Getting Started

North Carolina State University’s faculty are encouraged to participate in NC State distance education programs which provide an alternative learning experience to on-campus instruction. Courses are currently offered in a variety of subject areas and some are part of a degree or certificate program that can be completed through distance education. Because distance education courses are the full equivalent of on-campus courses students are expected to meet the same standards of academic achievement and are governed by the same policies and procedures that apply to on-campus instruction. The Distance Education staff is available at any time to assist you and to answer questions you have about the program, technical options and support, and the services offered to distance education faculty and students.

Schedules for offering distance education courses are prepared in the fall for the subsequent academic year beginning with Summer Session I. Requests for course information are sent to faculty members well in advance of the start of each semester so that InfoFACTS (course-specific information) can be updated and made available to students. The DE office maintains a web site that lists all course InfoFACTs, registration guidelines, student services, and other pertinent distance education information. DE staff will also arrange for duplication and distribution of syllabi and other course materials, and order textbooks if you so request. The DE office will supply student mailing labels in whatever quantity you need upon request.

Once the requests to offer have been received, the courses must also go through the Course approval process and the faculty overload compensation approval process. We cannot open any section for registration prior to completing the approval process.

Students register for distance education courses either through Pack Tracks or through the Distance Education office. The registration period follows the same calendar as on-campus registration and is determined by the student’s classification. Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis, and wait lists are maintained once enrollment ceilings are reached. In some cases, seats will be restricted in your class to allow students in the last registration windows an equal chance to register. Distance education faculty can access DE class rosters along with their on-campus class rosters via the Registration & Records FACULTY ACCESS online link.

The DE staff is here to serve you so please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of help at any time.