The Center for Distance Education offers more than 135 courses in 40 disciplines. Some courses are offered online and some are available as traditional print-based correspondence courses. You may register in most courses as either a semester-based or as a year-long student. If you choose to take the class as a semester-based course, you must complete the course within the semester time frame. Review our list of semester-based courses (PDF). If you are interested in registering for a full-year course (where you aren't committed to the semester's length) a directory of year-long distance courses is available from the CDE office at 2175 University Ave. South in Fairbanks, 907-479-3444 or visit us online at http://distance.uaf.edu. See the chart below to determine which method of registration is best for you.

From the list of CDE courses (PDF), select the course(s) you wish to take. Current UA students should register using UAOnline at http://uaonline.alaska.edu. Register for the course in person by including it on your paper registration form and submitting it to your local registration office.

Once you are registered in the courses, you can purchase your materials and books at the CRCD Bookstore, located in the same building as the Center for Distance Education, 2175 University Ave. South, in Fairbanks. You may view a list of materials required for each course on our website at http://www.distance.uaf.edu.

FS Sections - Print-based courses

If you enroll in a course with an FS section, this designates the course as a traditional, print-based distance learning course. You will receive a printed course guide which will explain what to do for each lesson. You will write out the lesson requirements (or type on a computer) and send them to our office either by mail, using the prepaid envelopes you receive with your study guide, by fax to 907-479-3443, or by e-mail to ralesson@uaf.edu (unless your course guide says to send them directly to the instructor.) You will then receive your graded lesson back either by mail or by e-mail, depending on the course and instructor.

FX Sections - Web-based courses

If you enroll in a course with an FX section, this designates the course as being delivered by the Internet through the World Wide Web. You are required to have reliable Internet access to complete your course. Most courses use the Blackboard Learning Management System. To access the course material on Blackboard, go to http://classes.uaf.edu. If your course(s) uses Blackboard and you have used Blackboard in a previous class, you will automatically be added to the new course. Your username and password will remain unchanged.

If your course uses Blackboard but you have not been enrolled in a Blackboard class before, there will be additional steps for you to complete before you can begin the course work. Detailed instructions for accessing Blackboard will be included with your course materials. Please see http://classes.uaf.edu for online instructions. You may also contact the UAF Help Desk at 450-8300 in Fairbanks, toll free at 1-800-478-8226 or by e-mail at helpdesk@alaska.edu.

• You may NOT switch from a semester-based distance learning course to a yearlong distance learning course.
• This is very important! Your instructor may expect a certain number of lessons/exams to be completed by a specific date. For online courses, make sure you log onto Blackboard no later than the first day of instruction. Please ask your instructor. You might find that your grade has been automatically lowered a grade level or you might even be withdrawn from your course if you fail to meet a deadline.
• Faculty may withdraw students who do not meet the prerequisites or have not participated substantially in the course. A grade of "W" will appear on your academic record. Take responsibility for your course requirements so this does not happen to you!
• All UAF policies apply to semester-based distance learning courses; as with any semester-length course. This includes payment deadlines, drop/withdrawal deadlines, grading policies, registration deadlines and incomplete deadlines. Note: CDE has a different completion date of May 6 for the Spring 2010 semester.