Distance and online education

Getting a qualification doesn’t have to mean changing your lifestyle or location. If you can’t get to the classroom every day, you still have plenty of options through distance study.

Distance education (also called external or online mode) allows you to study wherever and whenever it is convenient — there are no regular classes to attend and all the information you need is delivered through the post or online. For those who prefer a little face-to-face contact, mixed mode or flexible enrolment combines some on-campus classes with distance delivery.

Different distance options

Course materials delivered to your door

Before internet technology, the only method of delivering course materials was by ‘snail mail’. Many distance students still receive their course materials in the post or, more commonly these days, by email.

The course materials usually contain a subject guide, written versions of the lectures or classes that on-campus students attend and further reading material. Distance students look in the subject guide to find out what course materials or other resources they must read each week. And of course, there will also be one or more assignments to complete during the semester.

Online delivery

Distance students now have access to many of the same resources as their on-campus counterparts at the touch of a button! The internet has not only allowed lecture notes and other course information to be delivered via websites, but also made it possible for students to download the lectures themselves as sound or video recordings. The only catch is the need for good, fast internet access; students in rural areas should consider this if their course will rely heavily on online materials.

Flexible class schedule (mixed-mode)

In some distance courses — especially those with a strong hands-on learning element — parts of the course may be delivered in large class blocks on-campus. This is often called ‘block mode’ or ‘intensive study’ because students can get all of the classes out of the way in one hit. The only drawback with this method is the sheer volume of information that you are required to absorb at once.

What can you study?

A wide range of courses can be studied by distance through universities, TAFE institutes and private tertiary education providers. There are at least a couple of distance education courses throughout the country in the following fields.

While many of these courses can be completed entirely by distance, practical disciplines such as nursing may require some time on campus or in work placements.

For more information

Use the Course search to find courses in your field that are offered by distance education.

Back to top