Distance Education in North Dakota

Access to postsecondary education has never been easier, thanks to distance learning opportunities available through the North Dakota University System (NDUS).

For more than a decade the NDUS has provided undergraduate and graduate distance learning opportunities through the Interactive Video Network (IVN). And to meet the anytime, anywhere expectations of today's students, NDUS now offers online courses and programs via the internet.

In fact, the NDUS now offers both an online associate in arts degree and bachelor's degrees through collaboration of the 11 system colleges and universities. Dubbed the NDUSO?North Dakota University System Online - this virtual learning experience provides students the freedom to choose courses from several campuses while completing just one application.

Who benefits from these cutting-edge educational opportunities? Internet delivery brings college courses to people who are unable to attend classes in the traditional setting because of work, family or other commitments. Online courses also appeal to high school students who want to take college classes as part of a dual-credit or advanced placement program.

But what if you're not Internet savvy? No problem. The NDUS also provides a variety of other distance education formats. In addition to IVN, this includes videotape; two-way audio; two-way video; audio conferencing; satellite downlink; off campus, but face-to-face; and correspondence.

More information about NDUS distance learning opportunities is available by contacting the campuses or by logging on to ACCESS, a system-wide distance education website, at www.access.ndus.edu. The website includes a distance education catalog and allows users to search for classes by campus, term, course level, course description, course title, delivery medium and subject area.

So how do you know if distance learning is right for you? In general, students whose learning and study habits are self-directed and self-motivated tend to be the most successful. To evaluate whether or not you're a good candidate for distance education, log on to the following website: online.minotstateu.edu/html/faq.html. Two self-tests titled Are Distance-Learning Courses for Me? and Is Online Learning for Me? will help you get a clearer picture of your own distance learning abilities.

Consumer Alert!
If you are considering taking a distance education course from a provider other than the NDUS, do your homework first. Make sure the provider is a legitimate institution and not a degree mill. See the “Degree Mill Alert” article on page 47 of the Career Outlook for details.