Virtual Campus
The Virtual Campus offers students an alternative to on-campus classes. Virtual campus classes are taught by the same outstanding faculty members who teach at the SCC and SFCC campuses. The content, college credit, and transferability of Virtual Campus classes are equivalent to traditional courses on campus. Student diplomas and transcripts look the same whether they take their program in an online, flexible, hybrid, or in-person format.
Virtual Campus classes are offered during the same quarterly sessions, cost the same tuition and fees, and carry the same credits and accreditation as on campus classes. This means they carry the same academic rigor, expectations, and transcript impact as any other credit bearing college class. However, some special considerations should be made:
- Success is dependent on the student to be self-motivated, organized, and able to maintain a schedule where they can keep track of and meet due dates and deadlines.
- Without dedicated classroom space, it is up to the student to ensure they have adequate space to complete their work independently with minimal distractions.
- Virtual Campus instruction includes text, videos, discussions, web-conferencing, peer collaboration and more. It’s the student’s responsibility to read and view all materials provided by instructors and to follow their directions. Each online instructor teaches and communicates differently. Students should be prepared to spend more hours on classwork than they would for on-campus classes.
- Without the physical presence of an instructor, it is the student’s responsibility to contact their instructors with questions and requests for clarification.
There are various ways to take classes other than in-person. These are referred to as modalities or modes of instruction.
Online Scheduled (OS): Think of this as a virtual classroom. You'll join your classmates and instructor online, on specific days and times, just like you would for an in-person class, but through a video conference tool. Sometimes, there might be activities that you can do on your own time, too. And yes, you might have exams that you take online with someone watching (proctored) to make sure everything's fair.
Online Scheduled with In-Person (OW): Mostly, you'll be in the virtual classroom at set times, just like the OS classes. But you'll also need to come to campus a few times for things like exams or special activities. Don't worry; there won't be more campus visits than the number of credits the class is worth.
Online Asynchronous (OA): Here, you get to choose when you study, as long as you meet deadlines. There are no scheduled class meetings, but your instructor might offer optional times to meet online for extra help.
Online Asynchronous with In-Person (OB): Like the OA classes, but with a twist. You'll still study on your own time, but there will be a few times you need to come to campus for exams or to pick up/drop off materials.
Hybrid (HY): A mix of in-person and online learning. Some classes will be on campus, and others will be online, either at a set time or on your own schedule.
Flexible (FL): The ultimate in flexibility. You can choose to be in the classroom, join live online, or study on your own time. And you can switch it up as often as you like.
Out of State Students
Students from all states are welcome to apply. Spokane Community College (SCC) and Spokane Falls Community College (SFCC) are members of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). This allows us to offer distance education to students in member states without seeking individual approval.
Professional Licensure: Online degrees from Spokane Community College and Spokane Falls Community College aren’t known to lead to professional licensure. If you are seeking a degree in a program that leads to professional licensure in your state, it’s recommended you contact your state’s licensing agency to be sure our degree meets your state’s licensing requirements.
Accreditation: Spokane Community College and Spokane Falls Community College are regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the NWCCU indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality evaluated through a peer review process. An accredited college or university is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity also is addressed through accreditation.
Student Complaints: We strive to offer our students an excellent online education. We have a process in place to assist you in solving concerns with your online learning experience. Please follow the steps in the order below so that we can expedite your request.
- Contact us via email at ccs.elearning@ccs.spokane.edu, or call 509-533-8240 and we will assist you.
- Read the Informal Guidelines for Addressing Student Concerns and follow the steps.
- Proceed with a formal complaint by filling out the Formal Student Complaint Process Form.
The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) has authority to investigate student complaints against specific schools. WSAC may not be able to investigate every student complaint. Visit WSAC.wa.gov for information regarding the WSAC complaint process.
Students may also choose to file a complaint with our accreditation agency, The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
If your complaint is regarding false or misleading information and has not been resolved by the process listed above, you may contact your state’s portal entity.