VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND STATE UNIVERSITY

Institute for Distance and Distributed Learning
Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is a public land-grant university serving the Commonwealth of Virginia, the nation, and the world community. The discovery and dissemination of new knowledge are central to its mission. Through its focus on teaching and learning, research, and outreach, the University creates, conveys, and applies knowledge to expand personal growth and opportunity, advance social and community development, foster economic competitiveness, and improve the quality of life. Founded in 1872, Virginia Tech typically ranks in the nation's top fifty research universities, offering 170 degree programs to Virginia's largest full-time student population (more than 25,000 total enrollments).

The University's growing reputation for excellence includes national recognition as a leader in distance and distributed learning. Virginia Tech is helping to meet the changing needs of undergraduate and graduate students with online and distance-delivered master's degree programs, certificates, and licensures as well as noncredit offerings for personal and professional growth. Innovative use of technology is transforming the educational process, while making it more accessible and learner-centered. Virginia Tech is fully accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Distance Learning Program

As part of the Office of the University Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Virginia Tech's Institute for Distance and Distributed Learning (IDDL) provides leadership, coordination, management, and support to the distance and distributed learning (eLearning) activities of Virginia Tech. Through these activities, Virginia Tech extends its campus to communities throughout the world and provides an open campus environment that allows individuals to engage in learning at anytime and from anywhere. In addition, Virginia Tech shares the practical application of the University's knowledge and expertise in support of economic development, increases the University's access to the world and the world's access to the University, and researches new teaching and learning environments through the application of technology.

More than 12,000 annual enrollments are accounted for in over 500 courses and twenty-one master's degree programs, certificates, and licensures. Virginia Tech actively participates in the Electronic Campus of Virginia and collaboratively delivers courses and degree programs at a distance with other Virginia colleges and universities through the Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program and Virginia Consortium of Engineering and Science Universities. Virginia Tech also participates in the Southern Region Electronic Campus and the Natural Resources Distance Learning Consortium.

Programs of Study

Virginia Tech offers certificate programs in business information systems, communications, computer engineering, decision support systems, natural resources, networking, and software development.

Licensure is available in career and technical education.

Programs leading to a Master of Arts degree are available in instructional technology and political science.

The Master of Science can be earned in career and technical education, civil and environmental engineering, civil infrastructure engineering, computer engineering, electrical and computer engineering, engineering administration, health promotion, ocean engineering, and systems engineering.

The Master of Business Administration and the Master of Information Technology are also awarded.

A wide variety of credit and non-credit courses is also offered through distance learning in the areas of accounting, architecture, art, biology, black studies, building construction, business, communications, computer science, economics, education, engineering, English, entomology, finance, geography, history, hotel management, horticulture, information science, landscape architecture, management, marketing, math, music, philosophy, physics, psychology, science and technology, sociology, Spanish, statistics, women's studies, and more.

Student Services

Recognizing the diverse needs of distance learners, Virginia Tech employs a holistic approach to distance learning in which the student's total educational experience is considered. This approach provides learners with accessible learning resources, support services, and interactive technologies in addition to renowned faculty members who create and teach the wide array of distance and distributed learning courses. Through cross-University collaboration, Virginia Tech works to create accessible online support services that include academic program information, the admissions process, preadmissions advising, enrollment services, an orientation to distance learning, a distance learning compatibility self-test, course delivery format descriptions, technical requirements, degree requirements, program of study descriptions, library resources and services, bookstore services, academic advising, tutoring, writing center, study skills, an online wellness resource center, services for students with disabilities, career services, technical help, and FAQ.

Credit Options

Distance learners can transfer credits earned at other accredited postsecondary institutions to Virginia Tech following the established University policies. Students admitted to the University who have been certified by the Virginia Community College System or Richard Bland College as completing the transfer module are deemed to have completed the University core curriculum components and receive 35 total credits for the module.

Faculty

The faculty is the foundation of Virginia Tech's distance learning programs and assures its academic excellence. The same faculty members, including some of the most highly honored faculty at the University, who teach traditional classroom-based campus courses also teach distance learning courses. Currently, 85 percent of Virginia Tech's academic teaching departments are involved in teaching distance learning courses.

Admission

To become undergraduate or graduate degree candidates at Virginia Tech, students must apply formally for admission. Students' records at Virginia Tech and all other colleges and universities attended are reviewed within the context of current admission policies. Virginia Tech allows qualified students at other Virginia universities and colleges to enroll in its courses as non-degree-seeking or Commonwealth Campus students. For more information on undergraduate admission, students should visit the IDDL Web site http://www.iddl.vt.edu; those interested in graduate programs should visit http://www.grads.vt.edu.

Tuition and Fees

For the latest information, students should visit http://www.bursar.vt.edu.

Financial Aid

Virginia Tech is a direct lending institution and awards financial aid from federally funded and state-funded programs as well as privately funded sources. Financial aid sources include the Federal Direct Stafford Loan, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Direct PLUS Loan, Federal Pell Grant, Federal Work-Study, Virginia Guaranteed Assistance program, Commonwealth Award, and the College Scholarship Assistance Program.

Applying

Students applying for undergraduate admission can access current information at http://www.admiss.vt.edu. Students applying for graduate admission can access current information at http://www.grads.vt.edu. Students can register for Internet-based courses at http://www.vto.vt.edu.

There is a nonrefundable fee ($40undergraduate, $45 graduate) for non–Virginia Tech, non-program-bound undergraduate students.

CONTACT

Angie Starr
eLearner Support Specialist
Institute for Distance and Distributed Learning
Virginia Tech (0445)
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061
Phone: 540-231-1264
Fax: 540-231-2079
E-mail: vto@vt.edu
Web site: http://www.iddl.vt.edu
http://www.vto.vt.edu (online catalog)