Balancing online study with work and life

This article was written by Fine Art MA (Online) student Nathan.

When I first looked into studying for a master’s in Fine Art, one of my biggest questions was: Can I actually manage this alongside everything else? Like many people, I wear multiple hats: I’m a freelance artist working on community projects, I work in the health and social care sector, and then there’s family life, too! Adding a postgraduate degree into that mix felt, at first, a bit too ambitious.  

But choosing to study the MA Fine Art (Online) at Falmouth University turned out to be one of the most rewarding decisions I’ve made, precisely because it fits around my busy life without asking me to compromise on quality, ambition, or creativity.  

Why I chose Falmouth  

I was drawn to Falmouth because I wanted more than just a qualification; I wanted to deepen my practice, develop my research, and challenge myself professionally. I needed a course that would allow me to explore new ideas, reflect on my work critically, receive expert advice, and connect with like-minded people, all without having to put the rest of my life on hold. The online format offered exactly that. I could engage with world-class tutors, access lectures and resources on my own schedule, and still be part of a vibrant, international artistic community  – all from my own studio, office (or kitchen table!).  

How I manage my time  

Managing time as a working student isn’t about having perfect days, it’s about having a realistic plan and knowing when to be flexible.  

Here are a few things that help me to keep it all balanced:  

• Planning in blocks – I look at each week ahead and plan chunks of time for reading, writing, making, and reflecting. I know when my ‘quieter’ days are and use those to focus on completing lectures or contributing to discussion forum tasks.  
• Combining tasks – Often, my day job and my studies overlap in unexpected ways. Working in community engagement has helped me develop ideas for socially responsive artworks.  
• Keeping things visible – I use a big white board planner, Gantt Charts, and digital reminders to keep deadlines and project goals visible. It stops things from sneaking up on me. I love that moment when I get to put a tick next to a task!  
• Allowing breathing space – I’ve learned not to fill every hour. I make time for rest, especially when I’m juggling lots of things. Pausing can be as productive as pushing through, which is something I learnt on a deeper level from one of the course modules. 

The flexibility makes all the difference  

The flexible nature of the course is what makes this all possible. I can watch recorded lectures in the evenings or at the weekend. I can attend live seminars from home, with a cup of tea in hand. I don’t have to commute, relocate, or reshuffle my entire life around to be part of something that’s helping me grow as an artist.  

It’s also helped me to integrate my study into my practice. Rather than being something separate, the course has become a framework to explore, test, and expand on the ideas that already matter to me.