
Online Learning

Online learning at the University of Birmingham, provides you with the flexibility to study from wherever you are in the world, allowing you to fit your learning around your other commitments.
Online Learning Information Week
Monday 28 July - Friday 1 August 2025
Join us for a week-long series of live sessions, designed to introduce you to our flexible and career-focused online programmes. These webinars offer the perfect opportunity to learn more about our postgraduate courses, speak directly with academic staff and current students, and discover how online learning can fit around your life and ambitions.
Book your place
Why study online?
Online learning presents a modern and more flexible learning alternative for working professionals around the world. Accessible across multiple devices wherever you are, our online learning platform allows you to study while maintaining control over daily schedules in a way that goes beyond that of an on-campus degree.
Why study online?
How does online learning work?
Online learning allows you to take control of your learning and and fit your studies around your other commitments. Our user-friendly online platform, combined with unparalleled academic support, allows you to truly take control of your learning. All of your learning materials for our online courses can be accessed in your own time, on the University of Birmingham's virtual learning environment (VLE).
How it works
Supporting your studies
From application through to graduation, we will support you throughout your exciting online learning journey. Supporting your studies, your wellbeing and your career, you will benefit from experienced academic staff, tutors, support staff and our wellbeing resource, which includes 24-hour online support.
Supporting your online study
Studying online gives me the benefit of developing my career without having to leave my responsibilities of managing my own company. It has helped me as a person and it has helped my business. For every module I have studied, I have done something to improve my business.
Featured courses
Master of Business Administration (Online) MBA
Enhance your ability to perform at the highest level in global business.
Masters of Public Administration (Online) MPA
Designed for public sector professionals aspiring to take on senior leadership roles.
Environmental and Energy Law (Online) LLM
Providing the legal framework to respond to the world’s energy issues, while considering the impact of climate change.
Bioinformatics (Online) MSc
Our unique fully online Masters in Bioinformatics will equip you with all the tools you need for a bright future in bioinformatics.
Mental Health (Online) MSc
This programme will help you get to grips with the causes of poor mental health, how to prevent it, and how to respond to illness.
Design for Learning Environments (Online) PGCert
Bringing together the latest thinking in computing, design, the social sciences and education.
Higher Education Policy into Practice (Online) PGCert
Gain the skills to influence higher education policy and change.
Urban Planning MSc (Online)
Develop the skills to shape sustainable cities and communities with a fully online programme, grounded in global practice and cutting-edge research.
Postgraduate online events
Learn more about your subject area and the postgraduate student experience at Birmingham.
Blog: What to expect when studying for a PhD by Distance Learning
PhD English Literature student Ellen, writes about what to expect when studying online.