The University of Sheffield MSc in Statistics started in 1965. Until now it has been given entirely in a traditional format (with lectures laboratories and exercise classes) and exclusively to students able to attend the University. Most were full-time students but occasionally we had part-time students taking the course over two or three years. Since we generally made no particular provision for these in constructing the timetable most part-timers were not working in regular jobs. From this year however we are offering a new part-time distance learning version of the course along side the established version. This is available to students studying anywhere in the country and we anticipate that most students taking it will be in full-time employment. This note explains the motivation for the new course outlines how it is being implemented through web-based and other means and offers some reflections on our experience so far.
