As a current student at Arden University studying BA (Hons) Business Marketing as a distance learner I would like to give my review of the university. I chose Arden as I could fit my studies around my full-time job and they are also recognised by The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), which I found really important as some other online courses were not. The enrolment process was easy and students can join the courses at any time not just in September like most other universities and the fees were cheaper than universities that have on campus studies.
Students get access to an online portal called ilearn and this has all the information you need to do your studying. Each module has 3 months to complete 10 lessons and your assignment and you have 3 online tutorials with your tutor per module. The lessons are in easy to manage sections all with activities at the end of the lessons to test your knowledge. There are online discussion forums and you have the tutors email address so that you can contact them if you need help or advice. The lessons have video’s, podcasts and tasks to take part in to help you learn.
There is a resource section that has the online library, and some other resources you may find useful. There is a handy section called ‘study skills’ that you can access for help with things like referencing and book appointments for 1-2-1’s with study skills tutors. Each module you have the opportunity to send in a draft of your assignment for a quick check from your tutor 2 weeks before submission. This will help if you have any mistakes or have gone off track as your tutor supplies feedback and you have time to then make changes before the final submission deadline.
I would recommend Arden to other people who would like to study online as I have learned not only my subject but also how to self- motivate, stretch and challenge myself, academic skills as well as many other skills and techniques. I am very proud of how far I have come and I am looking forward to my graduation.