A first for Scotland’s first university

A new part-time degree aimed at widening access to higher education is being launched at the University of St Andrews.

The evening class programme, the first of its kind in the Fife/Tayside area, is being targeted at adults over the age of 21 who would like to study for a degree but whose family or work commitments prevent them from embarking on a daytime course.

Starting in August, the modular programme covers some of the University’s highest-rated departments: Human Biology, Scottish History, Psychology, Physics, Art History, English, Economics, Divinity, Modern History, Computer Science and Philosophy. Depending on prior qualifications and whether the student prefers to study one or two evenings a week, a General MA degree can be obtained within three to eight years.

Acting Principal Professor Colin Vincent said: “The University of St Andrews has a wholehearted commitment to equality of opportunity and to the concept of lifelong learning for all members of the communities which it serves. We now seek, through this new and exciting initiative, to make participation in our undergraduate degree programmes more flexible and attractive. St Andrews takes pride in its reputation as a caring institution where individual students matter and undergraduate teaching is a top priority and of a very high quality.

“This philosophy will, of course, be carried through into the new part-time evening degree programme. We will welcome applications from anyone in our local communities who might benefit from a university education, but particularly from people whose circumstances have not permitted them to enter higher education at an earlier stage.”

Those returning to study after a gap are eased back into education with a specially-designed study skills programme at the start of the course. Various financial arrangements are also in place to help those on low incomes take advantage of this flexible academic programme.