries, we are a truly international establishment.

Our online masters’ programmes combine Swiss quality education at a distance with residencies at the college’s premises in Zürich, Switzerland and in England at the campuses of our exclusive partners, the University of Cumbria, University of Salford and York St John University. Thanks to the unique blended learning format, students are able to experience face to face live classes during the one week residential without disrupting their busy careers.

At RKC you are not just a student number. You are part of our online learning community engaged with faculty members and other students. Get more information about our programmes here.

 

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