Online study guide - A guide to Online Learning at RGU

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Online study guide - A guide to Online Learning at RGU
Online
study guide

A guide to Online Learning
at RGU
Online study guide - A guide to Online Learning at RGU
Online courses

                                                                                                       Online learning
Visit our ‘Find a course’ page and check the Online Learning box
www.rgu.ac.uk/study/courses

Architecture, Construction & Surveying             Information, Communication & Media

                                                                                                       Flexible study that fits
MSc Commercial Practice for the Energy Sectors     MSc Corporate Communication and Public Affairs
MSc Construction Project Management                Graduate Certificate Information Studies

Engineering
                                                   Graduate Certificate Petroleum Data Management
                                                                                                       in with your busy life*
                                                   MSc Information and Library Studies
MSc Asset Integrity Management                     MSc Information Management
MSc Drilling and Well Engineering
                                                                                                       If you are unable                                We recognise that flexible learning can
                                                   Pharmacy & Life Sciences                                                                             be challenging at times and we aim to
MSc Engineering
                                                                                                       to attend classes                                provide a solid network of support to
MSc Oil and Gas Engineering                        MSc Clinical Pharmacy Practice
MSc Offshore Oil and Gas Engineering               Pharmacist Independent Prescribing*
                                                                                                       on campus, online                                all students.

MSc Petroleum Production Engineering                                                                   learning is an ideal way                         We continually update and review our
                                                                                                                                                        online learning programmes to ensure
MSc Subsea Engineering                             Health Sciences                                     to gain a qualification.                         that they meet the needs of both
                                                   MSc/PG Dip/PG Cert Health Sciences (Framework)
                                                                                                                                                        students and employers and have very
Business, Management & Accounting                  MSc Public Health and Health Promotion              You can study online                             close connections as a University with
                                                                                                                                                        industry and practitioners.
MSc Accounting and Finance – Professional Top Up   PgCert Diagnostic Image Reporting*
                                                                                                       from any location
BSc Accounting with CIMA                                                                                                                                We also have a dedicated team
Graduate Certificate Management Studies            Social Work & Social Sciences
                                                                                                       throughout the world,                            who work on e-learning tools and
Graduate Certificate Project Management            BA (Hons) Social Work*                              at a time and place                              who respond to new technological
MSc Health, Safety and Risk Management             BA Residential Child Care*                          that’s flexible and                              developments and seek student
                                                                                                                                                        feedback to evaluate existing systems.
MSc Human Resource Management                      MSc Applied Psychology
                                                                                                       convenient for you.
MSc International Business                         MSc Corporate Social Responsibility                                                                  Our online learning courses are
                                                                                                                                                        delivered online through Campus
Msc Management                                     PgCert Mental Health Officer Award
                                                                                                                                                        Moodle, the University’s Virtual
MBA Master of Business Administration                                                                                                                   Learning Environment.
                                                   Nursing & Midwifery
MBA Oil and Gas Management
                                                   MSc Advanced Nursing Practice*
                                                                                                                                                        CampusMoodle is the University’s
MSc Project Management                                                                                                                                  virtual learning environment (VLE).
                                                   BSc/DipHE/CertHE Paramedic Practice:
MSc Purchasing and Supply Chain Management                                                                                                              It is a valuable resource for on and off
MSc Quality Management
                                                   Remote and Hazardous Environments*                                                                   campus students that can be accessed
                                                   PgCert Learning, Teaching and Assessment (Nursing                                                    from any computer as long as there is
BA (Hons) Business Management*
                                                   and Midwifery)*                                                                                      an internet connection.

Law                                                BSc Occupational Health                                                                              You will have access to teaching
                                                                                                       * We try to offer courses that are as flexible
                                                                                                         as possible however in some cases it is        materials including lecture notes
LLB Law
                                                                                                         not always possible to do so. There will       and course guides, and you will be
LLM Law                                                                                                  be coursework that must be submitted           able to interact with lecturers and
LLM Construction Law and Arbitration                                                                     by a set deadline. Some courses will           other students.
                                                                                                         also require mandatory attendance to
LLM Employment Law and Practice                                                                          weekly tutorials at fixed times, GMT.
                                                   * Courses will require a short period of
LLM Oil and Gas Law                                                                                      Examinations must be attended on
                                                     attendance on campus. Please check
                                                                                                         campus in person at set times and dates.
LLM (online) Law                                     individual course pages our website.

