Online Academies

What Online Academies is

Online Academies is a distance learning course provider for adult learners, with a registered office in Bournemouth. It sells self-paced online diploma courses across a wide spread of vocational, professional and hobby subjects, from teaching assistant and dog grooming work to project management, counseling, criminology and web skills. Its homepage tagline is "Distance learning with a difference", and the difference it points to is its "Fast Track" method: each course is broken into modules, and each module ends in a set of multiple choice questions instead of a written assignment. The reader it serves is an individual who wants to study a subject at home, on their own schedule, and come away with a certificate, rather than a company buying training seats or a creator looking for a platform.

How the courses work

Every course follows the same modular structure. The homepage describes the approach in its own words: "These online courses are beautifully presented in a modular style that builds your knowledge and understanding in the time proven step-by-step manner." It adds that "you do not need any previous educational qualifications", which makes the catalog open to people returning to study after a long break.

Assessment is the defining feature. In place of essays, "Modules are assessed by completing a series of multiple choice questions, allowing you to proceed steadily through the course whilst committing to memory the key points of each module." The company argues that this saves time and money as well: "Instead of having to puzzle over the composition of a written assignment at the end of each module, there are a series of multiple choice questions," and "Not only that your study time is reduced and so are the fees." Some reviews also mention a final exam at the end of a course, with written feedback on it.

Pacing is entirely up to the learner. The site states: "Complete your course in 2 weeks or take 2 years. The choice is yours. You have the freedom to choose your own time to enjoy your study." There are no cohort start dates on the homepage and no fixed timetable. Study runs on whatever device the learner has to hand: "Use what's easy for you at the time; Laptop, tablet or smart phone. Fit your study around your movements; at home, when travelling or relaxing."

Certificates and accreditation

Completion leads to the company's own award. The homepage says: "You will be awarded an Online Academy Diploma when you have successfully completed all modules. This certifies that you have completed the course, having understood the material within it."

Some courses carry outside accreditation on top of that. The site states that "These Fast Track courses are either independently accredited under the ABC Awards QLS licence or certified by Online Academy." A homepage panel headed "Online Academy work with Quality Licence Scheme" explains that the Quality Licence Scheme is part of the Skills and Education Group, which it describes as a charitable organization uniting education and skills organizations. One reviewer describes finishing a veterinary nurse assistant diploma and then being "offered the credited course at a cheaper price".

The English and maths courses work differently again. English Level 2 and Maths Level 2 are both described as teaching "everything you need to know to gain a Functional Skills qualification", which the course descriptions call "widely recognised as an alternative to traditional GCSEs."

The catalog

The homepage lists more than twenty subject categories, each with a course count, and a "show more" link for further ones. Among the larger groups: Management, Business and Accounting shows 41 courses; Childcare, Teaching Assistant and Education shows 40; Counseling, Psychology and CBT shows 38; Web, IT and Graphics shows 32; Complementary Health and Therapies shows 25; Animal Care and Farming shows 22; and Sports and Fitness shows 21. Smaller categories cover Beauty (18), Health and Social Care (18), Criminology and Security (18), Diet and Nutrition (17), Lifestyle and Hobbies (15), Conservation and the Environment (11), Spirituality (11), Horticulture and Gardening (9), Project Management (8) and Health and Safety (7), with a handful of single-figure groups such as Employability Skills and Customer Service.

That breadth is what makes it useful as a general skills library rather than a single-subject school. The featured courses give a sense of the range: a Dog Grooming Professional Diploma, a Teaching Assistant Diploma, a Nail Technician Professional Complete Diploma, a Psychology Diploma, a Hotel Management Diploma, an Anger and Aggression Management Diploma, a Dementia Awareness Diploma and a Rune Divination Diploma. The newest additions on the homepage lean toward IT security, with an HTML course and three ransomware courses: Types of Ransomware, Acts and Obligations; Ransomware Prevention, Preventing Attacks; and Ransomware and Cybercrime. The HTML course is pitched at "Anyone who wants to learn how to build or edit web pages."

Prices

Prices are shown per course, as a single upfront fee. Almost every featured course on the homepage is listed at £199.99, including the Dog Grooming Professional Diploma, the Teaching Assistant Diploma, the Psychology Diploma, the Hotel Management Diploma, the HTML course and all three ransomware courses. The two Functional Skills courses cost more: English Level 2 Standard and Maths Level 2 Standard are each listed at £379.99. The homepage does not show subscriptions or bundles, and it says nothing about refunds.

What learners say

The homepage carries a rotating set of short reviews under learner usernames. A dog grooming and anatomy student writes: "I have done 3 courses now, 2 on dog grooming and one on human anatomy. All have been at my own speed. The modules allow me to pick it up and do when i have a spare 40 minutes. The end of module questions give me the revision i need to make sure it sunk in."

Several reviews single out the support staff: "Brilliant learning experience! The staff are incredibly quick to respond to queries! No matter how many questions you have they are more than happy to help. Usually replied within minutes!" Another, from a learner who was given a criminology course as a present, says: "There is no pressure, no tutor hurrying you up and no time limits on the tests, just how learning should be."

One reviewer writes: "I am visually impaired and this has boosted my confidence immensely. I had no trouble with any of the modules." Shorter headlines include "Professional and helpful - 100% would use again!", "Great that it can be completed in your own time" and "Well worth the money!", the last followed by "Recognised qualifications at the end another personal achievement to add to your portfolio/CV." Not every review is uncritical: one learner who liked the course still felt "the units, could have better quality content, broken into easier formatted module titles."

Support and contact

The footer gives an email address for the tutor team and a phone number, alongside the registered office address. Reviews mention online tutors answering questions and written feedback after final exams.

Who it suits and who it does not

Online Academies suits an adult who wants to learn a practical or personal-interest subject cheaply and on their own clock: a parent looking at teaching assistant work, someone considering dog grooming or nail technician work, a carer wanting dementia or autism awareness, or a hobbyist curious about psychology or horticulture. The fixed course price, the absence of deadlines and the multiple choice format keep the barrier to starting low, and the reviews suggest it works well for people who want to fit a module into a spare 40 minutes.

It is a weaker fit for someone who needs a regulated professional license or a degree-level qualification, since most courses lead to the company's own diploma and only some carry the ABC Awards QLS accreditation. Learners who want live classes, a fixed cohort or essay-based assessment will find the format thin, and anyone choosing a course for its accreditation should confirm which kind of certificate it carries on that course's own page.