Course Formats

As a college or adult student, you can find a variety of Professional Continuing Education programs and courses that will work with your schedule.

Join us for an intensive day long course, or longer certificate program. Or choose an online course and participate from anywhere in the world.

A variety of formats are offered for Western’s courses and programs. These formats include in-person, online, blended, and on-demand.

In-person

Classes held at identified physical locations. Students may have in-person class engagement supplemented by online content and activities on a web-based learning management system such as Canvas.

Online

Online courses can be asynchronous, synchronous, live streamed, or self-paced.

• Asynchronous: Classes accessed and completed entirely online through a web-based learning management system. Activities are based on an identified schedule, but work is completed on your own schedule. These classes require substantive teacher-student, student-student, and student-content interactions. Online
• Synchronous: Classes accessed and completed online through a web-based conferencing system (Zoom, GoToMeeting, etc.) at designated dates and times. Activities are based on a course schedule.
• Live Stream: Educational content is broadcast on the web. Streamed events are offered at designated dates and times, and there is typically no expectation of engagement in a discussion.
• Self-paced: Online courses that do not require instructor or student interaction, and can be completed at your own pace. Self-paced courses may have variable start and end dates.

Blended

Classes held both in-person and online allowing for interaction in a combination of modalities.

On-demand

These courses are asynchronous and online. Students can progress through the modules at their own pace.

Use our course search to find courses by your preferred format.