                                                                                                                                                                          Online Learning Guide | 01
Online study guide - A guide to Online Learning at RGU
What is online
learning?                                                                                                                            90% of postgraduate Online
                                                                                                                                     Distance Learning students
                                                                                                                                     believe their course helped
                                                                                                                                     them to develop or acquire
                                                                                                                                     job-related, or work-related,
                                                                                                                                     knowledge and skills.
You don’t have to be in Aberdeen           All study materials are available on         As an online student, for the majority
to study for one of our degrees.           Campus Moodle. These may include:            of our courses, you are not required         Student Experience
Many of our courses are flexible                                                        to attend on campus, although we are         Questionnaire 2016/17
                                           • Study topics and activities as well
and available online.                                                                   delighted to meet those who do decide
                                             as some audio/video materials which
                                                                                        to visit. You will have full access to the
Study online through Campus Moodle,          provide the equivalent content of
                                                                                        library and University facilities as a
our virtual learning environment, and        lectures for an on-campus student
                                                                                        student.
interact with lecturers and fellow         • Live discussion forums and team
students from around the world.              areas for group study                      There are some courses that do
                                                                                                                                     If flexibility and great course
                                                                                        require attendance on campus, for a
The online learning mode of delivery       • Presentations equivalent to full-time                                                   content are important to you,
                                                                                        short period of time.
has study material divided into learning     on-campus classes                                                                        RGU is the perfect option.
topics that directly reflect the taught    • Access to a bank of online library                                                      One of the biggest risks in
                                                                                        MBA programme
syllabus.                                    and e-book resources                                                                     selecting an online course is
                                                                                        Students are required to attend a 10
                                                                                                                                      the credibility of the school.
A team-centred model is used where         • Recorded lectures with downloadable       day workshop in the UK during the
                                                                                                                                      RGU has proven to be more
the online tutor engages with teams          content                                    second year of their studies, usually
                                                                                                                                      than great and it is accessible
and individuals through discussion         • List of relevant articles, podcasts and   around May/June. This is a standard
                                                                                                                                      from anywhere in the world.
forums, group email, virtual tutorial/       book references that supplement the        requirement for an AMBA accredited
chat rooms and confidential email.                                                      MBA and the workshop focuses on              Dave DaCosta
                                             learning
                                                                                        strategic management and leadership.         MSC International Marketing
All online learners must have:             • Live tutorials via Blackboard                                                          Management
                                             Collaborate Ultra
• Good internet access                                                                  Clinical Pharmacy Practice and
                                           Each module has its own discussion           Advanced Pharmacy Practice
• Microsoft Office
                                           forum on Campus Moodle for use by            Students are required to attend a short
Although our online learning mode          the students and tutors as well as its       residential period of five consecutive
provides flexibility as to where and       own homepage.                                days of training within the School’s
when students study, our delivery                                                       professional skills centre to allow for a
model does not permit full flexibility                                                  shared learning experience.
and pace is controlled to enable
membership of a student cohort –                                                        Nursing
an approach that our experience                                                         Some of our nursing modules will
shows enhances student success                                                          require attendance on-campus.
and experience.                                                                         This will depend on which course you
                                                                                        are studying. Please see individual
                                                                                        course pages on our website for
                                                                                        further details.

Online Learning Guide | 02                                                                                                                          Online Learning Guide | 03
Online study guide - A guide to Online Learning at RGU
Study anywhere
                                                                                                               Online learning, is not restricted                        Some courses or modules require
                                                                                                               by time zone differences. Most of                         more regular interaction than
                                                                                                               our online courses do not require                         others and you are encouraged
                                                                                                               students to be online at a specific                       to look at the course information
                                                                                                               time or on a specific date, however                       for the particular course you are
We provide an extensive range of                                                                               there will be submission deadlines                        interested in for this.*
online learning facilities via                                                                                 and certain activities may require
Campus Moodle, supporting over                                                                                 you to be online or submit/post
8000 students from 113 countries                                                                               something at a particular time.
studying online.

