Please note that all Graduate School on-site courses also have an online component.

How Online Courses Differ from On-Site Courses

The Graduate School’s online courses are governed by the same academic standards as its on-site courses. Course content, texts, requirements, assignments, and class participation are comparable for online and on-site courses. Before registering for an online course, students may want to consider the following:

• Online students need to be prepared to write extensively because all or the majority of communication is written. Online students need strong English reading and writing skills.
• Online students must be competent in the use of computers and commonly used software programs.
• Since WebTycho is asynchronous and students are expected to be active participants online, online students are encouraged to log in frequently to check what has transpired in their online classroom (in lieu of class meetings).
• Online students need disciplined work habits, effective time management skills, and the ability to work both alone and collaboratively.

Elements of Online Courses

Online courses at UMUC often include the following elements:

• Asynchronous, frequent student and faculty participation
• Lectures and assigned readings (from textbooks and online resources)
• Individual and group assignments (for example, case studies and discussion questions)
• Individual and group papers
• Literature analyses
• Use of online library resources
• Online quizzes and exams