Evening and Distance Education

The purpose of the Division of Evening and Distance Education is to provide through traditional and alternative delivery systems academic credit classes on the main campus and at selected off-campus sites in support of the College’s Mission to increase access to higher education for the citizens of the region. Classes provide lifelong learning opportunities to individuals seeking to attain career and personal development goals. Off-campus teaching sites, local community facilities, public school sites, and various industrial locations are utilized to deliver classes in under-served communities. Admission requirements for evening and distance education students are identical with requirements for students in the regular daytime program. The quality of instruction governing credit courses offered during the evening on campus, at off-campus teaching sites, and through non-traditional program formats is maintained at the same level as those courses offered on campus during the day and is equivalent in all academic considerations.

Services to students enrolled in the evening, distance education, and non-traditional programs coordinated by the Division of Evening and Distance Education are afforded the same educational and support services as students enrolled in traditional programs. The Student Information Center, Office of Admissions and Records, Student Success Center, the Office of Business Affairs, the Library, the Bookstore, and other services are provided during select hours. The Evening and Distance Education office is open 8:00 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Fridays, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday when classes are in session. For more information regarding Evening and Distance Education Programs and Services, please refer to the Northeast State Web page at www.NortheastState.edu/EveningDistanceEd.

To respond to community needs, the Division of Evening and Distance Education welcomes suggestions and requests for arranging credit courses on campus during the evening or at off-campus locations. The office is located in Room F100, Faculty Office Building, telephone 423.323.0221.

The Accelerated Studies Program (ASP) is designed to provide students an opportunity to “accelerate” course work in specified course(s) or program areas. ASP courses are organized utilizing a seven-week, block schedule therefore allowing students to complete two semesters of course work in one semester (example: HIST 2010 and 2020). In addition, students may enroll in a Cohort Based Accelerated Studies Program, NextStep, in which they will work towards the completion of an associate of science degree. ASP course offerings: www.NortheastState.edu/accelerated.

College Access Programs

The office of College Access Programs facilitates post secondary access and success through the delivery of coordinated college preparatory support services and resources. Programs are designed to increase awareness of the demands of post-secondary education, assist with student’s preparation for college-level coursework, and help to facilitate a smooth and seamless transition between high school and college. Specific mentoring activities include providing information to students and families regarding post-secondary education and career preparation; financial aid and college information seminars and workshops for high school students and parents; coordinating student support, retention, and transfer services to currently and soon-to-be enrolled students; and facilitating the transfer between community college and four-year institutions. A mentor is present in service area high schools to provide these services. For more information please email CollegeAccess@NortheastState.edu or view our webpage under High School Programs at www.NortheastState.edu/collegenow 

High School Transition Programs

High School Transition Programs primary goal is to link career and technical education programs at the secondary level with career and technical education programs at the postsecondary level. High School Transition Programs focuses on having an active early college credit agreement (articulation, dual enrollment, and/or dual credit) in career and technical education with each Local Educational Agency (LEA), i.e. school district within the College’s five county service area. Students may earn up to eight (8) hours of articulated or dual credit in high school which will be transcribed upon successful enrollment at Northeast State within two years of graduating from high school. For additional information about the High School Transition Program please refer to the Northeast State web page at www.NortheastState.edu/collegenow or contact 423.354.2505 or 423.354.5166.  

Early College/STEM Programs

The office of Early College and STEM is responsible for the development and implementation of new dual enrollment initiatives that are being undertaken through partnerships with local high school systems. These initiatives will focus on innovation in school design (Early/Middle College) and advanced skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). These initiatives, once in place, will enhance Northeast State’s ability to provide additional innovative high school programming to our region. For additional information please refer to the Northeast State web page at www.NortheastState.edu/collegenow or contact 423.323.0231.
 

The Jump Start Program is a cooperative effort between local high schools and Northeast State Community College. This program provides qualified high school students an opportunity to get a “Jump Start” on college by enrolling in college classes while still in high school. Students may earn 12 or more semester hours of transferable college credit and satisfy specific courses required for high school graduation through the Jump Start Advanced Studies Program. The curriculum for each Jump Start Program is specifically designed to fulfill the course requirements of high schools participating in the program. As a result, individual program offerings may vary from school to school or system to system. Questions regarding a particular program offering may be directed to the high school counselor or Northeast State’s Division of Evening and Distance Education. For additional information about the Jump Start Program please refer to the Northeast State web page at www.NortheastState.edu/collegenow or contact 423.354.3286 or 423.354.5186.

