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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville now offers a fully online general education path of coursework that is taught by the same quality faculty who teach on-campus courses. These core required college courses provide students with a broad base of knowledge while enhancing communication and critical thinking skills.

Any current or visiting student could benefit, personally or professionally, from taking online courses at SIUE. This new online path to complete an undergraduate degree may be a good fit for students who are planning to enroll in an:

• Online degree completion program at SIUE and have not completed general education requirements
• On-campus program who prefer to complete general education courses online

“We have been intentional in our efforts to meet the needs of the diverse population of students coming into the University with a variety of college experience and transferable credit hours,” said Stephanie Simpson, assistant director of online student services in the Office of Online Services and Educational Outreach. “There is a clear need for the development of more fully online paths.”

Simpson notes a recent survey that found that remote learning during the pandemic left students with a desire to enroll in more online and hybrid courses. The majority of students surveyed, 73%, “somewhat” or “strongly” agreed that they would like to take some fully online courses in the future. The Digital Learning Pulse Survey is a series of surveys conducted to better understand the needs of colleges in the wake of the transformative disruption brought on by COVID-19. 

“The addition of fully online general education courses also removes a significant barrier for admission to our online degree completion programs,” Simpson said. “We have had to deny program admission in the past for students who needed to meet specific general education requirements, simply because we could not guarantee them a fully online path.” 

“Now we can potentially support more students, including those who have 30 or fewer credit hours, with the flexibility of an online experience,” added Simpson. 

The Office of Online Student Services offers students a highly customized level of support from the time they first inquire about enrollment. Students are supported by a “one stop” team of professionals, including a coordinator, academic advisor and success coach. Together, the support team ensures each student experiences a seamless transition into the institution and throughout their journey to graduation.  

“Providing additional options for how students can achieve their educational goals is an important step toward achieving the University’s goals to provide equitable and accessible education options to meet the needs of diverse learners,” said Jennifer Rehg, PhD, associate dean of instruction, faculty development and academic programs in the College of Arts and Sciences. “We are continually looking for ways to expand opportunities for students who may be place bound, have work or personal obligations that make flexible scheduling with online courses a priority, or feel online course formats are better options for them.”

“We look forward to being able to support more students with the expanded online courses,” Simpson concluded. “Whether they are coming to SIUE with 18 or 65 credit hours, through intentional collaboration, we will help them build a degree plan that meets their needs.”

For more information, visit siue.edu/online/online-courses/general-education.  

Photo: Stephanie Simpson, assistant director of online student services in the Office of Online Services and Educational Outreach.