University students are questioning why so much of their learning will still be taking place in front of a screen rather than in a lecture hall, as society learns to live with Covid.

Those studying psychology at the University of East Anglia have been informed three out of their five lectures will be online for this year's upcoming semester.

Second year students are questioning how effective this isolated learning will be and what impact it will have on mental health.

They also pointed out these online sessions - which have been blocked together with few breaks - require good internet connection in student homes.

An email sent to students by the head of year two psychology - which has been seen by the Evening News - states that online teaching can be preferable to face-to-face teaching in some instances.

The head believes online lecture can be more interactive as students can find asking questions intimidating in a large in-person lecture hall.

The department has also said it has planned its timetable with student input.

But a second year psychology student - who did not wish to be identified - said: "There was a petition circling around the cohort that has reached more than 40 signatures.

"The petition was for increasing the amount of in-person lectures that are [currently] live streamed.

"If the timetable is meant to reflect what the cohort wants, why are there no proper changes being made after so many students have sent their feedback after the release of the timetable?"

A University of East Anglia spokesperson said: “Over the last two years we have worked with psychology students to develop a blended learning model which works for our diverse student body.

"The timetable enables students to engage with their studies and manage extracurricular and community commitments.

"Our educational evidence and feedback from students has shown that the majority of our undergraduates prefer a blend of learning and the flexibility - which it offers.”

With remote learning a rarity prior to the pandemic, a study by Universities UK that was published in May - reflecting on higher education during the height of the pandemic - states that "students want greater flexibility" and cited 57pc of students that were surveyed as preferring to learn "mostly in-person".