Frequently Asked Questions

• Avoid travel and overseas living costs
• Flexibility to study wherever and whenever you chose
• UK University award – no distinction that you studied online
• Professional tuition from expert online learning tutors
• Ability to fit studies around your commitments
• Affordable fees and payment plans
• Dedicated online distance learning support team
• Enhanced career prospects and employability

With distance learning from Northumbria University you can study almost anywhere. You will study by reading, watching, listening and interacting with materials accessed from the eLP. You may also take part in debates and discussions with academics and fellow students.

It is vital you have regular internet access throughout your course as this will help you to benefit from the resources available at the Northumbria University. The University's Virtual Learning Environment, Blackboard, will be available to you at any time, from anywhere. Some courses will require more frequent access, and a few may suggest that you will benefit from using broadband, so please check with the relevant department if you have any concerns. You will be able to contact your lecturers and tutors and your fellow students online and you will be able to access:

• departmental websites, resources and informational services
• resources from the e-library
• study skills
• services provided by the Northumbria Univesity’s Student Union
• student support and welfare services.

It is recommended that you have a broadband connection to make the most of the materials available to you. If you are travelling on business or privately, you will be able to connect with Blackboard from anywhere with internet access and through any networked computer, simply by knowing your user name and password, which will be provided to you at the start of your programme.

The first thing you should do is contact your designated tutor or the distance learning administrative team in your Department. They have years of experience in helping busy students to succeed.

The materials you have access to will vary depending on the programme you are studying. Some examples include, interactive online presentations with embedded audio and video, interactive online knowledge checks and activities, PDF documents, podcasts and video lectures.

You may also take part in virtual lectures and seminars via Blackboard Collaborate.

The eLP, or eLearning Portal, Northumbria University’s Virtual Learning Environment where you’ll find all the resources for your modules and programmes including lecture materials, study notes, discussion boards, virtual classrooms and much more. The university uses Blackboard Learn as their eLP.

Yes.* You can access the eLP on your mobile device via the Blackboard Mobile app. The app is currently available for Android, iOS and Blackberry platforms. The app can be downloaded for free from your device’s app store.

*Please note, not all learning materials may be compatible with your mobile device.

There is no difference between the qualification you receive on a Distance Learning course and the equivalent qualification which you might study for on campus.

We offer over 20 undergraduate and postgraduate online course across a range of subject areas including; • Business • Management • Law • IT • Teaching

To find out the tuition fees for the course you are interested in, please visit the course page

If you are near enough to do so, you are very welcome to visit the university and use its facilities, including the University Library and IT facilities. You might also like to come for the Award ceremony when you take your degree. As a Northumbria student, you are also a member of the Students’ Union and can use its facilities. You should obtain a Library Card before visiting the university. This is a smart card which gives you access to the library and other buildings. If you would like to meet one of your tutors, please e-mail for an appointment. The Programme Leader is always delighted to meet students in person.

When studying via distance learning with Northumbria University you have access to a wide range of help and support. Your programme leader, programme administrator and module tutors are all available to assist you with your studies and university related issues, alongside staff from the wider university. You will also have the opportunity to interact with fellow students via virtual classrooms and discussion boards.

We understand that choosing to study a distance learning programme is an important decision and we would like to be able to provide you with as much information as we can to assist you. Please visit individual course pages to find out which department you need to contact for further information.