At 51³Ô¹ÏÍø, we know our students often have responsibilities outside of the classroom.
That's why we offer courses in a variety of formats. It's our hope that this flexibility makes it easier for you to fit college into your schedule.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø's online credit courses are provided through a learning management platform called Canvas. Using Canvas, instructors provide course materials, lectures, assignments and opportunities to interact with others in a virtual classroom.
Our online noncredit courses are also offered through Canvas. In addition, we partner with outside vendors to provide an extended catalog of noncredit classes. These vendors often use their own platforms to deliver instruction.
At 51³Ô¹ÏÍø, online courses are offered in three formats. Whichever you choose, you’ll have access to your professors through virtual office hours.
This format is good for students who want more flexibility in their schedule.
For these courses, you are not required to log in or meet at scheduled times. All essential instruction will be provided through a learning management platform and may use other online tools, resources and activities. ​Although this format is flexible, it is not self-paced. You must meet assignment deadlines set by your instructor.
This format is particularly good for students who benefit from consistent interaction with instructors and classmates.
These courses meet regularly online and include a section note with further instructions regarding required online attendance at the dates and times listed. Learning activities are to be completed throughout the remainder of the week.
This format is particularly good for students who benefit from interaction with instructors and classmates while having some flexibility in their schedule.
These classes have some scheduled online meetings and then all additional instruction delivered online with no scheduled meetings. For example, you may attend class online via Zoom on Mondays from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and then complete additional weekly instruction independently online via Canvas.
Some online courses may require you to take exams at a testing center. Others may have proctored exams that will not be accessible on a mobile device and will require the use of a webcam and microphone. If you need a webcam, bring your library card or a photo ID to the library's circulation desk to check one out.
If this is your first online course, you will be automatically enrolled in "Virtual Campus Orientation" (VCO-101). We recommend that you complete this no-cost, ungraded course prior to beginning your online course.
Hybrid courses blend on-site meetings with an online component. A significant amount of class activity takes place online, so students spend less time in a traditional classroom.
The online portion of hybrid courses can be online or online sync. If online, then the online portion of your class does not have real-time, virtual meetings. If online sync, then there may be times that you are required to meet virtually in real time. If dates and times are provided, you must be available to meet during those times.
This format is good for students who want a little more flexibility in their online schedule.
For these courses, you are not required to log in or meet at scheduled times online. However, you are required to attend the specific on-site meeting dates and times. All essential online instruction will be provided through the learning management platform and may use other online tools, resources and activities. You must meet assignment deadlines set by your instructor.
This format is particularly effective for students who benefit from consistent interaction with instructors and classmates.
In addition to meeting on site, these courses meet regularly online and require virtual attendance at specific dates and times.
Face-to-face courses meet in a classroom. An instructor provides a lecture or leads a discussion in person and you see your fellow students face-to-face.
When coming to campus, there are several protocols in place with cleaning classrooms and what to do if you get sick to make sure we keep the campus healthy and safe for everyone.
Courses numbered 000-099 are equivalent hour courses designed to support success in college-level work. Academic credit is not awarded for the course, the grade earned is not calculated in the GPA and the courses cannot be used towards graduation. Hours spent in equivalent hour courses are not included in hours attempted or hours earned. Equivalent hour courses are counted in computing enrollment load and tuition. This means that students who are limited to a maximum number of credits may take only that total of combined credit and equivalent hours.
We have a variety of different course lengths for you to choose from in both traditional and accelerated formats. No matter the length of the course, it will still cover the same amount of information and you will complete the same amount of coursework. You will still receive the same quality of teaching and content whether you choose the traditional or accelerated course length.
These are traditional-length courses that begin at the start of the fall and spring terms. This course will have the shortest class meeting times and will have its content stretched the most compared to the other course lengths.
Thirteen-week courses often start two weeks after the start of term. If in-person, your 13-week course may have longer class meetings.
In our eight-week courses, you have the opportunity to finish your classes in almost half the time of our traditional length courses. These courses will have longer class meeting times and can master course content at an accelerated rate. These courses will require time management and flexibility.
Our four-week courses are our most accelerated and are often offered in the winter term. These courses may have longer class sessions, if held in-person or sync, and will require frequent project deadlines each week.