University Undergraduate Advising Handbook

WEB/ONLINE COURSE WORK

Some Penn State courses are taught completely online. They are referred to as "Web courses." Some courses have a significant online component and are referred to as "blended learning" or "hybrid courses." In addition, many courses are Web- or computer-enhanced and use technology classrooms, components of ANGEL, or have online elements.

A student thinking about Web course work should read Considerations When Planning a Schedule to think about what might be the most desirable learning environment for him/her.

Web/Online Courses
     Identification of Web Courses
Blended Learning/Hybrid Courses
     Identification of Blended Learning/Hybrid Courses
Registration
      Multiple Campus Registration
Cost

WEB/ONLINE COURSES

Web courses are offered through both the resident instruction and the World Campus delivery systems. Web courses do not meet in traditional classrooms, with the possible exception of scheduled examinations. A Web course may be offered by both resident instruction and the World Campus with identical course content. However, a student enrolled in a resident-instruction Web course may be expected to be on campus for a classroom experience (e.g., to take an exam) while a student enrolled in a World Campus course will not be required to be on campus for any part of the course.

Identification of Web Courses

Web courses can be identified in the Schedule of Courses with WEB listed as the MeetingDays/Times as indicated in the example below.

To find resident-instruction Web courses offered at a particular campus, use the Advanced Search in the Schedule of Courses. Click on "Web Courses" to find all courses that have a "WEB" designation in the "Meeting Days/Times" field.

To find out if more than one Penn State campus is offering a Web course, use the E-Learning directory of courses. This listing provides a list of all campuses offering the course, the enrollment limit at each campus, and a detailed description of the course. This listing may be helpful for a student interested in a course that is not available at his/her campus (see Multiple Campus Registration below).

World Campus course selections are available in both the Schedule of Courses and the World Campus Catalog. The College of the Liberal Arts maintains a listing of online courses offered by the college.

BLENDED LEARNING/HYBRID COURSES

Blended learning/hybrid courses combine Web and traditional classroom instruction (also referred to as “face-to-face” instruction). These courses are offered through resident instruction.

Identification of Blended Learning/Hybrid Courses

When a course is offered in a blended learning/hybrid format, HYBRID is listed with the title of the course in the Schedule of Courses. It is not possible to search the Schedule of Courses for hybrid/blended learning experiences. However, they are identified as indicated in the example below.

REGISTRATION

Students can select Web and hybrid courses from offerings listed in the Schedule of Courses for their campus and schedule them in the same manner as any other resident instruction course (see Registration for instructions). Students in residence at any Penn State location can schedule World Campus courses according to course registration priorities.

Multiple Campus Registration

It may be possible for a student at one campus (or on a study abroad experience) to enroll in resident instruction Web courses at another campus (see Multiple Campus Registration). Students are advised to contact the course instructor to find out if any of the course assignments will require them to be on the campus offering the course. If a student would like to schedule the course, he/she must contact the department offering the course for approval and the Registrar's office at his/her campus to register.

COST

Tuition rates listed on the Bursar's Web site apply to all credit-bearing resident instruction, Continuing Education, and World Campus courses.

The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. Please consult a Penn State academic adviser for more detailed information.

This page is part of the University Undergraduate Advising Handbook, which is maintained by the Division of Undergraduate Studies, DUS@psu.edu.

Last Update: February 2008