Birkbeck offers record number of evening courses for full-time undergraduates

Birkbeck, University of London

At a time of change, Birkbeck, University of London, is responding to the growing demand for high quality, University of London intensive evening degree courses.  These allow students to study at the same rate as a full-time student but to do it all in the evening, keeping days free for work experience.

This year there is an unprecedented range of degrees offered during Clearing, and Birkbeck will also be hosting a Clearing Open Day on Saturday 17 August to welcome and support students before courses begin this October.

The number of students applying to Birkbeck for the three-year evening intensive courses is expected to exceed last year’s record figure. In 2012, 814 students enrolled on Birkbeck’s three-year evening degrees. This was a 158 per cent increase on 2011.This flexible mode of study is proving popular with young students. In 2012, two-thirds of full-time students were under 25 (about one-third were 18-20 years old, and one-third were 21-25 years old). Last year the most popular full-time courses were LLB Law (107 students), BSc Psychology (50), BSc Business (49) and BA History (28).

This summer prospective students can apply for 39 prestigious three-year University of London qualifications at Birkbeck – London’s only specialist provider of evening higher education. A wide variety of courses is available, including BSc Accounting, BA History, BSc Geology, BA Journalism and Media, and BSc Psychology. Like at other universities, it takes students three years to complete their degree, but they are taught in the evenings at Birkbeck, enabling them to study, work or pursue other interests during the day. Last year 20 courses were offered at Birkbeck during Clearing.

Tricia King, Birkbeck’s Pro-Vice-Master for Student Experience and Director of External Relations, is expecting another record number of applicants during Clearing. She said: “More and more young students are choosing degrees taught over three years in the evenings at Birkbeck. They like the flexibility of evening teaching as it gives them the opportunity to boost their employability by gaining valuable work experience during the day. Many students are working while studying at Birkbeck and this enables them to get a head start on other graduates. Research has shown that 95 per cent of Birkbeck’s students are in work or further study six months after graduating. Almost 90 per cent of our students also tell us that studying has helped their personal development.”