Distance Learning: My Experience

I was a part of the 2011-2013 cohort of MA (Music Psychology) students at The University of Sheffield, as a distance learning student. The online course mode really suited me as I was teaching at an international school in Bangkok at the time and was looking at postgraduate courses that could have an impact on my own teaching and learning.  

I moved back to Australia during my time in the MA program, and felt so well supported not only by the lecturers and tutors but also the rest of my cohort. I am still regularly in touch with many people from my cohort and it’s been wonderful to see their successes in the fields of Music Education, Music Psychology, Music Performance and Music Therapy over the years. The lecturers and tutors who lead the course are truly at the forefront of research in their various domains and specialities and it was incredible to learn from some of the best researchers in the field.  

I really enjoyed the residential schools, and they were a very important part of our cohort becoming so close, and indeed staying in contact over the years. We have had reunions in the UK, Canada and Singapore and looking forward to sharing in each other’s successes over the years around the world.  

I am still regularly in touch with many people from my cohort and it’s been wonderful to see their successes in the fields of Music Education, Music Psychology, Music Performance and Music Therapy over the years.

Cassandra White 

MA in Music Psychology in Education, Performance and Wellbeing 

I am currently finishing my PhD at the University of Queensland where Professor Stephanie Pitts is still working with me as my PhD supervisor as an Associate Professor and I am working as a Prep-Year 12 music teacher in Queensland, Australia. Prior to this, I was working as the Head of DUCKS Music at Dulwich College, Singapore.

My experiences at Sheffield have always been really highly regarded in job interviews and the skills that I am able to bring to my current work environments from this degree. I became really fascinated with music identity and those working as music teachers and conductors transformed identities between performer, teacher, instrumental educator and how did those transitions or multiple identities intersect and correlate. My PhD study has been looking at early-career instrumental educator identity and lot of the grounding work for this study was due to the courses and ideas that I developed and found so stimulating at Sheffield.