Most college courses start with one central document: The Course Syllabus. Your instructor might have a different name for this document, like “course policies” or “course contract,” but you should be given some document or presentation at the start of the course that explains both the instructor’s and the institution’s expectations for all students in the class.

There are a few areas to look for in an online course syllabus that may help you understand how the course will work. Figure out what the expectations are before you get started. Here are some key areas to review.

Class time expectations

Many syllabi will define the expectation for the number of class hours that students should put in each week. For example, many classes use the calculation that every credit hour of class should be multiplied by three to figure out the time you’ll spend on work. Using this method, a 3-credit-hour class would require 9 hours of work per work. Your course syllabus may make a statement of how many hours per week students should plan to spend on the class.

These time expectations will also often include explanations of deadlines. Online courses may provide a single, weekly deadline for work (for instance, everything is due on Sunday nights), or they may provide deadlines throughout the week (for instance, some assignments may be due on Mondays, some on Wednesdays, and some on Fridays). It’s important to take note of these structures, as not all courses are built alike! In fact, even within the same college – even within the same department – many instructors will set up their schedules differently. Look to the syllabus and, if provided, a course schedule to figure out how frequently you’ll need to be turning in work.

Finally, some classes will require specific times that you need to be online. This is referred to as “synchronous” learning, meaning everyone learns at the same time (you’re in sync). (Classes where all learning happens on your schedule are called “asynchronous” courses). Some instructors like to present a course lecture at the same hour every week and allow students to ask questions “live.” Others may offer quizzes only during a certain time span. The syllabus and/or the course schedule should let you know if there are required synchronous elements to your online course. Courses may also recommend or require you to have access to a computer with a high-speed internet connection for a certain number of hours each week. Look for these requirements up front, and ask for help if you can’t locate them.

Special note: Some online courses require taking tests in-person. This could require you to come to the campus itself to take the test in a testing lab or with the instructor, or it could require you to find a proctor if you’re taking the class from somewhere else. There are two types of proctoring services, in-person proctoring and online proctoring.

In-person proctors are people who monitor test-taking at a physical location. For example, most colleges have a testing office where students can take make-up exams. These offices often provide services for online learners to take tests in a controlled in-person environment. These offices may require you to make an appointment to take your test. They will likely also require some form of identification. If you’re taking a test at a college other than your own college, you may have to pay a fee, and you’ll need to make sure that your college has sent the testing materials to the testing center you’re using. If you don’t live near another college, you might be able to find a proctor at other testing centers, employment centers, or libraries. Your own college may be able to assist in helping you find a test proctor.

Online proctoring is required for some classes. This is when a test is taken online, usually from your own computer, while a program runs in the background that monitors your actions. Some colleges pay for online proctoring/monitoring services and will provide you with information (such as a login or code) for using the services. There are sometimes charges involved with these services, too, and you may need special software on your computer.

No matter when or where you take an online exam, make sure that you have a steady, high-speed Internet connection. If your wifi (or mobile network) fails while you’re taking an exam, it is likely you’ll be logged out from the system. It’s like walking out of the classroom in the middle of a test in a physical classroom – you may not be able to walk back in. Look to your course syllabus for details about exam expectations and timelines.

Material Expectations

Most course syllabi will define what materials you need for the course. (In fact, by law, courses have to disclose any materials that will require students to spend money). For an online course, you might assume that costs will be lower, but this is not always the case. Investigate the syllabus to see what the requirements will be, and look for hidden requirements throughout the course so that you’re set up for every upcoming requirement. Here are a few things to check.

Textbook requirements:

Some online classes require the purchase of a printed textbook, while others may suggest either an electronic book or will provide all resources through the online course system. Don’t assume that an online class will have free materials. Check the college bookstore (either in person or through their web site) to find a list of required readings for the class.

If you anticipate that you’d rather read your class materials on paper than online, remember that printing will likely cost money. Home printers have ink and paper costs; campus printers usually charge by the page. Don’t forget to budget for this expense if you want to print your materials.

Some courses may also require you to complete homework through an outside platform. This may require the purchase of an access code. This can often be done through the bookstore or through a link provided by your instructor. Access codes grant access to a specific online book or place to do homework for a certain amount of time (usually one term or one year).

Tip: Some sites offer a free trial for the first week or two of class. If you’re not sure whether you’ll stay in the class or not, definitely use the free trial, or ask your instructor if they know of a trial code. Once you pay for an access code, you usually cannot get a refund (and you can’t resell the code), whether you use the resources or not.

Equipment requirements

Online courses typically require two types of equipment: software and hardware. They will usually explain these requirements in the first week of class. Before your class starts, you can probably find out the recommended type of computer or device to use for your class through your college’s online learning department; your campus bookstore may also have information on useful typical systems. You can also search online for “minimum technical requirements” for the type of learning management system in use at your college to find out if your current device will work.

