Types of Course Formats
In Person
- Sessions meet on campus on specific days and times (synchronous)
- Enjoy face-to-face time on campus in small class settings with faculty and students
Live Online* **
Choose this if you enjoy real-time lectures and structured participation with faculty/staff, but prefer to distance yourself from public buildings or prefer to learn remotely.
- Sessions meet online at specific days and times (synchronous)
- Interact live with instructor and classmates in a virtual environment
- Online assignments with due dates can be completed outside of the class session
- Enjoy live class experiences like lectures and small group work
On Your Own Time Online* **
Choose this option if you want more flexibility in completing coursework, with no required times to meet, and prefer off-campus learning.
- Instructors deliver lectures, readings, projects, and more over the internet
- Students return assignments and participate in written discussion forums online
- Choose when it is convenient for you to learn without scheduled class times (asynchronous)
- Submit all coursework and assignments online by due dates
Hybrid**
Choose this option to enjoy the benefits of a traditional classroom setting combined with the flexibility of working online.
- Experience a combination of in-person classes and online learning (synchronous and asynchronous)
- Enjoy face-to-face time on campus in small class settings with faculty and students
- Learn in both in-person and online class sessions without set times or join scheduled Live Online sessions held at specific times.
- This option requires both in-person and online participation.
Notes
* SCC offers many online courses in most programs of study. Additionally, to provide maximum flexibility to our students, several of our degree and certificate programs are available 100% online.
** You need a standard laptop or desktop computer, a webcam, and a headset microphone, or a computer with embedded webcam and microphone. Tablets, notebooks, or cell phones will not meet your needs. You also need high-speed internet to use multimedia and online conferencing tools. Limited Live Online work stations are available in the Library. Please note: these workstations are accessible during regular Library hours only. View the list of study spaces on campus.
Flexible Attendance Strategy: HyFlex
Choose HyFlex for the most flexibility by participating in-person or live online learning.
Attend class sessions on specific days and times either In Person (on campus) or Live Online, moving seamlessly between both from one class to the next during the semester (synchronous and asynchronous). Interact live with your instructor and classmates and participate in class experiences like lectures and small group work.
Learn more about SCC's HyFlex classes. Learn more about HyFlex technology.
Course Format Comparison Chart
Course Format Comparison Chart
| In Person | Live Online | On Your Own Time Online | Hybrid | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live interactions with faculty and classmates | ||||
| Flexible options for busy schedules | ||||
| Access to Library, Tutoring and Learning Centers, Counseling, Advising and more (in person and online) | ||||
| Real-time support for questions | ||||
| Requires technology | ||||
| Scheduled in-person class sessions with your instructor |
Course Length Options
Before registering for a class, it’s important to know the time commitment required for each course so students can make realistic decisions based on their scheduling requirements. The time commitment can include any scheduled meeting times, assignment work, and study time.
Average Weekly Time Commitment Per Course
| Course Length | 3 Credit Hours | 4 Credit Hours | 5 Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8-Week Class | 17 hours | 23 hours | 28 hours |
| 14-Week Class | 10 hours | 13 hours | 16 hours |
| 16-Week Class | 8 hours | 11 hours | 14 hours |
Constructing Your Class Schedule
Students can take classes with varying lengths, generally from 8- to 16-weeks. As SCC’s 8-week term has become very popular with students, it’s important to understand that the same amount of work is required to be completed in a much shorter time period, versus a 16-week class. Given the time commitment identified in the table above, students are recommended to carefully construct their schedules so as not to enroll in too many credits at one time. See the examples below.
16-Week Semester
This chart shows the weekly time commitment for courses that last 16 weeks.
| Weeks 1-16 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course A (3 credit hours) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Course B (4 credit hours) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Course C (3 credit hours) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Course D (3 credit hours) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Hours per week: | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 |
16-Week Semester with 8-Week Block Scheduling
This chart shows the weekly time commitment for courses that last 8 weeks.
| First 8-Week Term | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Course A (3 credit hours) |
17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
| Course B (4 credit hours) |
23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
| Hours per week: | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 |
| Second 8-Week Term | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 9-16 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| Course C (3 credit hours) |
17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
| Course D (3 credit hours) |
17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
| Hours per week: | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 |