Tech Track Dual Enrollment Program

Tech Track is a Dual Enrollment program focused in Career Technical Education and is a cooperative effort between local high schools and Northeast State Community College. This program provides qualified high school students an opportunity to get on “Track” to technical careers after high school. Students seeking this training and striving for employment in an industrial setting can enroll in college classes while still in high school. Students may earn six or more semester hours of college credit and satisfy specific courses required for high school graduation through the Tech Track Program. The curriculum for each Tech Track Program is specifically designed to fulfill the course requirements of high schools participating in the program. As a result, individual program offerings may vary from school-to-school or system-to-system. Questions regarding a particular program offering may be directed to the high school counselor or Northeast State’s Division of Evening and Distance Education. Contact Gary Lee, Director, High School Transition Programs, by email at gelee@NortheastState.edu or at 423.354.2505 or 423.354.5166.

Interactive Television Courses (ITV)

Interactive Television Courses (ITV) are designed to offer students greater access to educational programs and training at on and off-campus sites. Selected courses are offered via an interactive television loop between the Blountville, Bristol, Elizabethton, Gray, Johnson City, Kingsport, Mountain City, and Unicoi County sites. Using this format, an instructor may teach from a single location and interact in real time with students present in one or more of the ITV classrooms. Course content and requirements are identical to a traditional, lecture-based class. Interactive classrooms are located in L114 in the Basler Library, BR324B/328 at Northeast State at Bristol, E123 at Northeast State in Elizabethton, G105 at Northeast State at Gray, J154/156 at Northeast State at Johnson City, KC216/217 at Northeast State at Kingsport, M100 at Mountain City, and U100 at Unicoi County teaching sites. Course content and requirements are identical to a traditional, lecture-based class. For more information about ITV courses, please refer to the Northeast State Web page at www.NortheastState.edu/ITV or contact 423.323.0221, EveDistEdu@NortheastState.edu.   

Internet Courses

Internet courses offer students the opportunity to complete all or part of the work for a particular course via the Internet. These courses may follow a modified traditional class schedule or may meet only at selected times throughout the semester. To complete all requirements for these courses, students must be able to access the Internet. Students may access the Internet through computer facilities on the main campus in Blountville, at the off-campus sites, or secure access on their own. Closely related to the Internet course, hybrid courses allow students more time with the instructor while still offering approximately half of the course content online. For more information about Northeast State’s online and hybrid courses, please refer to the Northeast State web page at www.NortheastState.edu/online or contact 423.323.0221, EveDistEdu@NortheastState.edu.

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that Northeast State Community College operates in compliance with the provisions of the United States Federal Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), Public Law 110-315 concerning the verification of student identity in distance learning. 

All students at Northeast State, including those enrolling in online and/or other distance learning courses for academic credit, receive a unique login credential for initial access to Desire2Learn (D2L), the College’s secure course management system. Additionally, students enrolling in Regents Online Degree Program (RODP) courses through Northeast State receive a unique login credential for accessing RODP’s Desire2Learn portal. Data transmission of all Desire2Learn login information is secured using appropriate encryption technology.

Moreover, Northeast State Internet courses feature an added layer of verification in that students meet in person with an instructor periodically throughout the academic term. The College’s Internet faculty continually work with academic deans, the Director of Academic/Instructional Technology, and campus review committees to develop and implement methods to ensure the quality and integrity of Northeast State Internet courses. Some of these approaches include, but are not limited to, such assessment methods/tools as research and writing assignments, quizzes, discussion board participation, and independent and/or group projects.

It should be noted, Northeast State students are not charged additional fees to cover the cost of identity verification and authorization for a Northeast State Internet course or any other Northeast State distance learning course.

Northeast State and the Tennessee Board of Regents colleges, universities, and technical centers have joined to offer the Regents Online Degree Program (RODP). The Regents Online courses are designed around a typical semester in interactive asynchronous (anytime, anywhere) format. These courses contain the same content and rigor as standard on-campus courses. The RODP program also offers online student services such as advising, library services, and student support services. Technical support for accessing course lessons and assignments available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. Regents’ courses are entirely online and transferable among all the participating institutions. Students interested in taking RODP courses should contact an RODP advisor in the Student Success Center at 423.323.0214 or email rodp@NortheastState.edu.  Additional information is available at www.NortheastState.edu and at http://www.rodp.org

The Weekend College Program is designed to provide a variety of credit courses for working adult students. Courses are provided using both traditional and alternative delivery formats including: accelerated studies courses, Internet, and traditional three-hour block classes. Through the Weekend College Program students may earn up to 12 hours of credit per semester toward degree/certificate completion. Classes are conveniently offered on Friday evenings, Saturdays, or Sunday afternoons to accommodate the working or non-traditional adult student.

