Student working at computer

Online Class Formats

We love our campus at College of DuPage, but we also understand that some students need the flexibility of online courses to make it easier to work towards their educational goals, while still keeping up with work or other family obligations.

COD offers more than 580 different courses in an online format (though availability varies by term), covering more than 80 different disciplines. Whether you need to take a single course or work towards a degree, online courses can be an attractive option for learning when it works best for you.

Remote Learning Options

In addition to in-person courses, COD offers two other remote learning options to fit your schedule: online (NET) courses, hybrid (HYB) courses and virtual classroom meetings (VCM). 

Online (NET) Courses

NET courses are taught completely online and follow instructor timelines with interaction occurring mostly through discussion boards and written messages. All assignments are submitted online.

Hybrid (HYB) Courses

HYB courses are a variation of online and in-person learning. Students meet on-campus for labs, studios or clinical work, but have additional required learning to be completed online.

Virtual Classroom Meetings (VCM)

With VCMs, students meet in real-time on specified days and times as they normally would in-person, but the class is completely online. The use of video chat software allows students regular face-to-face contact, but in a virtual format.

Hybrid and Online Course Search

New hybrid and online courses are added each term. The Hybrid and Online Course Search makes it easier to find non-traditional courses by highlighting only hybrid and online courses for the term. Course descriptions, professors, and sections are listed, but students will need to use Student Planning in order to register.

Spring 2024 Hybrid and Online Course Search

Summer 2024 Hybrid and Online Course Search

Fall 2024 Hybrid and Online Course Search

For more information on important course and registration information, visit the enrollment calendar

Registering for Online Courses

Students who are ready to register for online courses will use the same process for any of our traditional courses. If you have any questions, contact Office of Student Registration Services. Students who are new to College of DuPage will need to apply before taking any online courses. Contact Admissions and Outreach for questions regarding getting started at College of DuPage. 

SmarterMeasure Assessment Test

Before you enroll in any online course, however, it is important to make sure online learning is a good fit for you. While there are many benefits to online learning, it’s not the right choice for every student or every situation. To gain an understanding of your personal readiness for online learning, determine if online learning is right for you or complete the SmarterMeasure online learning assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

In many ways, online courses are similar to traditional courses. Before enrolling in an online course, students should have an understanding of what expectations are required.

Online courses at COD are administered through Blackboard, the learning management system used at COD. Blackboard is where you will be able to find your course syllabus and calendar and access your assignments, tests and course discussions. You will be expected to log on to Blackboard frequently--every day in many cases and sometimes over the weekend.

Each course is different, but the majority of online courses are structured just like traditional courses. Work must be completed by certain deadlines (you can't wait until the last week to do it all), which are usually spaced week-by-week. You will need to log on to look at new lecture material and to complete any assignments that the instructor has put on the site.

In many courses, you will also be responsible for participating in weekly discussions. These are done through online discussion boards, where you will be graded on your responses to questions and engagement with other students.

With the exception of not going to a physical classroom each week (some online courses do require occasional campus visits), your online course will operate just as any other course you've taken, with several different types of work and participation counting towards your grade.

Hybrid Courses

A hybrid course combines 50 percent face-to-face classroom time with 50 percent online instruction. While students taking a hybrid course spend half as much time in the classroom, these courses have the same requirements and workloads as traditionally-delivered courses.

Online classes are no different than traditional courses. The coursework is essentially the same, as are the expectations. You will receive the same amount of credit and online courses do not show up differently on your transcript.

Of course, not everything about online learning is identical. In an exclusively online course, you will not be going to a physical class location and can learn where and when you'd like. This has some advantages and some disadvantages, as it is more convenient but will require you to be more proactive about completing course work and ensuring you stay on pace with the class.

The majority of online courses at COD are delivered entirely online and will not necessitate students coming to campus. However, there are some online courses that will require you to come to campus for placement testing or for proctored exams or to outside locations for clinical practicums.

To learn if a course requires a campus visit, check in myACCESS.

Yes and no. You can complete your work any time of day or night that you want. This is part of what makes online classes so great for working adults.

However, you will have to meet weekly deadlines. This means that you will have to keep pace and ensure that you are completing work regularly so that you will not miss these deadlines and fall behind in the course.

Many of the things that will make you successful in an online class are the same things that make you successful in a traditional class: completing course reading assignments, asking questions, watching lectures, and studying on a regular schedule.

But because online courses are student-centered, a lot of your success depends on your active participation. For each credit hour you are taking, you will need to spend three to four hours completing the requirements of the course. So for a three hour course, you can expect to commit anywhere from nine to twelve hours a week.

If you are the type of person who needs face-to-face interaction to thrive, then, yes, you might feel isolated in an online course. But if talking with your classmates and professors over email, discussion boards, and other methods of online communication works for you, you should be fine, as you'll get a lot of this kind of interaction. You can expect that participation and serious engagement will make up a substantial part of your grade.

In fact, because everyone must post to a discussion board in an online class, you can get to know your teacher and classmates very well – sometimes even better than you would in a traditional classroom.

If you need help with your online courses, you can contact tech support, faculty members, and staff working in every department in the school, from registration to the library.

Contact Information

Office of Student Registration Services
Phone: (630) 942-2377
Email: registration@cod.edu

Regular Hours
Walk-in services are available in Seaton Computing Center (SCC), Room 123 during business hours.

  • Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Student Help Desk: (630) 942-2999

Individuals who need language assistance, call Campus Central at (630) 942-3000 or email campuscentral@cod.edu.