CONTINUING EDUCATION

Educational Outreach degree Programs

Vance Adolph, M.B.A.
Director of Educational Outreach Degree Programs

Office: 167 Elkins
Phone: (985) 448-4132

MISSION

The Division of Continuing Education is primarily responsible for helping students to gain access to and to register for off-campus and distance education credit courses sponsored by the division.  The office fulfills this role by extending the University?s academic degree programs and student services to remote sites and by using innovative methods to deliver courses.  The division distributes and manages schedule information for distance learning courses taught using current technologies, including compressed video and the internet, as well as the standard PBS telecourses and videocassette courses.  Students can also receive a schedule of other accessible, evening courses offered on campus which they may need to take to complete their degrees, in particular, those courses offered in the new Degree at Night Program.

OFF-CAMPUS CREDIT COURSES

Off-campus courses are offered in cooperation with the academic colleges of the University. These courses may provide initial access to college for traditional or non‑traditional students seeking an associate or baccalaureate degree or they may provide new skills and knowledge needed for career enhancement or a more fulfilled life. Continuing Education is especially structured to assist nontraditional students, including those with full-time jobs, homemakers, or retirees.

DISTANCE LEARNING

Internet Courses
Beginning fall 2000 students can now earn credit for a variety of courses taught over the internet. Students work independently by accessing the course website and will attend some class meetings scheduled on the Nicholls campus.  At these meetings, instructors may provide an orientation to the course and examinations.  Specific information about the course content and computer requirements can be obtained by contacting the academic departments and requesting a syllabus.  There is an additional $50 fee per course charged to students scheduling a course taught on the internet and designated as a WWW section.

Telecourses and Courses by Videocassette
Telecourses are broadcast on public stations WLPB and WLAE so that students may watch the classes at home or preferably tape them for viewing at their convenience.  The telecourses generally require five class meetings scheduled on the Nicholls campus.  At these meetings, instructors provide an orientation to the course, reviews of material, and examinations.  An extra $35 fee charged for these courses is paid to Louisiana Public Broadcasting to license the programs. These telecourses are offered especially for students who have difficulty scheduling regular classes.

Courses taught by videocassette are very similar to telecourses, except students rent videocassette tapes of the television broadcasts from the Nicholls Bookstore.  These courses also require five class meetings scheduled on the Nicholls campus, and at these meetings, instructors provide an orientation to the course, reviews of the material, and examinations.  A $40 extra fee is paid to Public Broadcasting Service to license the programs.  An additional fee of $35 and a $50 deposit is charged by the Nicholls Bookstore to rent the tapes.  Both telecourses and courses by videocassette are especially helpful for students whose work and home responsibilities require them to have a very flexible schedule. 

Compressed Video Courses
Compressed video, or video conferencing, is a two-way, fully interactive audiovisual delivery system by which the professor teaches the course from the on-campus classroom and the students view, listen and speak to the main campus from the receiving site.  Nicholls has begun offering off-campus undergraduate and graduate classes by compressed video to sites at South Lafourche High School in Galliano, John Ehret High School in Marrero, and the England Airpark in Alexandria.  Compressed video courses can be offered to other universities and off-campus sites which have video conferencing capabilities.  In addition, some courses offered by other universities may be sent by compressed video to Nicholls students based on the availability of Nicholls video classrooms.