Distance education at the University of Houston includes any instruction that takes place outside the main campus classroom setting. DE classes are regular UH classes taught by UH faculty and have the same prerequisites and requirements as classes taken on campus.
Currently, many students enroll in DE classes because it reduces the time they would need to spend on campus during the day to complete their courses. A typical DE student at UH might work full-time and almost never come to campus. In addition, many students use DE classes as an alternative when other classes are full or if they need some flexibility in their course schedule.
Most DE classes at UH are upper-division (junior-, senior-, and graduate-level) courses. UH offers its students the opportunity to supplement their on-campus course work or even take their entire upper-division or graduate-level requirements for selected majors and programs through DE.
Some lower-division (freshman- and sophomore-level) classes are also available through DE. Houston-area community colleges also offer all the lower-division courses required by UH. If you decide to complete the requirements at one of these institutions, you can transfer the credits and apply them towards your bachelor's degree.
UH courses taken through DE satisfy the university’s requirement that the last 30 undergraduate credit hours be completed in residence.
Classes are offered in a variety of formats:
Beginning in Fall 2009, in an effort to reduce student costs and enhance online course availabilities, UH will no longer offer classes delivered via tape purchase and/or broadcast (KUHT, HCCTV, and Cougar Cable).
Courses offered online, hybrid, interactive television (ITV), and face-to-face classes at off-campus teaching centers will continue to be available for future enrollment. Many courses that were previously offered via tape purchase or broadcast will instead be offered through other formats.
