Frequently Asked Questions

Our degree programmes are offered as part-time study only, studying one module at a time.

Our degree programmes are 180 credits each.

An exit award provides recognition of completion of a number of credits, when you have not been able to complete a full Masters programme. It means you may be able to exit your programme with a Postgraduate Certificate after completing 60 credits or a Postgraduate Diploma after 120 credits.

All of our degree programmes include some element of independent research which enables you to look at a relevant area of study in more depth. The assessment usually involves producing a lengthy and complex piece of work independently. Please see our programme pages for more details.

Our programmes are not third party accredited. There is a system of quality assurance delivered by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. The University of York is a legally recognised, degree-awarding body, by the UK government.

Our programmes are designed to be completed in two years. However, taking time out will extend your programme duration and you may need to wait for skipped modules to run again.

The number of modules varies between programmes. Please see our programme pages for details.

While a Masters degree will help to open doors with employment as well as study, you’ll need to check the specific entry requirements of the programme and institution you are interested in to find out if our programmes are accepted.

Your degree certificate will not state you have studied online and will look the same as those of students who study on-campus. The mode of delivery however, will appear on your degree transcripts as online study or distance learning.

Our entry requirements vary by degree. Check the full entry requirements for each programme on the programme’s page or in the admission requirements page. 

You will need to provide academic transcripts as evidence of your education, as well as proof you meet the English language requirements and of work experience (where needed).

You will not need to provide a reference for entry to our programmes.

1. Locate your ‘Applicant Portal Account’ details sent via email

2. Log in to the You@York portal

3. Find and click the ‘Respond to my offer’ tab

4. Click Accept

Our tuition fees vary by programme and are displayed at the top of each programme page. Find and select your programme to view its cost.

When you select your first module you can choose either to pay for your whole programme in advance, or to pay for each module at the time that you study it.

You need to pay your tuition fees before the registration deadline for each module. When you pay for your first module, you will be given access to pre-learning materials and study skills modules.

You can’t access learning materials until you’ve paid your tuition fees. If you miss the deadline, you will unfortunately not be able to start your module/programme as planned.

For those that are funding their studies through a student loan, it is important to note that you will not receive your student loan before you need to make your first payment. The loans company will only release your funds after the University has confirmed your enrolment on the course, and so when initially paying you will need to make alternative arrangements.

You cannot pay your tuition fees in instalments. You can however pay per module to help break up the cost of your programme.

Yes, if you have completed an undergraduate programme with us you are eligible for a 10% discount. The discount does not apply however, if you have studied a Masters programme with us. Please visit our webpage for full eligibility criteria.

There are two breaks built into each year of the programme:

• Winter – 2 weeks, however may vary from year to year

• Summer – this is between 2-3 weeks, however may vary from year to year.

You can also take a leave of absence if you are not able to engage with your studies at any point in your programme.

Your programme comprises 180 credits in total, of which 150 are taught and 30 are for your own independent research project. Each taught module is worth 15 credits and comprises seven weeks of teaching and, for most modules, one week for final summative assessment. At the end of your programme, you will undertake an independent research project which is worth 30 credits and lasts 16 weeks.

Our online courses are based on well-established principles of asynchronous learning. This will involve you engaging in learning experiences at times which suit you. Activities will involve recordings, readings, or quizzes, or asynchronous conversations conducted via a discussion board.

Each module is specifically designed to deliver learning in a way that suits the materials and skills involved in that module. You will be expected to engage in the materials and discussions in order to progress your learning.

The programmes are specifically designed for online study, with all learning happening in our online learning management system. All study is asynchronous with module content broken down into weekly units which you can engage with at times that suit you. You will engage in a variety of activities specific to each programme which will include short lectures, readings and discussion boards with other students and staff.

All coursework and assessments are completed online, so you will not need to travel to undertake your studies.

There is no requirement to attend at any particular time, so you can study whenever suits you, as long as you’re keeping pace with the module requirements and regularly engage with the discussion boards. Your activity within Canvas is monitored. For example, if you don’t login to your Canvas for five days, you will be sent a check-in email to check everything is okay and/or if you need any assistance.

All the information you need to understand how to use technology to access and support your studies is available in your induction and first modules. You’ll need to familiarise yourself with this information to help make progressing through your studies easier. Our IT Services can provide support with most technology issues. Please note that technical support is not offered for MacOS, but most software should work and it’s possible to install Windows or Linux on a Mac.

Your programme is designed to be flexible, allowing you to take time out between modules if your other commitments are likely to get in the way of successful study. Your Student Success Coordinator will be able to advise you on how to take a break and when missed modules will next be available for you to take. Taking a break will extend the length of your programme.

You will need to submit at least one piece of summative assessment to pass each module. You may also be expected to undertake formative assessments, which won’t contribute to your final mark but will help you develop the skills and understanding needed to do well in your summative work. The type of assessment you do will depend on the programme but may include essays, exams, and practical applications of your learning such as case study reports and computer programming.

In addition to paying tuition fees, you may be required to pay for textbooks for your online Masters programme. These could be e-books or physical textbooks.

Our programmes are primarily independent learning, so your studies will be mostly self-led. Each module is facilitated by a module tutor via online discussions boards, where you can interact with other students on the programme. If you have specific queries, you can also contact your module tutor via email or your virtual learning environment, Canvas.