A Qualification? Who Has Time For That?

For many of us over the last 18 months, time has completely changed. Some have experienced more. Too much! But others have encountered black holes that seem to mysteriously swallow great chunks of our time (anyone else still puzzled about how we used to fit in the commute?!).

Of course, there’s a lot more to think about now. Largely, it’s the stuff that really matters, family, friends, their wellbeing, your wellbeing. Things that might not have been placed front and centre in the years preceding 2020. Long may it last!

There’s also that little thing called work. For many, job structures have changed, departments have reshuffled, our place of work may or may not be our choice. This might be rewarding, exhilarating, exhausting. But then, all of this considered, how on earth do you fit in the time to study for the Certificate of Research Management? There is definitely a generous commitment needed – the handbook states 240 hours for Foundation and 180 hours for Advanced – really? Well yes, but it’s not as onerous as it sounds.

Firstly, everyone is different. We all have different commitments, so for some, it’s easy to whizz through the two-year completion period utilising evenings and weekends. For others, it can be a bit trickier. At ARMA, we have learned to adapt to the needs of our student community by listening to feedback and acting on it. While we do still encourage you to work towards a two-year course completion, we now offer support in the way of flexible extensions to help get you over the finish line.

Secondly, part of this time commitment is guided learning, so you will be supported along the way. This includes live unit webinars and online discussions spaced over the first year, and the invitation to join us again in the second year as needed. We are also continuously developing our resource hub on Microsoft Teams, where students have unlimited access to webinar recordings and documents to watch anytime that suits, with the added bonus of  linking in with course peers and unit presenters to discuss.

And finally, you can contact the Qualifications Delivery Officer whenever you need throughout your time of study, for friendly support, advice and encouragement. You may have more time than you think!