The first completely online degree programs at Beaufort County Community College, offering flexibility and convenience for students, are available this upcoming fall semester.

BCCC Vice-president of Academics Crystal Ange said the college will offer distance education programs for Criminal Justice, Medical Office Administration and Associate in Arts starting in Fall 2014. The college researched what would be effective as online programs. Data regarding distance education classes indicated the college was increasing the number of online classes offered as well as most of the classes were filled to capacity. These two reasons along with the school’s desire to competitively offer students the same options as other institutions, facilitated the move in this direction, Ange said.

“Online courses can be a great choice for students,” Ange said. “Distance education is not for everyone but our online courses typically fill at a fairly quick pace. If our students want this instructional delivery option, then we want to provide them the opportunity to pursue their education in this manner.

The primary difference between online and classroom instruction is the delivery format. Blackboard, a web-based course management system, is the “classroom” for online students. This allows students to take the courses on their own time, at their own pace, offering flexibility and convenience for students who may be working a job while working toward a degree. The students still have deadlines and assignments, but no seated instruction on campus, Ange said.

Dean of the Business and Industrial Technology Division Ben Morris said the implementation of the programs is, in part, a result of the college’s service area being too large, making it difficult to meet the needs of everyone wishing to further their education. People who live in outlying areas will not have to drive long distances to attend classes.

Morris, who is also the lead instructor for the Criminal Justice program, was a police officer before coming to teach at the college. He personally pushed to get Criminal Justice offered as an online degree.

“I was a police officer many years ago,” Morris said. “I’m actually one of the few people that took 16 years to get a four-year degree because I did the majority of it while I was working.”

Morris said a decade ago, the only option available for people in the Criminal Justice field was to try to attend night classes, which is difficult because the nature of the field’s rotating shiftwork. Morris has worked hard the past seven years to get an online program so people who are not able to attend traditional college classes can get a degree while working. Those wishing to further their education, who are constrained by finances, work schedules, parenting or other reasons will now have the chance to attend college without actually attending classes.

“We are going to be able to tap into a group of people that might otherwise can only dream about getting a degree,” Morris said. “That’s the exciting part of it. If we are able to do that we can provide a service that before has maybe been a little bit lacking. A lot of places offer online educations but this is something I think that we will provide a good quality education to people.”

Morris said those wishing to enroll can visit the BCCC campus and work out the specifics of their education with staff. The advising center is now open until July 16, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Building 9. There, students can meet with staff and get advice on starting their path.