Typical hardware requirements

A computer (or similar device): You’ll need access to a device that can connect to the Internet. That might sound obvious — but the type of device might also matter, as well as how fast it can work and what it can display. Many instructors may recommend that you complete coursework using a desktop or laptop computer, and they may have designed parts of the class with these devices in mind. However, there may be parts of the course that you can complete using a mobile device or tablet.

Usually, the type of computer does not matter. Desktops and laptops should work equally well. In addition, for most classes, it won’t matter whether you’re using a PC (Windows) machine, an Apple (Mac) machine, or something else (Linux, for instance). A recent version of the operating system will likely be required.

A high-speed Internet connection: You’ll need access to the Internet at speeds that will support easy playback of video and audio content. For example, YouTube suggests that users have a “download speed” of 1+ Mbps (megabytes per second) to access live content. If you can comfortably watch movies from online (for instance, through Netflix, Hulu, or another streaming service) on your usual Internet connection, you’ll likely have the right speed for your course. You can also search online for speed tests to see what your connection allows.

It’s important to consider how often you have access to the high-speed connection. The box above with tips about owning the computer also applies to having your own Internet access. If you won’t be able to complete coursework reliably at home, make sure you take that into consideration when making your course plans.

A microphone: Most laptops, tablets, and smartphones come with a pre-installed microphone (though the quality may not be great on your computer or tablet). Many users may already own a headphone-microphone combination like the one pictured at right. Otherwise, you might want to purchase a microphone or headset if you want to participate in class video conferences or record audio (for instance, to put a voice over slides or create a video).

Speakers or headphones: You won’t need expensive speakers for most courses. Typical headphones or a headset should work work well; most phones, tablets, and laptops have speakers installed that would work well.

A webcam or video camera: Most tablets, laptops, and phones will have front-facing cameras already installed, and it’s unlikely you’ll need a higher resolution than what’s already there. If you have a desktop or an old laptop, and your course will require video participation, you might be able to purchase an inexpensive web camera from your campus bookstore or through an online retailer.

Other, less often required hardware:

• A flashdrive or other solid media drive
• A digital camera
• A pen tablet or drawing pad
• A touchscreen
• A printer
• Musical equipment

Software requirements

Most courses will have only basic software requirements, unless you’re working within a discipline that uses specific applications frequently. As an example, many graphic design courses may require the use of Adobe Creative Cloud software or its equivalents. Here are the most common software requirements for online courses:

Word processing software suites: This is a set of applications that include a program to write in, a program to create electronic slides in, and often a spreadsheet program, along with other useful applications. Three suites are used most frequently in online courses, and they can usually be used interchangeably.

• Microsoft Office: Microsoft’s Office 365 is available for free to students^[1] who have an e-mail address ending in .edu. You can consult their website at the link above for details or to find out how to buy. It includes a writing program (Microsoft Word), a slideshow program (PowerPoint), and a spreadsheet program (Microsoft Excel), among others. You can save documents directly to your device or to Microsoft’s cloud storage system, Microsoft OneDrive.
• Google’s G-Suite: These applications include a writing program (Google Docs), a slide program (Google Slides), and a spreadsheet program (Google Sheets), along with several other useful programs. If your school uses Google’s e-mail, you’ll have access to G-Suite automatically. When you’re logged in to your e-mail, click on the dotted box at the top of the screen to access all of the most popular programs from Google. Documents created in G-Suite are saved automatically to your Google Drive, which you can access from anywhere when you log in to your Google account. You can also download copies to your device in a number of formats or easily share the online versions for collaboration.
• LibreOffice: This set of free applications is available to anyone, anywhere, for no cost, and can be downloaded from its official website. It includes a writing program (Writer), a spreadsheet program (Calc), and a slideshow program (Impress), along with others. LibreOffice might seem too good to be true, but it is a robust and high-quality suite of programs. The one catch may be that there are sometimes fewer help resources available with LibreOffice as it is developed on a voluntary/donation basis. Documents are saved to your own device.

Document reading software:

You’ll likely need to read documents in PDF (Portable Document Format) in your course. Two pieces of free software are most often used to read PDF, and they may already be installed on your computer:

• Adobe Acrobat Reader
• Mac OS Preview

If your course requires reading an electronic book, you might have to download an application to read the book. This will usually match the site where you purchased the book:

• Amazon Kindle
• Barnes and Noble Nook
• Kobo reader (independent bookstores)

Other, less commonly required software and a few examples of each:

• Video conferencing software (like Zoom, Google Meet/Hangouts, Skype)
• Video watching software (VLC, Quicktime player)
• Image editing software (Photoshop, GNU Image Manipulation Program)
• Video creation software (Screencast-o-matic, YouTube Creator Studio, Camtasia, Screenflow)

That’s a lot to digest! In the next section, we’ll discuss some common assignment expectations (and how to plan for them).