Students may complete the 41 hours of required general education core classes  in the Weekend College Program. Please reference this catalog for program specific approved general education courses and degree requirements. Some general education courses may be substituted for degree-specific courses with appropriate approval. A degree program advisor can assist students in selecting the remaining 19 hours of coursework required for completion of the student’s chosen degree. For more information about the Weekend College Program, please refer to the Northeast State web page at www.NortheastState.edu/weekend, or contact 423.354.2497, EveDistEdu@NortheastState.edu.

Northeast State subscribes to the concept of accessibility by extending credit classes through off-campus sites and satellite facilities as part of the delivery system. As a convenience to students, off-campus classes are organized and scheduled in locations conducive to enrollment. Because of community response and local needs, off-campus courses are available during the day and evening at certain off-campus locations. To determine the availability of classes at off-campus locations, please refer to the Northeast State web page at www.NortheastState.edu/offcampus. 

Courses requiring laboratories, library materials, computers, and other special resources are offered off-campus if the necessary resources are provided. To facilitate this scheduling, special arrangements are made for selected courses as needed. In addition, off-campus students have on-line access to the library on the main campus. Students may also use other libraries with which the college has cooperative agreements.

Northeast State at Bristol

Northeast State at Bristol increases access to relevant educational programming at a centralized location and convenient times for the citizens of Carter, Johnson, and Sullivan Counties. Day and evening classes may be offered on the Bristol site during the fall, spring, and summer terms in varying course delivery formats. The Learning Resource Center is linked to the main campus library and offers access to the online catalog, the Internet, and a variety of full-text databases. The site offers a variety of courses in liberal arts, technical, and continuing education programs. For more information concerning Northeast State at Bristol, call the director at 423.354.5213 or the Office of Evening and Distance Education at 423.323.0221 or access online at www.NortheastState.edu/Bristol.

Northeast State at Elizabethton

Northeast State at Elizabethton increases access to relevant educational programming at a centralized location and convenient times for the citizens of Carter, Johnson, and Unicoi Counties. Day and evening classes may be offered on the Elizabethton site during the fall, spring, and summer terms in varying course delivery formats. The Learning Resource Center is linked to the main campus library and offers access to the online catalog, the Internet, and a variety of full-text databases. The site offers a variety of courses in liberal arts, technical, and continuing education programs. For more information concerning Northeast State at Elizabethton, call the director at 423.547.8450 or the Office of Evening and Distance Education at 423.323.0221 or access online at www.NortheastState.edu/Elizabethton.

Northeast State at Gray

Northeast State at Gray provides comprehensive educational programming at a location more convenient to the citizens of Washington and Sullivan Counties. Day and evening classes may be offered on the Gray site during the fall, spring, and summer terms in varying course delivery formats. The Learning Resource Center is linked to the main campus library and offers access to the online catalog, the Internet, and a variety of full-text databases. The Gray site is home to Northeast State’s Cohort Based Accelerated Studies Program, NextStep, which allows students an opportunity to “accelerate” course work in specified course(s) or program areas. The site offers a variety of courses in liberal arts, technical, and continuing education programs. This teaching site also houses the administrative offices for High School Transition Programs, which includes high school dual enrollment for university parallel and A.A.S. dual enrollment, high school Career Days, high school credit by exam program and the Perkins IV grant. For more information call the director at 423.354.2505 or the office of Evening and Distance Education at 423.323.0221 or access online at www.NortheastState.edu/Gray.

Northeast State at Kingsport

Northeast State at Kingsport provides comprehensive educational programming at a location more convenient to the citizens of Sullivan and Hawkins Counties. Day and evening courses may be offered during the fall, spring, and summer terms in varying delivery formats at the Northeast State at Kingsport teaching site. The site offers a variety of courses in liberal arts, technical, health professions, and continuing education programs. The Learning Resource Center is linked to the automated system at the main library and offers access to the online catalog, the Internet, and a variety of full-text databases. For more information concerning Northeast State at Kingsport call the Kingsport Center for Higher Education at 423.354.5521; Regional Center for Health Professions at 423.323.0248; Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing at 423.354.5149; Regional Center for Applied Technology at 423.354.2525; Regional Center for Automotive Programs at 423.354.5211. For detailed information access online at www.NortheastState.edu/Kingsport or KingsportHigherEd.org