About Us » Frequently Asked Questions
Q. When can I start studying?
A. Anytime; any day, week or month of the year.
Q. Where can I start study from?
A. Any country or location in the world. You can even study while you travel, moving from one hotel to the next, or one country to the next. Students have undertaken these courses successfully while backpacking around the world, travelling with work, or even while taking a voyage on a cruise ship. Others have studied from their home, their workplace, or sitting in a coffee shop or garden, working on their lap top. These courses offer you optimum flexibility!
Q. How long does the course take -What does "a self paced 100 hour course" mean?
A. We leave it up to you. Work doesn’t even need to be at a regular pace. You can study some weeks, when you have more time, and take a break when you are busy. You can study full time or part time; of an evening or during the day, on weekdays, or on holidays and weekends. If you do more work, more often, you will learn faster and complete your course faster. If you study slowly, that is OK, as long as you are still doing something every month, and completing a lesson at least every two months.
Q. If I do a shorter course first can I get credits toward a qualification such as a certificate or diploma?
A. Yes. We can assess previous studies to give you appropriate credits. Our affiliates can also provide credits for studies you undertake in any of our 100 hour courses (Some may charge a fee, but formal credits are able to be determined and given).
Q. How can I get a formal qualification?
A. Talk to us. We treat everyone as an individual and will find a solution to suit on a case by case basis. Your learning is important to us, and helping you is always our priority. Some schools may treat their students as just another number –but you’re more than that to us.
Q. Do we get a discount if two of us enrol together?
A. You may claim a 10% discount on fees if you both enrol in courses at the same time.
Q. Do we get a discount if we enrol in a second course?
A. Yes, you may claim a 10% fee discount when you enrol in a second course. (This does not apply however to the second stage or part of the same certificate or diploma.)
Q. What happens if I have to stop studying for a while?(e.g. Get sick, go on holidays, have a baby).
A. If you need to, just apply to defer your studies, and we will put them on hold for you, for up to 6 months with no additional charge. If you wish to defer for longer, a restart fee may apply later on.
Q. Do I need any extra books?
A. You are supplied with all "essential" reference material to complete a course. Learning to undertake research is important in any area of study these days though; so you may at times need to have access to a library or the internet, to undertake some work beyond the course notes supplied.
Extra books are always useful though, especially for special projects. A range of ebook references have been developed specifically to compliment many of the courses; and these are available through our book store on this web site, if you are ever seeking additional reading.
Q. How do I contact my tutor?
Write, fax, email or phone the college; or use our social media accounts to communicate. Leave a message if your tutor isn't available and they will phone, write or fax back; whatever suits you.
Q. What can I achieve as a student?
A. You need to understand that a course is "a learning experience” designed to transform your understanding of the subject you study. If you apply yourself, and have faith in the expertise of the course writers ad tutors, you should leave the course different capabilities and a mindset that will enable you to be more effective within your area of study. Whether these added abilities are sought to impress employers, improve business prospects or simply enhance your personal passions, this course does have the potential to help you achieve whatever goals you might have.
Q. How does recognition of these courses compare with others?
A. Exceptionally well; but different. These courses have a long history dating back to 1979 when the first was developed by John Mason, an internationally respected author, educationist, businessman and horticulturist. Mr Mason is the author of over 150 books and 600 courses; and worked for decades in both Australia and the UK. The courses have since 2002, been delivered by a group of affiliated colleges, out of seven different countries; and have been studied by over 150,000 different people. This college is one of those “affiliated” colleges.
Q. How is Practical Work Done?
Unless you have experienced our courses it can be difficult to comprehend how an online course can be anything more than reading and answering questions. In reality though; students studying this way are treated as individuals, which doesn’t tend to happen in a large college or university classroom, with one teacher attempting to communicate with dozens of different students, each with different needs, all at the same time.
Our courses are very practical, and allow for learning that focuses on “differing individual needs”
Set tasks are a key part of most courses; challenging students to interact with the real world through observation, research and simple practical tasks. Every subject is different; every student is in a different situation, and every situation calls for a different learning experience. These courses recognise and cater for these considerations. If you would like some specific examples, contact us and ask us.