A telecourse is a complete and integrated instructional system. It generally includes television programs, a textbook and a variety of other instructional materials designed to be used by faculty and students as the principal components of a college course. The materials reflect the contributions of top scholars and curriculum designers from throughout the country. Further, the telecourse has been evaluated and refined through testing. The primary difference between a telecourse and a traditionally taught course is the manner in which instruction is delivered to students.
Traditional students come to campus for instruction by faculty several times per week.
Telecourse students work more independently, watching the television programs and reading the printed materials at home, with guidance from the course faculty through a variety of communication and instructional techniques. The required class meetings, however, are much fewer than in traditionally taught classes because the basic course content is delivered to students through television, print, and other types of faculty-student interactions. Telecourse students enroll in the college or university that has determined the telecourse to be equivalent to an existing traditional course. They pay tuition and fees to that institution, have access to all student services, study under its rules and regulations, are taught by the faculty, and receive academic credit. The faculty members make similar kinds of academic and instructional decisions as they would in a traditionally taught class.