2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Dec 04, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Program and Course Modalities



Program Modalities

Vermont State University’s degree programs are offered in a variety of modalities. The definitions that follow offer a starting point for understanding how your program(s) of interest are taught. Please click here to search programs by modality and location and contact Admissions if you have questions about the program modality for a specific degree program.

  • In-Person Programs: The majority of program-required courses are taught in person on the campus(es) noted.  
  • In-Person Plus Programs: Program-required courses are taught through a combination of in-person and remote delivery. Remote learning may require meeting at a specific time or may not have a specific class time; all weekly interactions and assignments for remote courses are completed through a learning site.
  • Online Programs: In online programs, teaching and learning takes place over the internet, allowing students to access course materials, interact with instructors and peers, and complete assignments remotely. Some programs may require in-person meetings, residency, or fieldwork.

Course Modalities

At Vermont State University, we are committed to providing a diverse and flexible range of course modalities to accommodate the needs and preferences of our students. Our innovative and accessible learning formats are designed to ensure that every student can effectively engage with course content, regardless of their location, schedule, or personal circumstances. To help students navigate our offerings and make informed decisions about their academic journey, we have outlined the various course modalities available in our new academic catalog.

The course modalities include: In-Person (INP), Face to Face Plus (F2F+), In-Person Hybrid (HYB), Hyflex (HYF), Online Asynchronous (ONL), Remote Synchronous (SYN), Remote Hybrid (RHY), Telepresence (TEL), In-Person and Fieldwork (IPF), and Field-Based (FDB). The modalities provide students with a diverse range of learning opportunities, combining in-person, synchronous, and asynchronous elements tailored to accommodate various learning styles and preferences.

By offering a diverse range of course modalities, we strive to create an inclusive and adaptable learning environment that empowers all students to achieve their academic goals. We encourage students to explore the different options available and consider how each modality aligns with their individual needs and preferences. Our dedicated faculty and staff are committed to supporting students as they navigate these choices and work towards a successful and fulfilling academic experience at Vermont State University.

Course Modality Descriptions

  1. In-Person (INP ) : A course delivered in a set location where the instructor and students meet in-person on specified days and times.  In-person, face-to-face, and on-campus or off-campus at a regional site are terms that are often used interchangeably.
  2. Face to Face Plus (F2F+ ) (= INP and SYN): A course where students can access synchronous class meetings in two ways (bimodal): (1) attending class in-person (INP) at a set location or (2) attending class synchronously online (SYN) over a video conferencing platform. 
    • Two course sections must appear on the schedule visible to students: one located on the home campus or site and listed with the INP modality and the other designated with a synchronous online location and listed with the SYN modality.  Instructors can provide students flexibility in how they access the course through special permission or by the course attendance policy.
  3. In-Person Hybrid (HYB ) (= INP and ONL): This course is composed of course meetings held in-person (INP) at a set location and at designated times in addition to asynchronous online coursework (ONL).  Hybrid courses provide fewer in-person meetings than do In-Person courses, which reduces commuting time. A room is needed, but only for the day(s) on which the class meets in-person at the specified location.
  4. Hyflex (HYF ) (= INP, SYN, and ONL): A course where students can access class content in three ways (trimodal): (1) in-person (INP), (2) synchronously online (SYN), and (3) asynchronously online (ONL).
    • Veterans and international students may need to register for an in-person section of an otherwise hyflex course to comply with federal regulations pertaining to VA benefits and SEVIS.
  5. Online Asynchronous (ONL ): This course is delivered asynchronously online with no scheduled class meetings. 
  6. Remote Synchronous (SYN ): This course is offered synchronously with class meetings delivered over a video conferencing platform on specified days and times.
  7. Remote Hybrid (RHY ) (= SYN and ONL): This course is delivered remotely in a manner which combines remote synchronous (SYN) meetings and asynchronous online (ONL) coursework.  Students attend synchronous course meetings over a video conferencing platform on specified day(s) and times and are also required to engage in asynchronous online coursework. 
  8. Telepresence (TEL ): This course is offered on specified days and times in set locations in rooms that are outfitted with telepresence technology.  Telepresence technology enables students to attend a course in-person with the instructor on one campus while other students attend in a classroom outfitted with telepresence technology at another campus.
  9. In-person and Fieldwork (IPF ) (= INP and FDB): A course that includes both in-person class meetings and a fieldwork component.
  10. Field-Based (FDB ): Students complete all course tasks and assignments through personalized arrangements in a fieldwork setting without in-person class meetings or seminars, (i.e., directed field study, work-based learning, internships, student teaching, clinical rotations, studio residencies, research team projects, etc.

The linked modality images were created by Samson Fickes, a graduate of the Illustration / Animation program at VTSU-Lyndon.