Offering a convenient and cost effective method of learning, more and more surveying students are choosing the internet over the campus.

Everything can be done online from picking up a bargain wedding dress on eBay to organising your social life, and gaining a qualification is no different. There is a wide range of courses with a distance-learning option that are available from numerous universities across the country, allowing students to remain in full or part-time employment.

The advantage of being able to study any time, anywhere came in particularly useful for one London surveying student. Mark Lewis recently completed an online diploma in surveying practice at the College of Estate Management (CEM), while continuing his full-time job as a taxi driver!
“Working full time and looking after a family meant I already had my hands quite full,” explains Mark. “I revised on the taxi ranks at Paddington Station and Waterloo – the other cabbies thought I was totally insane!”
Mark had been interested in a career change and wanted to get into surveying. This online course was the best way of achieving his goal. He is now enrolling on an energy assessor course to take the next step on his new career path.

Ewan Craig, course director at the CEM, believes there are huge advantages to distance learning but warns it can be very hard work: “The key factors for success are self-discipline and a desire and ability to learn. It is a joy to see people develop through distance learning to become more independent, resourceful, confident, disciplined and driven.” Course lengths vary from two to four years, with around 15 hours a week dedicated to study. RICS accredited online courses hold just as much weight as their campus based alternatives, but can be a lot cheaper to undertake, with tuition fees often being one third lower.

International student Kitty Tan

Kitty Tan is an international student taking an online MSc in property investment at CEM while she continues in her position as associate director for Savills Shanghai. “Distance learning provides you with the chance to stay in the market while you are studying,” says Kitty. “The real estate market is always changing, so it’s important that you keep up to date and remain involved.” Teaching methods vary from course to course. Like many other universities, Nottingham Trent has a web-based system, which offers up-to-date module information, access to a news board, resources and a means of communicating between students and tutors.

Distance-learner Tim Mather

Distance-learning students are certainly not ‘distanced’ from the student community. Tim Mather, who gained a post-graduate diploma at CEM while employed by Knight Frank LLP, explains: “The Virtual Learning Environment online forum allows you to voice concerns or ask questions to both students and tutors. This interaction reminded you that you were not alone and also helped develop a greater understanding of the subjects.”

Hannah Beamish, a trainee development surveyor, is doing an online BSc in estate management, funded by her employer, Hill Residential Ltd, and feels it is greatly benefiting her future career: “Employers look favourably on individuals who have studied a distance-learning degree, as it requires a lot of determination and effort.”

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