Online/Distance Learning Support
William James College supports your online class experience by providing distance learning students with a variety of services. Just because you don't come to campus doesn't mean you can't take advantage of our fantastic support services, many of which are available through web based tools, some 24/7.
When web services are not an option, our student services departments can make themselves available to students over the phone or using our webinar technology. William James College's webinar tool allows you to share audio, visuals, and if you prefer, a webcam, with a member of our William James College students services team.
Please take a look at the various Student Service departments (listed below), and learn more about how they may be useful to you, our distance learning student.
The main goal of the Dean of Student’s offices is to facilitate, troubleshoot and triage issues that may arise for students during their time at William James College. Distance learning students are encouraged to contact the office for a phone or webinar consultation to talk about issues that may affect their education and development. In addition to one-on-one consultation, the Dean of Students office also offers additional student service resources including:
Academic Resource Center
The ARC is the Academic Resource Center for Students at William James College, which
offers assistance to graduate students experiencing difficulty with writing and other
academic tasks. Click here for more info.
Office of Multicultural Affairs and Community Service
William James College is committed to Diversity and Difference and meeting the needs
of our communities. Our distance learning students can see our activities on the Inclusive Excellence and Community Service pages.
For students who are eligible, William James College offers Federal Financial Aid for our distance learning programs.
Our staff is ready to assist our distance learning students with all aspects of the financial aid process, including application processing, budget preparation and management of education loans. We are available by phone or by email. You may also schedule an appointment for one-on-one consultations as needed. To schedule an appointment, please call 617-327-6777 x1524 or email hilary_baxter@williamjames.edu.
For more information on tuition, fees and links to the FASFA, please click here.
Our Library is an information and service referral center designed to support the research needs of students and faculty, both on campus and at a distance. The library maintains a core collection of resources that are available remotely through our Library website. These include electronic books, periodicals, audio-visual materials, and more. Comprehensive interlibrary loan services, computer services, and online reference databases are also available. The library services reflect William James College's commitment to teaching students how to obtain information effectively.
Bibliographic instruction in library research methods is offered on a continuing basis, and distance learning students may request training over the phone or using our webinar tools.
William James College is committed to the continuing acquisition and development of computer information resources in its library. The library supports current online subscriptions to PsycInfo, PsycArticles, and Ebsco Host—a full text database. Our community also has access to the following online databases: Medline, Expanded Academic Index, and Health Reference Center. For more information, click here.
Career Services offers career guidance and employment counseling, workshops, events, and resources to students and alumni across disciplines. Career Services collaborates with Alumni Relations, Field Education, and Academic Departments to help guide students and alumni through the many stages of their career development process. Please visit our career services web page.
William James College has been approved by Massachusetts to participate in the National
Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education.
Please click here for the William James College student complaint and resolution procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Distance learning is defined as a formal educational process where the student and instructor are not always in the same location. Distance learning courses may be offered as synchronous (live) or asynchronous (archived) and may utilize correspondence study, audio, video, or computer technologies.
Every William James College program falls under one of three course delivery classifications:
- Traditional: Course meets face-to-face, but may use web-based technology to supplement a meeting, or present course materials and information.
- Blended: Course blends online and face-to-face instruction. Most of the content (lectures, discussions, readings, assignments) are delivered online through William James College’s Course Management System, Canvas, and then group work, role playing and other activities better suited for face-to-face learning are reserved for when the course meets on campus. The on campus requirement varies for every program, so please visit the program page for more information.
- Online: All of the course content is delivered online. There are no face-to-face meetings.
William James College's blended courses incorporate both online and on-campus study. Under our blended model, students view the weekly lecture, take part in weekly assignments, discussions, and collaborative projects with faculty members and classmates, all using the online learning platform. Each student is then required to attend one intensive weekend-in-residence (WIR) per course in addition to other on-campus gatherings.
Graduate students from all backgrounds can benefit from the flexibility and intensity that a blended or online course can provide. Research has shown, however, that students who are self-motivated, proactive, organized, open to new ways of communication, and have had some experience with technology do exceptionally well under this particular model.
While we recommend that students come in with basic computer literacy skills, blended or online programs are not limited to students who are "technologically savvy." In addition to an online orientation and trainings that will precede the semester, William James College has a highly skilled support staff ready to address any concerns or problems you may have with the distance component of your program.
Most William James College blended and online courses lectures are offered as "asynchronous" lectures, which means you can login and view them at your own pace, provided you meet the assigned deadlines. Some courses will require you to login to an occasional live (synchronous) lecture, or to a scheduled group project meeting, however this will be made clear to you at the onset of the course
Not at this time. Currently you must adhere to your program's particular delivery method.
The WIR is required and vital to the cohort and experiential learning model. Most of William James College’s blended courses include one required weekend-in-residence, which is typically held on campus from 8:30am to 5:30pm or 9:00am to 6:00pm on both Saturday and Sunday during the course. The WIR brings students together on campus to build upon the material from the weekly online activities. Students must make sure they can attend the WIR before they sign up for a course, since the WIR experiences cannot be made up or replaced. Note: The online programs do not have a WIR.
William James College's distance learning approach is centered on active learning, engagement, and community. In addition to the in-depth weekly online discussions with fellow classmates and your professor, the intensive weekend-in-residence component of a blended program will allow you and your cohort to build strong academic and social bonds. Students participating in distance learning courses are also encouraged to come to campus to study, work on group projects, and participate in campus-wide activities and social events if possible. In addition, students enrolled in the programs have access to all of the same student service resources as face-to-face students.
William James College's wide range of services are available to every student, whether you are on-campus or at a distance. Please visit the student services links found to the left to learn more.