APPLICATIONS FOR THIS BURSARY ARE NOW CLOSED. NEC’s 60th Birthday Bursary will support one learner to get back into the workplace or to plan a change of career. The National Extension College (NEC), is marking a special birthday in 2023 as we celebrate 60 years since the college was founded by Michael Young, Lord Young […]
Tag: lifelong learning
University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education offers tuition fee bursaries for NEC students for 2023-2024
The Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) and NEC are once again collaborating to offer a 100% tuition fee bursary for the 2023-2024 academic year. This collaboration which began in 2021 and continued in 2022, is a fantastic opportunity for a current NEC A level student or a student who has completed their NEC A level […]
Try something new this year!
Throughout NEC’s history, many retired people have chosen to spend some of their new-found leisure time studying a subject that they’ve always been passionate about. This was the case for Jane. Jane wasn’t new to distance learning having used short online courses in her attempt to learn Korean, inspired by her Korean daughter-in-law. However, enrolling […]
[Closed] Save 15% off all courses until midnight 31st January
It’s the beginning of a new year and time to start work on your New Year’s resolution. So, have you decided to stop doing something, or start doing something? Embarking on something new isn’t always easy. It can feel daunting to tread new ground, particularly if your end goal is life-changing. This year we hope […]
Lesley retired and moved to Italy where she took her love of art history online
Lesley took early retirement in April 2020 and moved to Italy. Prior to that she had worked as an engineer for about 30 years in the UK and Azerbaijan. With a passion for art history and having completed a course in Art Appreciation with the Art Institute, Lesley was searching for A level History of […]
NEC’s top courses for classics connoisseurs
The crowdfunded return of Time Team proves support for our interest in hidden histories. Although there has always been an interest in ancient history, the 2011 publication of The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller and Mary Beard’s international bestseller SPQR in 2015 solidified an uptick of literature retelling the mythology of ancient Greece and […]
Why study psychology and sociology?
Psychology and sociology are fascinating subjects for anyone interested in human behaviour and how we act within society. A level Psychology focuses on big ideas and topics that affect human mood and behaviour, including memory, early cognitive development in children, schizophrenia and depression. A level Sociology looks at big themes within society such as race […]
Many students leave school due to ill health. Is distance learning the answer?
Many students who have had to drop out of school due to illness find that distance learning works for them as a flexible alternative that fits with their lifestyle and allows for more independence in learning. Brogan chose to study with NEC after having dropped out from high school due to illness, needing to find […]
Can studying Latin add to my other courses?
At the end of last month, the Department for Education (DfE) announced that Latin is to be introduced in 40 state schools in England. This is part of the government’s effort to counter the subjects’ elite reputation. Latin is the root of around 60% of the English language so there are many Latin words that […]
Deepening an interest in history through A level History of Art
NEC student Sarah has always loved studying and education, having taken 3 A levels at school and gone on to study history at University before completing an MPhil. She went on to use her history qualifications in her career, working in history, media and heritage. Sarah now works as an editor for a history website […]