                                                                                    NORWAY

                                                                          IRELAND                                                                       RUSSIA
                        CANADA                                                                   POLAND
                                                                              FRANCe
                                                                                             CZECH ROMANIA
                                                                                             REPUBLIC
                             USA                                             SPAIN
                                                                                                                                KazakHstan
                                                                                             ITALY                                                               CHINA
                                                                                                     GREECE              KUWAIT
                                                                               ALGERIA                                                        PAKISTAN                                   TAIWAN
                                 MEXICo       CARIBBEAN                                                      SAUDI ARABIA
                                                                                                                                  UAE                                 THAILAND
                                                                                                                                                   INDIA
                                                     Venezuela                                                                                                                             PHILIPPINES
                                                                                NIGERIA      CAMEROON                                                                     VIETNAM
                                          COLUMBIA
                                                                                                           KENYA                        SRI LANKA
                                                                                GHANA                                                                                   MALAYSIA

                                                                                                ANGOLA
                                                                 BRAZIL

                                                                                                                                                                                         AUSTRALIA

                                                                                                        * Although we try to offer courses that are as flexible as possible, it is not
                                                                                                          always possible to do so. There will coursework that must be submitted
                                                                                                          by a deadline set by us as well as some courses you may need to attend
                                                                                                          mandatory weekly tutorials at fixed times, GMT. Examinations must be
                                                                                                         attended on campus in person at set times and dates.
Online Learning Guide | 04                                                                                                                                                                    Online Learning Guide | 05
Online study guide - A guide to Online Learning at RGU
Access campus
Getting started                                                                                                      moodle here:
                                                                                                                     campusmoodle.rgu.ac.uk

To be able to login          The Student Portal                        Once logged into Campus Moodle you         The Library
                                                                       will see a page with two headings:
and access your online       The Student Portal is a gateway
                             to information and services for all       General Study Area:
                                                                                                                  The services and resources of the
                                                                                                                  Library are available to all students
learning materials,          students. It provides links to Campus     This gives access to course materials,     of the University, including online
                             Moodle, email, iLink library catalogue,   library and IT information and induction   learners, but there are some additional
you will need to know        personal files on the University          modules. This is a good place to begin     services we offer for students who are
your RGU username            network, help and advice information,
                             exam results, academic regulations,
                                                                       and provides a general induction to
                                                                       Campus Moodle, the University and
                                                                                                                  enrolled on online learning courses
                                                                                                                  and who cannot come in to visit the
and password which           how to update your address, tuition fee   in some cases there will be a course       libraries on campus. These include:
                             and accommodation information             induction module.
will be provided by          to name a few.
                                                                                                                  • Postal loans (books by post)
                                                                       Current Study Module Area:
our Admissions team          This is where you will go to access       This is where you will access the
                                                                                                                  • Photocopies

when you are invited         Campus Moodle and your RGU
                             email account.
                                                                       module or modules which you are
                                                                       studying in a current semester.
                                                                                                                  • Access to other libraries in the UK

to enrol.                                                              www.rgu.ac.uk/campusmoodle
                                                                                                                  • Access to libraries outside the UK
                             Campus Moodle
                                                                                                                  You will have access to services
You will use these           Campus Moodle is a collaborative          Microsoft Outlook                          such as:
                             learning environment for students.
to access your               Not only will learning material be
                                                                       All communication from the University      • iLink (the Library Catalogue)
                                                                       throughout your studies will be
learning materials.          available online, but there will also
                             be areas for discussion, group work,
                                                                       directed to your RGU email account
                                                                                                                  • Electronic full text databases
                                                                       so we do encourage students to check       • Journals
                             formative quizzes and the uploading
                                                                       this regularly.
                             of assignments.                                                                      • Useful weblinks for your subject
                                                                       You will also benefit from access to
                             You will be able to access your online                                               • ‘How to...’ guides to getting the best
                                                                       our global address list which holds
                             learning environment anytime and                                                       from Library resources
                                                                       contact details for university staff and
                             anywhere, as long as an internet
                                                                       student email addresses of others on
                             connection is available. The learning
                                                                       your course.
                             material can take a wide variety of
                             formats from MS Word and PDF
                             documents to podcasts or wikis.
                             You will submit your assignments
                             via Campus Moodle in the electronic
                             dropboxes which you will find here.

