What is Distance Education?

Distance education (DE) is any instruction that takes place outside the UHCL campus classroom setting.

University of Houston-Clear Lake offers students the opportunity to supplement their on-campus course work or even complete entire certificates or graduate degree programs through distance education. Classes offered through DE are regular UHCL classes taught by UHCL faculty with the same pre-requisites and requirements as classes taken on campus.

Most distance education classes are graduate-level courses. Some upper-division (junior- and senior-level) classes are also available through distance education, but most of these must still be taken on campus.

Classes are offered in a variety of formats that provide flexibility for students:

The Off-Campus Teaching Centers also offer students the opportunity to participate in classes taught in formats not available on the UHCL campus:

• On television (KUHT Channel 8)
  
• Tape purchase (videotape or DVD)
  
• Interactive television (one- or two-way videoconference class sessions)
  

Many students enroll in DE classes because they cannot spend enough time on campus during the day to complete the courses they need. A typical DE student at UHCL might work full-time and almost never come to campus. Or, it might be someone whose work and other demands limit visits to campus each week. In addition, many on-campus students use DE classes as an alternative when on-campus classes are full or if they need some flexibility in their course schedule.

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