Some students have the opportunity to attend undergraduate and graduate school full time, with the goal to graduate in the appropriate number of years. Unfortunately, for some students full time attendance is not an option due to financial, work or family obligations. For these students Part Time Study is the best option. There are many reasons that students consider this mode rather than going full time.
Purpose of the Study
Each year, different colleges and universities attract students for a variety of reasons. The vast majority of students live in the local area, and they find that Part Time Study works great in conjunction with a full time job or when family needs must be considered.
- Pure Interest – Some students attend classes part time to further their education on a specific topic just for the simple pleasure of learning something new. These could be classes on archeology, art appreciation, writing, languages, philosophy, psychology, music, or history – whatever fascinates them that is simply different from their career or their previous major in college. For some students, it’s because they have failed to figure out what degree they want to pursue and are still intent on finding a path somewhere.
- Personal Development – Other students attend classes part time to gain a certification or degree for a specific topic of study, and they enjoy the advantages that it will afford them after the course is completed. Part Time Study classes can also be because they are pursuing the credits for the course material with the goal being to complete the certification, diploma, or the degree. They may be unable to afford going to classes full time, or simply may not have the time due to a full time job, but have a goal in mind to complete the degree.
- Post-Graduate Level – Once the undergraduate classes have been completed, many students prefer to go to work in order to gain experience in their chosen field. Many universities offer post graduation Part Time Study for those students who are working at full time positions, but want to pursue the masters or doctorate degrees.
- Professional Development – When the adults have worked at a full time position for a number of years, oftentimes, their job requires them to gain additional knowledge of another field to further their career expectations with the company. These could apply to additional business courses, psychology courses, advanced engineering courses – actually it’s nearly unlimited as to the types of courses that the programs can accommodate for the professional.
- Just for Fun – For some people, Part Time Study is preferred when they reach retirement age; they simply want to have something that challenges them in their retirement. For others, it can be understanding the challenges they will face in their retirement, and looking for that “second” career in doing something they had always been interested in, but never considered working in that particular field. It could be in the form of a hobby they have always enjoyed, such as art or music, or in a field that is completely away from anything they ever studied before, and have become interested in because of a television special they saw and wanted to learn more. For others, a vacation is planned to a foreign country, and they simply want to learn the language and something about the culture and history of the country before embarking on the journey.
- Finish Credits – Others want Part Time Study because they only have a few hours left to complete the degree they pursued at an earlier time in their life. They may have just a semester that they couldn’t finish because family obligations took them out of the university, or they lacked the money or ambition to complete the final hours. It could be that they were unable to complete the final semester because of career obligations and travel requirements, and now have settled into another position where they are no longer traveling, kids are grown, and they have the time to devote to a few courses to complete the degree they pursued previously.
Perfect Quantity and Time
For many students, Part Time Study affords them the quality time to spend with family or the required hours on the job and still continue the pursuit of either an advanced degree or simply something interesting to do. Regardless of the reason, there are many universities and colleges that offer part time study to attract additional students to the programs, and they are stimulating, interesting, and personally rewarding.
Part Time Studies
Universiti Telnologi Malaysia
Open University Malaysia
