Methods of Course Delivery
The School of Continuing Studies offers a variety of flexible course delivery options to provide learning opportunities that can fit seamlessly into your life.
We've outlined the available delivery options and a brief definition of each to help you make the selection that's best for you.
Course Delivery Options
An in-person course is delivered fully face-to-face in a physical classroom or other on-campus setting. All instruction, discussions, and activities occur on site at scheduled times.
An online synchronous course is fully online but typically includes instructor-led facilitation that requires students to attend live, scheduled online class sessions (e.g., via Zoom or Microsoft Teams). Instruction, discussions, and activities happen in real time, similar to an in-person class, but delivered virtually.
An online asynchronous course is fully online with no required real-time meetings. Students access materials, course content, and assignments on their own schedules within set deadlines. Interaction with instructors and classmates happens through tools like discussion boards or messages, not live sessions. The level of instructor facilitation can vary by course.
A hybrid course may combine in-person and/or online synchronous components. Students attend some activities (i.e., lectures, seminars, labs) on campus but complete other coursework—such as lectures, discussions, or assignments—online. The balance between in-person and online components varies by course.
A HyFlex course gives students the flexibility to choose how they participate in a course — attending in person, joining live online, or working through the material asynchronously. In many HyFlex classes, the instructor teaches students in the classroom and students online at the same time, ensuring everyone can engage fully regardless of how they attend. All participation options lead to the same learning outcomes, and students can switch between modes as needed.
A self-directed course allows students to guide their own learning pace and pathway with minimal real-time instruction and may not include an instructor. Course materials—such as readings, videos, and activities—are provided, but students independently determine when and how to engage with them. Deadlines may be flexible or minimal, and instructor involvement, if any, is typically limited to feedback, optional check-ins, or support as needed. Note that there is no interaction with other course participants in this mode of delivery. Self-directed courses are completed within the semester of registration.