Study

There is The Open Polytechnic and Massey University Extramural. I did my Bachelor degree through Open Polytech then my Masters degree through Massey. Both were great, excellent system with borrowing library books online and having them couriered there and back, and great support from your lecturers. I was able to juggle all my coursework and assignments around DD when she was younger. It was tough going at times, you often feel like sitting down and putting your feet up watching TV at night but have to pull out your books. Also if assignments are due or exams are coming up and you or your child get sick it can get a bit overwhelming because you have a lot of catching up to do for any time you take off. It's all paid off for me as I have been able to enter the field I wanted to work in, increase my earnings and all without financially crippling myself with the added cost of childcare, course fees and books. I was able to do some part time work right the way through which paid for everything.

I am currently studying, i am working part time (30 hours) as well. I am struggling a bit but i know it will be worth it. I currently am doing Biology 2 classes a week, Chemistry online, and English one class a week. I have an essay due next week, an assignment on the 31st and another essay next month!

I wish i thought about it better and worked out the classes i am doing better too.

I go to Polytech though and my mum looks after little miss!

Definitely do able, I've been studying fulltime for almost 3 years, next year will be my last hopefully. Mine is a mixture of both online learning and classes. Depending on what you want to study will depend on whether it can be done through distance learning or not. Utilise any family support that you have around...if I have really pressing deadlines (like I will be coming up very soon) then I make DF look after our son on the weekends...or weeknights if I needa fit more school work in. DS is in full time daycare so I try and get as much study as I can during that time.

I am finishing my Bachelor of Arts through Massey extramural. They have a really good set up for distance study. You may not have to wait until January to start as you could start semester 2 (july/aug), but this depends on the course or papers you want to study. Open Polytechnic and Massey are the main extramural options (note that as you are in Wellington you could do a mixture of extramural and on campus with Massey, again dependent on your course). Timewise you just have to be realistic about what you can handle/commit to. They say that each paper is approx 12 hours a week - I prob do 7 - 10 hours where I can and my Mum has Lily one day a week which is my 'study day' (although I tend to do the housework first!!). Have a look on the websites or contact the Liaison person in Wellington for a chat :)

I am doing my Bachelor of Business, 1 paper a semester.

You can start mid year and with the open poly there are 3 semesters a year as they run one over the Christmas period as well although at this stage I think I will have that off.

It is pretty hard yakkah but so nice to do something for yourself.

I work part-time and do most of my study at night when the kids are in bed. My lil man has been sick the last 2 weeks and has been a disaster at bedtime so I am majorly behind (my assignment is due today and is incomplete) but I easily got an extension until nest week - no questions. It's a relief to truely be able to fit the study around my real and busy life and not have to go into a classroom.