Flexible Learning: a student's perspective of studying from Oslo with the IoPPN

I studied Psychology & Neuroscience of Mental Health with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience having completed a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice in Canada a few years before.

One of my favourite modules was on Child and Adolescent Mental Health. I studied so many interesting modules, but I think this one stuck with me because we looked at the English and Romanian Adoptee (ERA) Project. This is a longitudinal investigation into the development of children adopted into the UK from Romania in the early 1990s and has revolutionised understandings of the impact of early adversity on development and mental health.

I think this struck a chord with me personally because my family is Romanian and it’s the area that I ultimately decided to focus my studies on. Now I’ve completed my master’s degree, I’m continuing research on this topic alongside Dr Mark Kennedy which has afforded me the opportunity to continue developing my research skills and knowledge.

The programme met my expectations from a content and teaching perspective but also what it means to study online. I think when choosing to study remotely, you need to be honest with yourself about the self-discipline required. You must take responsibility for your own work and rather than being tempted away by other things going on in your life, be motivated to sit down and study.

This can be a hard thing to do — I think my family and friends were quite impressed I managed it!

It’s all been about the flexibility for me. When I first started studying with King’s College London, I was living in Barcelona. I’ve since moved to Oslo and being able to make these moves without disrupting my studies has been ideal.

It’s not just about the flexibility it’s given me, but also the flexibility it allows the course contributors. I’ve been exposed to such a breadth of material from professors and researchers who might not otherwise have had the time to share such detailed content. I’ve learnt from experts across multiple areas which has been amazing.

I think another thing to note is the international perspective of the students. It’s been interesting to share interpretations of the study materials, but more broadly to hear about what they think they can do with their degree. This qualification can lead to multiple opportunities, many of which I wasn’t originally aware of. Speaking to fellow students has enabled me to better understand how I could apply my degree and what options are available to me.

Studying online has allowed me to balance work with my hobbies such as crocheting and pottery. I’ve also been learning Norwegian and of course could continue learning Spanish when I was living in Barcelona.

Not studying full-time has meant I’ve had time for myself to do what I’m passionate about outside of academia. I think this allows students to take care of their mental health and find a balance that works for them.