Online Learning Guide | 06                                                                                                            Online Learning Guide | 07
Online study guide - A guide to Online Learning at RGU
Time management
We understand that online learners
may approach their learning in different
ways and that some prefer to ‘blitz’ over
a particular period rather than follow
systematically each week.
                                            The working relationship
As a rough guide, we would usually          between the tutors and
recommend that students on an online        students is excellent,
learning course dedicate around 15          enhanced by students being
hours per week to their studies.            able to communicate with
The majority of postgraduate courses        tutors through email, phone
have two modules per semester 1 and         calls and one-to-one tutorial
2, others study one module at a time        sessions.
over semesters 1,2 and 3.
You will need to find the best way to       Christopher Barclay
work that suits you as an individual.       Social Work Online
As an online learner you will need          BA (Hons)
to be motivated and committed in
order to balance your work and family
commitments whilst studying what may
be challenging and demanding courses.
It will be essential to manage your time
effectively in order to keep on top of
your workload and course deadlines.
If work commitments change or an
emergency occurs, students who have
accepted an unconditional offer and
have not started their studies can defer
for one year and recommence the
course later.
There are procedures in place for
mitigating circumstances and these
are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Online Learning Guide | 08                                                  Online Learning Guide | 09
Online study guide - A guide to Online Learning at RGU
Tutor                                        We are already beginning

                             support
                                                                          to see how our staff have
                                                                          benefited from the knowledge
                                                                          they have gained to better
                                                                          understand our customers’
                                                                          needs and this can translate
                                                                          into real business value on
                                                                          all sides.
                             Your main point of contact                   Kerry Blinston
                             throughout your studies will be              Global Commercial
                             your Course Leader and Course                Director at CGG
                             Administrator.
                                                                          Petroleum Data Management
                             The Course Leader is normally your           Grad Cert
                             Personal Tutor and will assist with any
                             personal problems of a non-academic
                             nature which may affect your ability
                             to function effectively during the        We encourage students to keep in
                             course.                                   regular contact with their Course
                                                                       Leader and tutors. You should not
                             Each module within a course has a
                                                                       hesitate to get in touch with your
                             designated Module Coordinator and
                                                                       Course Leader if you have any
                             they will be the main point of contact
                                                                       concerns at any point.
                             for any issues or queries regarding
                             that particular module.
                                                                       Other support available
                             Their role is to upload module
                                                                       There is a network of advice and
                             content, monitor discussion forums,
                                                                       support available for our online
                             instigate online discussion, respond
                                                                       learning students. Our services
                             to individual study queries, provide
                                                                       include:
                             support, assess the module and
                             monitor progress. The normal way to       • Disability and Dyslexia
                             contact a tutor for individual support
                                                                       • Student Counselling
                             is by email.
                                                                       • Careers Advice
                                                                       • Study Support
                                                                       You will find more information about
                                                                       some of the services we offer at
                                                                       www.rgu.ac.uk/studentsupport
                                                                       We have a dedicated IT helpdesk for
                                                                       support to students who need help
                                                                       with technical questions.

Online Learning Guide | 10                                                                Online Learning Guide | 11
Module                                     Offsite Examinations
                                           Some of our courses have

