Self Paced Community College Courses

[humboldtjake]

Hi,

I am looking for California Community Colleges that offer self-paced classes. I tried SMC, but no one answers the phone and there is no information. Are there any other schools that offer this option?

[marianne202]

Most community colleges are part of the State college system and they usually have to follow standard 16 week semesters or 8 week mini-mesters. Also as a community college instructor I will tell you that the DOE is coming down hard on schools to NOT allow self-paced coursework. They feel that makes it difficult to assess the quality of the work. If a student finishes early, then it isn't rigerous enough. We had to re-do all our online classes to only open weekly so students can't finish early. They have to be doing work the entire semester otherwise the DOE feels we don't deserve to be paid for 16 weeks of coursework if they student finishes it in 10 weeks. This is a huge issue with online courses, the DOE and accrediting bodies. If you find a school that offers a self-paced option grab it, because it probably won't be available for long. Good luck!

[rebel100]

Not CC's, but the three below all offer self paced study at both the lower and upper level for very attractive prices (arounf $100-125/credit). All Regionally accredited , of course.

University of Idaho Find a Course-Independent Study in Idaho-University of Idaho
University of Arkansas University of Arkansas Independent Study Online Courses
Loisianna State Univerity LSU Independent and Distance Learning

CSU-Pueblo is more expensive, but still a cheap bargain ($160/credit). They adjusted their dates to match my needs to qualify for F/A, though the actual aid package flowed through COSC.
Colorado State University-Pueblo > Schedule of Courses

[Carnation]

I know Coastline Community College offered some this past year but you'd have to check their offerings under Distance Learners for the upcoming year.

Of course Ohio University has a huge credit-by-exam and independent study program, as another possible option.

[Waldorfteacher]

I have looked for such online classes that you can start more or less anytime and complete at your own pace, like CSU-Pueblo. I found a site that might be of some use. The California Virtual Campus has links to every California university and college with online offerings. Check it out. California Virtual Campus » Students » CVC Course Catalog

The short answer is no, there are not any such classes from what I could find. If you feel inspired, start sifting through the catalogs let us know what you find.