Online Education assists students in completing their educational goals in an environment that is conducive to teaching and active learning. This flexibility provides a viable alternative to students who have schedule constraints that don’t allow them to attend traditional courses, students who do not have access to a campus location, or students who need specific courses not currently being offered at their campus.
Online courses are designed to be the equivalent of a traditional class taught in the classroom. They have the same course description and course objectives as traditional classroom courses. Online courses are usually taught by instructors who also teach the courses in the traditional classroom setting.
Any Columbia College student can take online courses. The students who receive advising and registration services from the Online Campus are referred to as remote students.
If a student receives advising and other student service from any campus, the student is referred to as a campus student.
Students should ultilize the academic calendar for important date information that varies by venue.
The section of the undergraduate catalog listing course descriptions is accurate for online courses. For more information about specific online offerings, visit the website at http://www.ccis.edu/online/schedule.
The Academic Program Information section of the undergraduate catalog applies to online degree offerings.
Course Schedule
Course schedules are prepared by the Online Campus and are available at www.ccis.edu/online/schedule approximately two weeks before registration begins for a given session.
Notification of cancelled courses will be sent to the CougarMail accounts of students enrolled in the cancelled course. Students who register for courses online will be emailed course and email access instructions along with the registration confirmation.
Web-based online courses count for residency credit and financial aid applies for those who qualify.
Online courses are scheduled in eight-week sessions and follows the AHE Academic Calendar. See the Academic and Administrative Policies, Regulations and Procedures section of the undergraduate catalog for a complete listing of academic policies, regulations and procedures.
AHE students will receive academic advising at their campus and are required to consult with an academic advisor before they register for courses for the first time. After the first consultation AHE students are not required to contact their academic advisor prior to registering for more classes but it is strongly encouraged. With all Columbia College students, the ultimate responsibility for understanding and meeting graduation requirements rests with the student.
Course Format
The online course format allows students to participate in the course anytime, anywhere there is computer access to the Internet. Each course website has a menu that includes a syllabus, discussion board, dropbox, quiz function and other features used at the instructor’s discretion. The course software used to facilitate online learning is Desire 2 Learn.
The discussion board is the student’s opportunity to interact with peers and the instructor. Students and instructors create a collaborative learning environment. Instructors operate in the tutorial mode while students reinforce each other’s questions and comments with written responses. The discussion consists of topics created by the instructor. The students are able to view all responses by the instructor and fellow classmates. This facilitates a forum for active collaborative learning.
This active collaborative learning environment requires students to do more on their own than they may in a traditional classroom setting. Online students must be prepared to commit the same, or sometimes more, time and effort as they would in a conventional class. The result is a challenging and meaningful learning experience.
Course Schedules are prepared by the Online Campus. Copies are available on the website at http://www.ccis.edu/online/schedule. Notification of canceled courses will be sent to the CougarMail accounts of students enrolled in the canceled course. Students who register for courses online will be emailed course & email access instructions along with the registration confirmation.
Day Students must obtain advisor and department chair approval to take an online course. Cost for day students is included in their day program tuition. Day students who take online courses as an overload pay the regular day program overload fee.
Overload Policy: Six credit hours per eight-week session is considered full-time. This includes any combination of traditional classroom or online courses.
Campus students with at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) and a compelling reason may request an exception from their Campus Director to take 9 credit hours in a particular session. Remote students will request this exception from the Online Campus.
No student will be allowed to take more than nine credit hours in a session for any reason. There is no overload fee associated with this policy, unless the student is attending the day program.
Overrides: Online courses have a maximum class size. After a course is closed the campus staff may request an override through the Online Campus. The Online Campus will evaluate the student’s situation and coordinate with the instructor to determine if an override is possible. Overrides are granted on a rare basis for students with special circumstances such as fulfilling a graduation requirement which is the last course needed for the degree.
Proctoring: Remote students taking courses that require proctored exams must submit the proctor information by the second week of the session to the instructor. The instructor has the right to approve or deny the proposed proctor. Acceptable proctors include Columbia College campus staff, ministers, public librarians, high school or college instructors, high school or college counseling services, commanding officers, education service officers, and corporate executive officers. Personal friends, family members or direct supervisors are not acceptable.
Reduced tuition programs such as audit and warranted degree program are not available for online courses.
Student issues with an online course should first be addressed with the instructor of that course, then with the Online Campus.
Day Students Enrolling in AHE Classes
- Students enrolled in the Day Program may be eligible to enroll in Main Campus Evening, Online or Nationwide Campus courses, but only under special circumstances. Day students may enroll at any Columbia College Campus for the summer session without special permission.
- Eligibility. Day students requesting permission to enroll in Main Campus Evening, Online or Nationwide Campus courses must meet one of the following eligibility criteria:
- They are seniors who, through no fault of their own, must enroll in a specific course to graduate. If students postpone until their senior year taking a course that they could have taken earlier, they do not qualify for enrollment under this criterion.
- They are students who will benefit educationally by taking a course that is not available in the day.
- Requirements. Students applying for enrollment in Main Campus Evening, Online or Nationwide Campus courses may be required submit written evidence documenting why the course is not and was not available in the daytime. Students requesting permission to take a course other than those offered through the Day Program must complete a Day Student Enrollment Request for Online, Evening or Nationwide Campus Courses form and obtain written approval from their advisor, the Department Chair of their major and the Department Chair of the course.
- Students paying at the per-hour tuition rate, may not exceed a combined total of 11.9 semester hours during any one term (a 16-week semester, or 8-week session, or a combination of both). If a student wishes to enroll and his or her total number of semester hours exceeds 11.9, then that student must pay the full-time tuition rate. Students enrolled part-time (less than 12 semester hours when all hours, regardless of the class location, are combined) will be charged the appropriate part-time Day tuition rate.
- Highest priority for enrollment in Main Campus Evening, Online or Nationwide Campus courses is accorded students who have completed at least 84 hours toward a degree at Columbia College and who, through no fault of their own, cannot satisfy all graduation requirements during the Day and for whom no other options are available and therefore request to enroll in an Main Campus Evening, Online or Nationwide Campus course to graduate.
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