The University of Pittsburgh provides selected courses and programs in a distance learning format in order to increase student access.  At the undergraduate level, for example, courses are offered through the PittOnline in the College of General Studies.  At the graduate level, the School of Information Sciences has developed a new Fast Track program for the Master’s in Library Science program.  For information about these and other courses or programs, see Distance Education Degrees & Program.

Commitment to Quality
Distance education courses at the University of Pittsburgh are developed and taught by University faculty.  They are subject to the same rigorous evaluation standards used for courses taught in the traditional format.

Residency
Most distance learning courses and programs include opportunities for students to meet with the instructor in a face-to-face setting.  This may require students to attend class sessions on campus or at a designated videoconferencing site.

Technology
Pitt faculty use a range of instructional technologies in their distance courses in an attempt to provide the richest possible learning experience.  Nearly all courses include some print materials, such as textbooks or study guides. Web-based materials typically are developed using CourseWeb/Blackboard, a course management system that provides students with communication tools and other resources that facilitate Web-based instruction.  The University’s Interactive Television Network spans all five campuses and connects easily with videoconferencing sites around the world.

University Guidelines for Off-Campus Graduate Programs
When a graduate program is offered completely off campus, either by electronic means or through other more traditional means, we require assurance that the off-campus program is comparable in quality to the on-campus program. We want to ensure that the experience of a student earning a degree in an off-campus environment is equivalent to that of a student earning a degree on our campus. From the Council of Graduate School's brochure Of/-Campus Graduate Education and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education's Distance Learning Policy Statement I Guidelines.

For information about distance education facilities and faculty support services at the University of Pittsburgh, you may email Center for Instructional Development & Distance Education (CIDDE) or call 412-624-3335.