Scholastic Information | 39
Students may audit courses with permission from the course instructors. Students auditing courses must adhere to the same class requirements as those students taking the courses for credit. Audited courses are not considered when determining a credit hour load, and a grade of "AUD" is shown on the students’ grade reports. Students may take courses for credit after auditing them but may not receive credit by examination or use audited courses as course substitutions in degree or certificate plans. Students who audit courses will be charged state and designated tuition as specified in the Tuition and Fees section of this catalog. Contact the Office of Admissions and Records for more information.
Audited Courses
Most certificate and degree programs offer students opportunities to participate in cooperative training with industry for at least one semester. Students in cooperative experiences earn up to 12 credit hours working off-campus at jobs related to their fields of study. This phase of training is a cooperative effort between the student, industry, and TSTC to provide valuable work experience. Cooperative education is competitive, enabling some qualified students to earn income to help support their education. Students who are interested in participating in cooperative experiences should discuss the opportunities with their department chairpersons.
Cooperative Education
Some programs of study offer individualized instruction. In these programs, students may complete course requirements without attending regularly-scheduled lecture or laboratory sessions. Students enroll in an agreed-upon number of contact hours and are awarded credit when course objectives are met. This allows students to advance through program requirements at a comfortable speed, which may be slower or faster than the more traditional approach. Students should talk with their department chairpersons about the availability of individual instruction in their programs of study.
Individualized Instruction
High school students who have completed their sophomore year may enroll for dual credit academic and technical courses at TSTC while still in high school through the exceptional admission program. Students receive either transcripted credit for regular college credit courses or articulated credit that is based upon agreements with school districts. Contact the Dual Enrollment Office for more information.
Dual Credit Courses
Early college high schools (ECHS) are small high schools designed to allow students to earn both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree or up to two years of credit toward a bachelor’s degree. Early college high schools may be located on or associated with the TSTC colleges. Students attending ECHS enroll in TSTC courses as part of their high school curriculum. While similar to
Early College High School
dual credit programs, students in ECHS are subject to additional requirements for admission and participation in classes. Contact an admissions advisor or education and career specialist at a TSTC college for more information.
The majority of college credit courses are taught on weekdays during the day, with selected courses offered during the evenings and/or on Saturdays. Continuing education and workforce training courses are scheduled throughout these time periods; contact the Continuing Education Office for details.
Day/Evening Weekend Courses
TSTC offers instruction through a variety of electronic media, including videoconferencing and the Internet. Through videoconferencing labs, TSTC sends and receives classes to and from various colleges and schools. Internet classes offer students the opportunity to complete college courses using personal computers and Internet connections. Each TSTC program that offers distance learning courses has requirements specific to that department.
Distance Learning
Distance learning courses are not self-paced. However, depending on the nature of the instructional method, students may complete course requirements as their schedules permit. Students enrolled in distance learning courses must meet deadlines, take scheduled tests, etc., but typically they do not have to be in classrooms at specific times, except when required by the instructors. Those students who take courses via the Internet complete assignments using computers and communicate with instructors through e-mail, fax, and by telephone. Some distance learning courses require proctored testing. Admission requirements are the same as those for oncampus students. Students planning to take only distance learning courses should notify the Distance Learning Office so that appropriate information and advising can be arranged. Advising is accomplished by e-mail and telephone.
In most cases, tuition for distance learning courses is the same as on-campus courses. The Tuition and Fees section of this catalog provides more details. The cost of proctored exams, if any, is paid by the students. Students may order books and materials from the TSTC Bookstore or purchase them locally.
Enrollment Registration dates are published in the college calendar. Returning students and new students who have completed admission procedures should contact their local TSTC campus for specific registration information.
Registration
Currently enrolled students may add courses, drop courses, or change sections before classes begin by contacting their program
Schedule Changes
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