Online Courses

OCE administers both credit and noncredit courses for various campus units. In addition to serving nontraditional students, many of these courses offered are also targeted towards online students (whether they are on- or off-campus). Students are invited to use our Course Search to look for and register in courses.

As the demand for print-based courses by mail has declined (a trend that reflects increased access to educational technologies), the campus has continued to meet the demand for courses delivered at a distance through the increased use of educational technologies for instructional delivery. This has allowed OCE to expand its offerings with programs not only in Chicago, but also in other countries such as China, Singapore, and Poland.

Faculty members interested in offering their courses online are encouraged to contact us.

Online, for-credit courses offered through OCE are generally of two types: Self-paced or semester-based. Enrollment in both these types of courses is open both to degree-seeking students and students not seeking a degree.

Online Semester-Based Courses

These courses allow graduate and undergraduate degree and nondegree students to take the courses they need with increased flexibility. These instructor-led courses have defined start and end dates and can be full semester offerings or of shorter durations, with weekly assignments and deadlines that help students stay on track. These courses can be offered during the spring, summer, and fall.

Semester-based courses are different from self-paced courses because they start and end at specific times during the year. To enroll in a semester-based course, you must know which student category (degree or nondegree) you fit into.

Online Self-Paced Courses

These courses have helped undergraduates at all three residential U of I campuses (Chicago, Springfield, and Urbana-Champaign) and elsewhere (including at other colleges, universities, and high schools) to fulfill general education requirements and complete degree programs. Online math courses for high school and college students are also available through the Department of Mathematics’ NetMath program, which includes an extensive mentoring dimension. These for-credit courses are offered in a self-paced, continuous enrollment format.

Noncredit Courses

Noncredit courses are offered to individuals purely for personal enrichment.