Online Schools & Colleges in North Carolina

Accredited distance education classes at Piedmont Community College are flexible and can be taken around the clock. It takes about two years to earn the online Associate of Applied Science in Accounting or the Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration degrees. Other online credentials at Piedmont Community College are diplomas and certificates. These non-degree programs are in marketing, small business management, accounting and business administration. Delivery methods that administrators and online instructors use include Blackboard, audio, video and the Internet. The hybrid option blends online and in-person learning.

Minimum technology requirements needed to start receiving training online from Forsyth Technical Community College are a computer with sufficient memory, email, Internet access and an updated web browser. Information that displays in online catalogs shows the date, day, start and end times and instructor's name. Prerequisites are also listed. For classes like medical terminology, a high school diploma or equivalent is the only prerequisite. Depending on the subject, students may have to download additional software. Class registration is completed through Ed2Go. Most online classes run for six weeks.

Topics that adults can extend their learning in at Durham Technical Community College include business, health, management and human resources. Instead of a general online orientation, Durham Technical requires students to attend a course specific orientation. During orientation, students learn what to expect from a particular class, including goals and outcomes that instructors set. Student Link is the platform that adults log into to find online courses. American Management Association certificates are part of the college's online education offerings. After classes start, students log into Sakai to review class materials.

Blue Ridge Community College is a semester based school that is located in Weyers Cave, Virginia. The college was founded in 1967 and is a member of the Virginia Community College System. Credit and noncredit classes make up the school's distance education system. The highest degree that credit classes lead to is an associate degree. Certificates, diplomas and career training are other online options. Hybrid classes and classes that are entirely online are available. Every class, regardless of type, has at least one proctored test requirement. Blackboard, discussion boards, Atomic Learning, MYBRCC and electronic library resources provide support to online learners.

Comprehensive online degrees in subjects like early childhood, health information technology, medical office administration and marketing are delivered at Pitt Community College. Two instances when students may need to travel to meet a class requirement are when proctored exams are part of a course's overall curriculum and when students have to take remedial classes. A mandatory orientation is held prior to the start of classes. Distance learning utilizes Moodle, MyPittCC, Ed2Go and Upswing. Tutors communicate with students who request more academic support through Upswing. It is through the Virtual Learning Community that students can search for and enroll in online classes taught by other community colleges in North Carolina.

Central Piedmont Community College started delivering classes online in 1997. Blackboard and Moodle are two of the most commonly used virtual systems. Some courses are delivered in Moodle, while other courses are pushed out using Blackboard. With both systems are video tutorials and class materials. A good way to learn how to operate Blackboard and Moodle is to take a practice session. These sessions are held on campus and are taught live by an instructor. Additional preparation to take virtual classes comes through orientation. Although the orientation is not mandatory, it is recommended. Orientation can be taken at any time.

Fayetteville Technical Community College offers diploma, certificate and associate degree programs that are entirely online. Types of associate degrees are criminal justice technology, early childhood education, healthcare management technology and fire protection technology. All of the classes are not allowed to be taught online in every state. In approved states, students must complete prerequisites and satisfy admissions criteria before they start working on course assignments. Blackboard, career coaches, admissions counselors and an electronic student handbook are resources built to support online learners. Placement tests and an online application are part of the admissions process.

Good Internet access and a reliable computer are basic technology that is needed to enroll in an online class at Cape Fear Community College. Audio, video and email technology is also needed. Soft skills that help adults to stay on track while completing virtual classes are organizational, time management and communications skills. Absent these skills, students could fall behind and start missing deadlines. As a general guideline, it takes about twice the time to finish an online class as it takes to complete an on campus course. The classes are not self-paced. Blackboard is the single sign-on system where class discussion threads, tests and assignments are submitted.

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College has a partnership with Ed2Go that allows the college to deliver hybrid and entirely online courses. By taking the classes, working adults can meet job related licensing requirements. Languages, digital technology and writer's workshops are non-credit virtual classes. Other professional enrichment courses that can be taken entirely online focus on financial wellness, recreation and home and garden. More robust subjects cover education, healthcare, computer applications and business. Online credit classes are set to an eight week term. Non-credit classes run for a month.

