Distance Education

At Southern Union, a general education degree and short certificate may be earned entirely through distance education.  These are the Associate in Science Degree, a 60-64 credit hour associate degree consisting of general education core courses, and the General Education Short Certificate. There are five Associate in Applied Science degrees, as well as multiple certificates and short-term certificates available that can be completed through Distance Education. (Stay tuned for additional online degrees/certificates as our online offerings are constantly increasing.)

Distance education courses are classified as either Online, Virtual, Videoconference, or Hybrid Online. The Alabama Community College System and Southern Union have adopted the following definitions:

Online Course: Online courses are delivered asynchronously. There are no required face-to-face sessions within the course and no requirements for on-campus activity. Faculty interact with students through assignments, discussion posts, email, office hours and other electronic/virtual means. Identity verification will be required using the college’s approved verification process*.

Virtual Course:  Virtual courses are delivered synchronously to extend lectures and course activities to students remotely in real time. Virtual courses are held online at specific days and times and require students to use online conferencing tools to participate in learning activities. There are no requirements for on-campus activity. Identity verification will be required using the college’s approved verification process*.

Videoconference: Videoconference courses meet at an approved instructional site equipped for remote video instruction. The instructor and students will interact via two-way video. Students are expected to attend class in the videoconference classroom on the days and times specified in the class schedule. Identity verification will be required using the college’s approved verification process*.

Hybrid Online: Hybrid online courses require a combination of online and in-person activities, with more than 50% of the course content requiring online interaction. Some elements will have specified days, times, and locations when attendance is expected. Identity verification will be required using the college’s approved verification process*.