delivery
                                           examinations which students are
                                           required to sit – the time and date
                                           for all exams is set by the University.
                                           As an online learner you will be
                                           provided with information about the
                                           examinations you will be required to sit
                                           and what the approved arrangements
Students will be grouped into cohorts      are for these e.g. you may be required
which will make up a virtual class or      to attend a nearby British Council office
group of students all studying the         or another collaborative organisation/
course at the same pace.                   company that has been approved by
Cohorts are expected to complete           the University.
the various modules within a specified     Depending on your geographical
time period.                               location, you may not be able to
Cohorts facilitate peer support and        undertake examinations within
allow students to get to know one          arrangements approved by the
another, set up study groups and           University and may need to make
provide peer support via the facilities    alternative arrangements to sit exams
of Campus Moodle.                          in a suitable location near where you
                                           live. Wherever possible, this should be
In particular they facilitate              a British Council office. However,
opportunities for discussion and           where such premises cannot be
interaction with other students, usually   utilised, alternatives, such as local
at the same stage of the programme.        universities, colleges, public libraries
                                           and schools, could be considered.
                                           Once you have identified a suitable
                                           place in which to sit the exam you must
                                           request approval from your School at
                                           least six weeks prior to when the exam
                                           is due to take place.
                                           Students are required to meet any
                                           costs of external exams, for example,
                                           invigilation costs, room hire, postage
                                           of papers etc.

Online Learning Guide | 12                                                             Online Learning Guide | 13
Fees and funding

                             If you are studying via online learning     Postgraduate Tuition Fees Loan
                             or on a part-time basis, our flexible       Postgraduate students will normally
                             payment plan enables you to make a          make their own arrangements for
                             single one-off payment or spread the        payment of fees. However, there are a
                             cost of your course fees throughout         limited number of SAAS funded places
                             the duration of your study with us.         on certain postgraduate courses.
                             We are able to make your study more         For information on postgraduate
                             affordable by requesting an initial         finance options, please visit
                             payment of just 22% of your course
                                                                         www.rgu.ac.uk/finance
                             fees for that year (not the total cost of
                             the course), due before or on the day
                                                                         Alternative guide to PG funding
                             of enrolment.
                                                                         This useful resource provides
                             Your first payment will be due at           information on alternative sources of
                             enrolment and you can pay for this          funding for postgraduate courses –
                             online by credit/debit card and then        especially charities – which can make
                             the remaining instalments can be            awards (fees, maintenance, research
                             paid by credit/debit card, bank             costs) to any student regardless of
                             transfer to the University’s account        subject, or nationality.
                             or by bank draft.
                                                                         www.postgraduate-funding.com/
                                                                         gateway
                             20% Alumni Loyalty Discount
                             We offer our alumni a 20% loyalty
                                                                         Scholarships
                             discount on the University’s
                             postgraduate and post-registration          For a full list of all scholarships we offer,
                             course fees. The discount applies           including the RGU:SPORT Scholarship
                             to both home and overseas alumni            and Merit Scholarships visit:
                             (holders of undergraduate degrees
                                                                         www.rgu.ac.uk/scholarships
                             from Robert Gordon University) who
                             commence postgraduate study at
                             the University. It can only be applied
                             to tuition fees and cannot be used to
                             cover any other programme related
                             expenses (e.g. residential costs,
                             materials or membership fees).
                             www.rgu.ac.uk/discount
Online Learning Guide | 14                                                                   Online Learning Guide | 15
How to
apply
Apply Online
You can apply for your course directly    The Virtual Learning
via our online application form which     Environment and Online
allows you to upload documents in         Library provided a one-stop-
support of your application.              shop for everything I needed to
                                          know as a student.
It is quick and easy to use, allowing
you to complete pages in any order        Online learning student
and you may save your progress and
come back to the form as many times
as you like.
All supporting documents (certificates,   I chose Online Distance
transcripts of qualification) should be   Learning because I moved to
scanned and ready to upload.              Malaysia with my husband
You will have the option to upload your   and had a leave of absence
CV and any references that you wish       from my current job. The
to provide.                               flexible nature of the course
                                          is a perfect fit with my current
www.rgu.ac.uk/applyonline                 lifestyle.
                                          Christine E. Eikeberg
                                          MSC Information Management

Online Learning Guide | 16
Get an overview of Campus
     Moodle on Vimeo
     www.vimeo.com/184002989

  Contact Us
  T: +44 (0)1224 262209
  E: pgoffice@rgu.ac.uk
  visit www.rgu.ac.uk

          /robertgordonuniversity

          /robertgordonuni

          /robertgordonuni

Robert Gordon University, a Scottish charity registered under charity number SC013781
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