Part-time Daytime study
September 2024 entry
Applicants returning to education after a long period away can apply to study on a part-time basis via our MA General or BSc General degrees.
The General degree allows part-time students to choose from a wide range of subjects across the Arts, Divinity and Science Faculties and is suitable for those who have other commitments which do not allow them to study full-time.
Part-time General degree students study alongside our full-time students. They take the same classes and lectures and have a variety of classes across the week (Monday to Friday). Individual teaching schedules will depend on the subjects that an applicant has chosen. This means that there is some flexibility for students to choose subjects that fit around their other commitments.
If you are accepted to study our General degree you will have the option of progressing to a named Honours degree, on a part-time basis, on completion of the equivalent of the first two years of full-time study. Subject to meeting the requirements for entry to Honours.
Course type
Master of Arts (General degree), or
Bachelor of Science (General degree)
Course duration
Part-time students can take up to two-thirds of the workload of a full-time student, normally two modules per semester, and can take between 5 and 9 years to complete their degree programme.
Entry requirements
Qualifications for entry to a part-time General degree should be recent (ideally within the last three years) and equivalent to the entry requirements for our full-time FE-HE Programme. Subject entry requirements apply for some courses. For example, students wishing to study Chemistry must hold a recent qualification in this subject.
Examples of accepted qualifications are:
- BBBB at Higher
- Higher National Certificate/Diploma in a relevant subject area
- SWAP Access Courses
- Open University Credits
How to apply
- Application deadline - 15 July 2024
Course information
The part-time Master of Arts (General) and Bachelor of Science (General) degrees are available to students who are unable to undertake a full-time course.
A General degree is awarded after the equivalent of three years of full-time study (360 credits) and is not specific to any one subject. This provides a great way to study multiple subjects without having to specialise in any particular one.
It will typically take between five and nine years to complete, depending on how many modules you complete each year.
You will study a maximum of 80 credits per year; this is usually four modules in first year, and you will have one or two subjects that you are considering taking forward for more specialised study in the later years of your degree.
Part-time students wishing to transfer to full-time study will be required to complete and submit a full UCAS application. It is not possible to transfer to our Medical programme.
Teaching
Teaching format
As a part-time day student you would be undertaking the same classes and lectures as full-time students.
The average class time per module is between four and eight hours per week, depending on the subject. As a part-time student you will be taking one or two modules per semester. You will, in addition to this, be expected to undertake around eight hours per week of independent study per module.
Classes will be a mixture of lectures, tutorials and laboratory classes, which will be spread over the week.
Support
There is additional support in place to help you make the transition into higher education successfully.
Pre-sessional induction days are held just before the start of term to ensure that you meet other new part-time students, as well as introducing you to a few of our current students who can share their experiences with you.
You will have a single point of contact within the Lifelong Learning team who will be there to help and support you over the first two years of study, and into Honours. They will be there to act as a signpost to ensure that you always know where to go when you need advice whether it be academic or personal.
The University’s Student Services team can help students with additional needs resulting from disabilities, long term medical conditions or learning disabilities. More information can be found on the students with disabilities web page.
Fees
Tuition fees for September 2024
Fees for the part-time General degree are charged on a modular basis, therefore the fee charged is dependent on your fee status and the number of credits being taken.
Part-time Honours students will be charged as a half time equivalent of the full-time fee.
For example, in the academic year 2023-2024, a Home Fee student would pay £303 per 20 credits studied.
For details of current full-time study fees and fee statuses, see the undergraduate fees and funding page.
Funding and scholarships
Daytime, part-time students are eligible to apply for a part-time study scholarship to help with the costs associated with being a student, including travel, books and childcare.
If your personal earned or pension income is under £25,000 and you are taking at least 30 credits each academic year, then you can also apply for the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) part-time fee grant. The part-time fee grant provides financial support for your tuition fees.
Further information about this process is available on the SAAS webpage.
Careers
As a part-time student, you will have full access to the range of facilities available through the Careers Centre to help you develop your skills at graduate level and explore employment options.
Student life
The University of St Andrews offers an array of events and opportunities which result in a truly unique student experience. These events, and the choice of over 150 sports clubs and student societies to choose from, ensure a community feel amongst students from first year onwards.
There are 11 subcommittees (or ‘super societies’) and all St Andrews students are automatically members. One of these subcommittees is dedicated to supporting students who have entered the University over the age of 21, Lifelong and Flexible Learners Forum, or ‘Lifers,’ as it is known. Lifers provides representation for students who enter university through alternative routes or after a break from education. They host social events for all students and encourage greater integration within university life and traditions.
The town of St Andrews itself has lots to offer. As University buildings are located throughout the town, walking around you encounter ancient and modern buildings, parks and beaches, providing a rich, beautiful backdrop to learning. Find out more about the town of St Andrews.
Find out more about student life at the University of St Andrews.
Commuter students
If you choose to live outside St Andrews, there is support in place to help you to find your feet, make friends, and reach your full academic potential.
All are welcome in the Commuter Students Common Room, conveniently located across from the University Library. The common room provides a place to relax before or after your classes. Tea, coffee and juice are provided and full kitchen facilities are free to use.
Commuter students have a dedicated student society, the Townsend Society, which is open to all students who are not linked to a hall of residence or who commute from out of town.
Each year, if you declare yourself to be a commuter student, you will be invited to join this society, which meets early in Orientation Week at the beginning of the year and hosts social and sporting occasions throughout the year for students and their families.
The Townsend Society is a fantastic opportunity for you to meet other commuter students, make friends, and enjoy a full and vivid social life during your time in St Andrews. To contact the Townsend Society, please email townsoc@st-andrews.ac.uk.
Contact
Admissions
University of St Andrews
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St Andrews
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Policies
Admission to the University of St Andrews is governed by our admissions policy.
Information about all programmes from previous years of entry can be found in the archive.
Curriculum development
As a research intensive institution, the University ensures that its teaching references the research interests of its staff, which may change from time to time. As a result, programmes are regularly reviewed with the aim of enhancing students' learning experience. Our approach to course revision is described online.
Tuition fees
The University will clarify compulsory fees and charges it requires any student to pay at the time of offer. The offer will also clarify conditions for any variation of fees. The University’s approach to fee setting is described online.