Fully online associate degrees at Wake Technical Community College are in subjects like advertising, office administration and computer programming. Hybrid associate degrees are offered in areas like business administration, fire protection technology and accounting. Group discussions, interactive videos, electronic research materials and instructor question and answer sessions are key components of the college's virtual courses. Although the college puts links to Blackboard, Moodle and WebAdvisor within easy reach, it is mandatory that adults take the eLearning Intro training before they pursue distance education. The training covers topics like what is expected of online learners, how to use Blackboard and how to submit assignments.

The North Carolina State University at Raleigh has online programs that were made to be comparable to the on-campus options, with faculty who teach on campus and online. The programs are made to be flexible for working adults to gain new skills and enhance their careers. The school offers undergraduate programs, master's degrees, doctoral programs, undergraduate certificates, graduate certificates and teacher licensure. The content delivered online is research driven so students can be competitive in their fields. Students learn real-world skills to help them become career-ready upon graduation.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill operates on a traditional spring and fall semester schedule for offering online courses. There are also shortened summer sessions, many of which just run for several weeks. Courses are conducted by having students communicate via email and online discussions. The program has the UNC Online Exchange, which allows students to enroll in courses at different University of North Carolina campuses with no extra cost. This can better boost the course offerings and skills learned for each student.

East Carolina University allows students to take several different online programs, such as degree completion tracks, graduate degrees and licensure options. For the degree completion option, students complete their first two years at a community college and then they can complete the degree online during the last two years. The programs are setup for adult learners with busy lives who need flexible learning options. For instance, many of the graduate programs allow students to work towards a specific licensure that may require an exam at the end of the program to enter the field.

Appalachian State University lets students take a number of undergraduate and graduate programs entirely online. Students can major in topics from business to education to sociology. Students have access to a number of support resources when they are in the distance learning program. Online students have access to academic advising, proctored exams, library resources and financial aid. The business end of the courses, like paying bills and adding courses, is managed through the AppalNET system. Tutoring is also available to students through the university writing center and SmarThinking tutoring.

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro has several graduate and undergraduate programs students can take online. Students can major in topics like business, educational leadership and counseling. The program offers a lot of programs that are geared to very specific career goals, like consumer, apparel and retail studies. The programs are setup to allow students to learn as much and as well as they would in a face-to-face program. The programs are divided between asynchronous and synchronous course formats. Asynchronous courses have no designated time and can be completed on the student's own schedule, while synchronous courses have virtual meeting times for chat boards, video conferencing and other digital meeting options. Classes are taught by the same on-campus faculty.

At the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, students can choose from online options in bachelor's degree completion programs, master's degrees, graduate certificates and teacher licensure programs. Many of the programs are geared for working adults looking to boost their skills in their professional area, like the RN to BSN completion program. Many of the courses are highly based on online discussions. The courses are designed so that students spend as much time on the course online as they would in a regular classroom.

Western Carolina University's distance education program fosters its learning through online communities full of professional, accomplished students and top professors. There are a number of undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs offered online. These tend to focus on job-related training so working adults can gain new skills. Such topics include criminal justice, human resources, project management, business administration, engineering and a nurse educator program. A few programs, like engineering, may have limited face-to-face requirements. Distance learners have access to many of the same resources as traditional students, like an academic advisor and financial aid.

Methodist University allows students to supplement their in-person courses with online learning courses. There are not entire degrees offered online, but online courses can add flexibility to the overall learning environment. Students who take online courses must either be accepted into the school or can apply as special students. Classes are kept to a smaller size to facilitate learning. Courses are delivered through the internet, email chat rooms and threaded discussions. The courses are managed and accessed through the Blackboard digital learning platform. Students can access the library resources remotely as part of their online courses.

Salem College has an online master's degree in school counseling. The program is built to prepare students to become licensed school counselors. It's made up of online courses and two weekend seminars that are required in person. Graduates of the program can expect to work in schools providing support to students, teachers and families. Students take courses in topics like counseling development, group counseling, program management skills and a research seminar. There is also a required internship component to the program.

Earning an online bachelors degree, masters degree, or a certificate of completion is easy through North Carolina Central University's distance learning programs. Using the Blackboard system of e-learning, students stay engaged as they work toward their desired academic goals without ever stepping on campus. The college offers an orientation tutorial video to get students started as well as an online tutoring center to assist throughout the program to help ensure success. Financial aid including an extensive list of scholarships for both graduate and undergraduate students is available. Additionally, the college offers scholarships specifically for veterans through their dedicated veteran's office.