The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley announced in an email sent to the campus community that students will have six different types of classes to choose from when they return to school next semester.
In the email, UTRGV President Guy Bailey said their top priority is to keep students safe during the COVID-19 pandemic and to ensure it does not negatively impact their academic career.
“Our top priority in every decision we make is and will always be the health and safety of our students and campus community,” Bailey said. “After that, we also want to ensure this pandemic doesn’t negatively impact your progress toward your degree.”
Students will have the option to choose the following type of classes:
>>Online asynchronous: These classes will be fully online and there will be no designated meeting time or real-time instructor/student interaction. With all lectures recorded, students will have the flexibility to choose when you attend class and complete assignments.
>>Online synchronous: These classes will be fully online but meet at the designated class time for live instructor/student interaction. Online Synchronous classes follow a set class schedule and have real-time instruction but are conducted 100% remotely via Zoom from the safety and comfort of your home.
>>Hybrid/Reduced seating: These classes will have a combination of online meetings and assignments as well as on-campus instruction. Despite advances in technology, elements of some courses simply can’t be taught completely online, the official website reads. For those courses requiring the use of specialized equipment or in-person instruction methods, such as hands-on science lab practicums, students will learn via a hybrid approach.
>>Traditional face-to-face: Students enrolled in traditional face-to-face courses will attend class in person, on campus, and on set schedules — the traditional way. Safety will be maintained by conducting classes in spaces that allow for proper social distancing, the use of face coverings, and other measures as appropriate at all times, the official website reads.
>>Accelerated online programs: These programs will continue as normal and follow their own academic calendar through the Graduate College.
>>Interactive video: These classes are administered via live video feed and combine aspects of Online Synchronous and Traditional Face-to-Face modalities. Students in Interactive Video Classes attend in-person and follow a set schedule with real-time instruction from faculty.
If you are a student and would like to access the full list of courses and their modalities, visit my.utrgv.edu, click “class schedule” under the resources section and select the term you wish to view in the “Search by Term” drop-down menu.
For the fall 2020 semester, there will be 2,371 online asynchronous classes, 1,257 online synchronous, 1,152 hybrid/reduced seating and 484 face to face.
“We recognize that the situation with COVID-19 is highly fluid, and we will continue to monitor the pandemic and make any necessary adjustments as we move forward together to safeguard your health and enable your academic success,” Bailey said.
