Remote Courses
UC San Diego Summer Session offers a significant number of online courses, these are the same courses that are offered during Fall, Winter and Spring quarter. Online courses provide students flexibility to earn academic credit and make progress toward major and minor degree requirements from anywhere.
Enrolling in Online Courses
- Enrollment begins April 14, 2025. Visit our Application and Enrollment page for important information and our Calendar page for important deadlines.
- Review courses from The Schedule of Classes on TritonLink and WebReg. The Schedule will show if the class is remote (building is "RCLAS") or in-person (building location that is NOT "RCLAS"). Asynchronous courses will be listed as TBA in the location (please note not all courses listed as TBA are remote).
- Review the Remote Course offerings here: courses/remote-courses
Asynchronous & Synchronous Online courses:
At UC San Diego, online courses can be either synchronous (real-time, like a virtual classroom) or asynchronous (on-demand, allowing students to learn at their own pace).
Asynchronous Courses
Asynchronous
Definition: Occupying the same virtual space as the students, but at different times
Practically speaking, asynchronous instruction typically involves providing information for the students, then asking the students to do something with that information. It can be very effective for concepts or topics that the students might want to think deeply about, or re-watch/re-read, or even do their own investigation before interacting with others. It is the most flexible format. However, students need to be sure they have the necessary time management skills to ensure nothing gets missed.
Students access course materials (e.g., pre-recorded lectures, readings, videos) at their own pace, without requiring real-time interaction. Offers flexibility for students, but requires strong self-discipline and time management.
Synchronous Courses
Synchronous
Definition: Occupying the same virtual space as the students, at the same time
In this modality, you have an opportunity to see and hear students in real-time. This provides affordances for conversation, working through problems together, and active learning types of activities. A Zoom synchronous session is very different from a classroom lecture. The dynamics of presentation, non-verbal feedback, presentation, and the very real challenge of Zoom-fatigue should be incorporated into plans for an instructional session.
Students and instructors interact in real-time, often through online platforms like Zoom, at scheduled times. Requires students to be available during specific times, but can offer a more interactive learning experience.
For more information, please refer to the FAQ page.
