Online distance learning is a rewarding and flexible way to learn. You study at the time, place and often pace of your choosing, to fit around your personal and working life. Like all types of learning, you need skills in personal organisation, time management, self-motivation, and a commitment to academic study.

As a distance learning student, there is no requirement for campus attendance. You do however need reliable internet access to allow you to participate in our online learning community either from home, work or on the move.

Our distance learning courses are delivered via a range of virtual learning spaces including Blackboard, PebblePad and Google Apps, sometimes these are utilised in combination.

We prepare you for online distance learning through the online induction package. This helps you develop and practise your skills and gain confidence in expressing your digital voice in a range of contexts. It will also allow you use our @Access All Areas resource to ensure your PC, laptop, tablet or other mobile device is set up to enable access to all the resources you will encounter. Where issues, concerns or development needs are identified during online induction, these will be addressed prior to commencing your module or course of study.

Although you are studying remotely from the university, you are fully supported by our learning centre, which is experienced in provision of library database searches, information enquiries, journal article supply, provision of eBooks and readers etc. To enable you to fully participate in the online learning community at Sheffield Hallam.

We believe that you learn best when you engage in prolonged debate. Experience with our online distance learning students shows that a key aspect of learning is the dialogue where resources, practice and ideas are shared, using content as the catalyst. Your course provides an active learning experience, with an ongoing dialogue between you, your peers and your tutors via discussion forums, blogs and in a number of instances, social media tools. You carry out a series of structured online tasks (e-tivities), which build towards a successful final assessment submission.

Student profile

Corinne Fiorinidf

'Sheffield Hallam offered a distance learning programme in the field that I was interested in. I had a friend studying here who recommended coming to Sheffield Hallam based on his positive experience.

'I believe that this MSc is an essential step towards my career progression. I am hoping to be able to develop policies and practices for my department. Oncology and palliative care is a fast developing field in my country, Malta. I hope to be a net contributor towards improving patient care.'