The Covid pandemic and the shift towards virtual meetings, events and lessons led to more students studying online than ever before. Studying from home has since proved to be just as recognised as studying in a lecture theatre. For distance-learning programmes, students benefit from flexible access to materials and recorded lectures.
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This report analyses 50 of the most populated UK universities on their online course offerings, university ratings and research quality, to reveal the best for students hoping to study online.
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The best universities for online learning
1. University of Cambridge - Online learning score 8.94
Online degrees - 38
Online short courses - 81
Guardian university rating - 97.8
Research quality - 88%
Student Rating - 4.48/5
At number one on this list is the University of Cambridge. Cambridge is one of the most prestigious universities in the UK, owing to its exceptional score of 97.8/100 from the Guardian. Students have also bestowed a 4.48/5 on the University of Cambridge for its student experience, the second highest on this list.
The reputation of Cambridge speaks for itself, but it also excels when it comes to online education. While not everyone gets an equal opportunity to study at Cambridge, the university makes a point of ensuring its courses are as accessible as possible for its students via the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education (ICE).
Some of its award-winning online undergraduate courses include creative writing, coaching, history, international relations and business. There are also many short courses covering topics such as ancient Egypt, law and genetics.
2. University College London - Online learning score 8.37
Online degrees - 110
Online short courses - 382
Guardian university rating - 82
Research quality - 87%
Student Rating - 4.14/5
In second place is University College London (UCL). UCL offers a very wide choice of distance-learning programmes, with 110 online degrees and 382 online short courses available. This university also has a high Guardian rating of 82/100, a great research quality of 87%, and an exceptional 4.14/5 student-rated experience.
The wealth of distance learning options at the university includes online master’s degrees and graduate diplomas across several different subjects. These include the likes of neurology, education, sports and more.
UCL is one of the biggest universities in the country by total enrolment (45,715), with many of its students studying online.
3. University of Leeds - Online learning score 8.08
Online degrees - 44
Online short courses - 90
Guardian university rating - 75.2
Research quality - 84%
Student Rating - 4.41/5
Coming in third is the University of Leeds, with an online learning score of 7.84/10. Leeds offers a decent selection of online programmes, from 44 fully online degrees to 90 online short courses. With a research quality of 84% and a high student rating of 4.14/5, the University of Leeds is a brilliant choice for online learners.
Leeds’ online degree programmes are led by top academics at the forefront of research. The University’s short courses can be accessed via FutureLearn and Coursera, and cover areas ranging from academic skills to continued professional development.
The University of Leeds also furnishes a good selection of online learning PhDs. These are offered by the Faculty of Environment and the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures.
4. University of Birmingham - Online learning score 7.84
Online degrees - 116
Online short courses - 27
Guardian university rating - 72.3
Research quality - 86%
Student Rating - 4.46/5
In fourth place on this list is the University of Birmingham. Not only does Birmingham have an exceptional score of 85% research quality for its programmes, it is also a student favourite, achieving a high 4.46/5 student experience rating.
There are over 100 online degrees available at the University of Birmingham allowing you to study at your own pace. These are postgraduate opportunities across a range of subjects, bolstered by 27 modern and flexible online courses to supplement your learning.
Earn a diploma, Master’s degree, a PhD or conduct Doctorate-level research fully online at the University of Birmingham.
5. University of Edinburgh
Online learning score - 7.75
Online degrees - 74
Online short courses - 83
Guardian university rating - 79.3
Research quality - 85%
Student Rating - 4.18/5
The University of Edinburgh, located in Scotland's capital city, is rated as the fifth-best university for distance learning.
The University of Edinburgh offers 74 online degrees and 83 short courses. With a high research quality of 85% and a Guardian score of 79.3, the University of Edinburgh is considered a great choice for distance learning. University of Edinburgh students have rated their experience at a high 4.18/5.
The university offers a range of shorter free courses across three different platforms: Coursera, Edx and FutureLearn. Alongside this, there are fully online courses that have the same status as any other on-campus university degree. The university also offers full support such as access to career consultants and IT guidance.
The most popular online courses
By analysing Google search data, this report also reveals the most popular online courses in the UK at current.
1. Accounting - 7,695 Annual Google Searches
Accountants often earn a bachelor's degree in accounting to help them qualify for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam. Passing the CPA opens up more opportunities and positions at advanced levels. Not only is it possible to study accounting online, but many employers are currently offering remote accounting opportunities.
2. English - 7,362 Annual Google Searches
Degrees in English are often designed to leave students with a comprehensive understanding of linguistics, grammar, writing, and literary analysis. English degrees encourage students to dissect theories and critically evaluate language and literature, both of which can be done virtually.
3. Marketing - 6,381 Annual Google Searches
Marketers look to make use of consumer trends in order to help organisations stand out from competitors and become profitable. Often taught in tandem with other business topics, marketing is a great choice for those looking to start a career in the business world, and such degrees can be studied from the comfort of your own home.
4. Business - 6,276 Annual Google Searches
Business degrees can range from business administration, marketing, management, strategy, finance, human resources and international business. Despite the breadth of content, business degree assignments can be completed anywhere and at any time, meaning these degrees are perfect for online learners.
5. Psychology - 5,568 Annual Google Searches
Psychology degrees are often the first step in becoming a qualified psychologist or mental health professional. Psychology can also be useful for other careers though, including education, business and marketing, and academia. Despite being a science-based subject, online psychology programmes are conducted with as much academic rigour and structure as on-campus programmes.
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FAQs
What is online learning?
In the broadest sense, online learning is any type of education that takes place over the internet. This can be at the primary or secondary school level, short courses that build your professional expertise, or full undergraduate or postgraduate degrees.
Enrolments in online education are increasing, especially after the coronavirus pandemic showed how much work can be done without needing to travel or move.
One of the major benefits of online learning platforms is that it allows students to study at their own pace. However, for many, the lack of contact with other students is a real drawback.
What is the best online learning platform?
There are a number of online education platforms that host online courses offered by universities and other institutions.
While they all have their own benefits, Coursera is one of the best online learning platforms, offering over 3,000 courses from over 200 universities and companies.
Other online learning platforms include Udemy, (with over 183,000 classes from 65,000 instructors) and Skillshare which specialises in creative courses.
What is the best online university in the UK?
According to the factors analysed above, University of Cambridge is considered the best online university in the UK.
The University of Cambridge offers a number of online degrees (38) and short courses (81).
Methodology
A seed list of the 50 most popular universities in the UK was created by looking at the universities with the highest 2021 intake from Hesa.
University ratings were taken from the Guardian and research quality was taken from the Complete University Guide.
The number of online degrees and online short courses was taken directly from each university’s website.
The Student Rating was created by calculating a weighted average of student ratings from Student Hut and Student Crowd for each University.
All data were combined to give a relative ranking for each university out of 10.
The most popular online courses were revealed using Google Ads Keyword Planner. Keyword data for each course was calculated by summing the search volume for three keywords for each course. For example, (Accounting online course, online accounting course, and accounting course online).
