Taking classes with Valencia Online
Valencia provides students the opportunity to take college-credit courses online with access to all of the tools and resources as on-campus students.
Students should be advised that any course may require the use of a computer, computer labs, email, Internet, or other digital resources and support software, and these requirements are not necessarily in the course schedule. Below are the principal instructional delivery modes at Valencia, along with their respective class schedule descriptions.
Instructional Delivery Modes
Distance Learning
| Type of Course |
Description |
| Face-to-Face |
A course with face-to-face instruction which may be enhanced with technology. |
| Mixed-Mode* |
A course that blends the delivery of instruction between online and face-to-face (some hours are spent in the classroom with the rest being completed online). A minimum of 30% of the instruction of the course is delivered using some form of technology where the student and instructor are separated by time, space, or both. |
| Online* |
All class meetings and coursework occur online using the college-approved course management system. |
Technology Requirements
Valencia uses Canvas as our learning management system (LMS). Students are responsible for providing their own hardware, software, and Internet service provider, or for accessing the Internet using the technology available in any Valencia open computer lab. Visit the Minimum Technology Requirements webpage for information on supported operating systems, browsers, system requirements, and software.
Canvas and MyVC Help
The Canvas Help and MyVC Help Desk will provide assistance to troubleshoot technical problems.
- Canvas Help is available within the Canvas navigation menu with 24/7 assistance through chat, email, and the Canvas Support Hotline at 407-582-5600
- Tutorials and videos regarding MyVC are available on the Student How To website. MyVC Help Desk is available at 407-582-5444.
Navigating Canvas
Students enrolled in online courses should carefully read instructions from faculty and in the course syllabi for additional instructions on communicating throughout the course. Students enrolled in online courses will have a separate class email in Canvas, the college's learning management system. This email should be checked daily to stay on top of course communications and assignments.
Students new to Canvas should participate in Canvas 101, a self-paced course, to learn more about important features, such as how to communicate with instructors, view and submit assignments, and check grades. For additional support or resources, students can visit the Canvas Resources for Students webpage or the Canvas Student Frequently Asked Questions page.
For students taking mixed-mode or online courses, proctored testing or online, remote proctored testing may be required. Students registered for online courses may be required to take online, remote proctored exams using the online exam proctoring service, Honorlock. Visit the Student FAQ website for information, including the materials needed, how to access technical assistance, and preparing for a proctored exam.
Valencia is committed to ensuring that all of its programs and services are accessible to students with disabilities. The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) determines reasonable and appropriate accommodations for qualified students with documented disabilities based upon the need and impact of the specific disability. To inquire about the range of support services offered, visit the Office for Students with Disabilities website.
Students participating in coursework through Valencia Online may use all on-campus student services, as well as the Web-based services through the Valencia website and MyVC, including the LifeMap Tools for career and education planning. Through MyVC, Valencia provides each enrolled student with an
- Virtual access to a wide range of services, including Campus Store, Admissions and Records, Financial Aid, First Stop, Advising, and Career Services.
- Access to all on-campus student services.
- An official email account for enrolled students, which should be checked daily. For more information, visit Valencia Student Support for tutorials and guides.
- Librarians who are available virtually and via email. Library Services also include remote accessible Web-based resources for student research, including guides and tutorials specific to Valencia collections.
- Online tutoring where students can connect with a live tutor for a drop-in session, or with BrainFuse, a 24-hour tutoring and writing support service accessible through MyVC.
- Testing and Assessment, which provides a secure and conducive environment to support an optimal testing experience during placement testing and course testing
Valencia College is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA). However, NC-SARA has no effect on state professional licensing or requirements for any courses or programs leading to professional licensure.
Valencia College’s degree programs or curricula only meet Florida’s educational requirements for professional licensure. Regarding professional licensure in states other than Florida, we have not determined whether the programs meet the requirements in your state. To learn about licensure requirements outside of Florida, we encourage out-of-state students to contact the appropriate state licensing board or agency where they are located to familiarize themselves with the state educational and other licensing requirements for the profession or occupation in which they are interested. Currently, the state of California is not a part of NC-SARA. Therefore, if you have a California mailing address and are not registered in at least one face-to-face or mixed-mode course, you will be dropped from the online courses in which you are enrolled.
FloridaShines.org is Florida's Student Hub of Innovative Educational Services, an information-rich website of free online tools and resources to help students and adult learners succeed in school, earn a college degree, and embark on a rewarding career. Among the many features available on FloridaShines.org is the ability to easily research and compare all public colleges and universities in Florida, search for courses, check your progress to graduation, and so much more.
Their online course catalog lets you search for online courses offered at colleges and universities across the state, making it easy for students to take a course at another college or university without worrying about whether the credit will transfer. Under state policy, all state public institutions must accept credit for courses offered by another state public institution. Visit the Florida Shines website to learn more, includ search for and register for online courses across the state of Florida.
