After teaching high school English in the States for a nearly a decade, I decided I wanted to be a student again. I had a job and strong support system where I lived in California and didn’t want to uproot myself in order to attend university. However, I didn’t like the idea of completing my degree purely online without any real-life interaction with classmates or professors. When I looked into the distance learning option from St. Andrews, I realized that maybe I could have the best of both worlds.
My goal in pursuing this degree (the distance learning MLitt. in Bible and the Contemporary World) has been to grow as a thinker, teacher, and writer. This program has far surpassed my expectations. During the brief but full study weeks in St. Andrews at the beginning of each module, I’ve made connections with classmates and professors that have kept me motivated and sane as I’ve worked from home, at my kitchen table, in the States. There is no “busy work” involved. Every lecture, assigned reading, and essay has been thoughtful and has required that I dig deeply into the ideas and texts. Whether I go on to teach at a university or write books, I know that this program has equipped me to do both. I have zero regrets about the investment of time and money I’ve made because attending St. Andrews has given me an excuse to travel, meet a diverse group of people, and challenge the small box of my own thinking. I have grown as a student and as a person.
I am currently at the dissertation stage of my MLitt., and for the next few months I will be surrounded by stacks of books and cups of coffee. I love getting to explore a subject that I’m passionate about on such a deep level, with the guidance of the professors at St. Andrews. Attending this program has been, hands down, one of the best decisions I have ever made.