Distance Education

Distance Education

Southern Union is committed to offering quality education for students that is affordable, accessible, equitable, and responsive to the diverse needs of its students. One way we meet this part of our mission is by offering courses that are accessible through our online, hybrid, and virtual course offerings. Southern Union now offers 120 or more courses through distance education.

Distance Education courses are transferable to other accredited colleges and universities like traditional face-to-face courses. If you are interested in discovering which courses from Southern Union apply to your program of study, you should discuss this with an academic advisor.

Degrees and Certificates Available Online

At Southern Union, a general education degree and short certificate may be earned entirely through distance education.  These are the Associate in Science Degree (AS), a 60-64 credit hour associate degree consisting of general education core courses, and the General Education Short Certificate (GES). There are five Associate in Applied Science degrees (AAS), as well as multiple certificates and short-term certificates available that can be completed through Distance Education. (Stay tuned for additional online degrees/certificates as our online offerings are constantly increasing.)

Associate in Science
General Studies with Concentrations

 

 

Associate in Applied Science

  • Business Management & Entrepreneurship
  • Information Systems
  • Office Management & Support Technology
  • Child Development

 

Certificates

  • Business Management & Entrepreneurship
    • Business Management & Entrepreneurship
    • Accounting
  • Information Systems
    • Computer Network Support
    • Hardware and Software Support
    • App Development with Swift
  • Office Management & Support Technology
    • Office Management & Support 
    •  Medical Office Specialist 
    • Business Foundations
  • Child Development
    • Child Development Associate
  • Criminal Justice

Distance education courses are classified as either Online, Virtual, Videoconference, or Hybrid Online. The Alabama Community College System and Southern Union have adopted the following definitions:

Online Course: Online courses are delivered asynchronously. There are no required face-to-face sessions within the course and no requirements for on-campus activity. Faculty interact with students through assignments, discussion posts, email, office hours and other electronic/virtual means. Identity verification will be required using the college’s approved verification process*.

Virtual Course:  Virtual courses are delivered synchronously to extend lectures and course activities to students remotely in real time. Virtual courses are held online at specific days and times and require students to use online conferencing tools to participate in learning activities. There are no requirements for on-campus activity. Identity verification will be required using the college’s approved verification process*.

Videoconference: Videoconference courses meet at an approved instructional site equipped for remote video instruction. The instructor and students will interact via two-way video. Students are expected to attend class in the videoconference classroom on the days and times specified in the class schedule. Identity verification will be required using the college’s approved verification process*.

Hybrid Online: Hybrid online courses require a combination of online and in-person activities, with more than 50% of the course content requiring online interaction. Some elements will have specified days, times, and locations when attendance is expected. Identity verification will be required using the college’s approved verification process*.

*The midterm and final exams for online, virtual, and specific hybrid courses will be conducted online using a remote live proctoring solution called ProctorU.  Identity verification is required at the time of testing. Students must present a current, valid government-issued photo ID or a Southern Union student ID before being allowed to access the test. Pictures or images of the ID will not be accepted.