Online and Distance Education (ODE)

The Online and Distance Education (ODE) department provides leadership, coordination, and support for NC State’s online and distance education programs. We ensure that online learning is high-quality and aligned with university standards. Within ODE, the Administrative Services team and the Office of the Associate Vice Provost for Online and Distance Education (AVP-ODE) work together to integrate and coordinate distance education processes across the university, supporting colleges, departments, faculty, staff, and students.

ODE also includes Academic Testing Services, which offers local and off-campus proctoring for students, and DELTA’s Research and Analysis team, which advances research, assessment, and collaborative partnerships to support best practices in survey design, research, and analysis. This page highlights the services and resources offered by the ODE Administrative Services team and the Office of the AVP-ODE. For more information about Testing Services or Research and Analysis, please visit their respective web pages.

Services

The ODE Administrative Services team and the Office of the AVP-ODE support the full lifecycle of online and distance education programs, from prospective student inquiries to program planning, compliance, and ongoing program administration. We offer a wide range of services to support faculty, staff, and students; some of our key services are outlined below.

ODE Administrative Services

Student Support

We provide limited support to prospective and current students, responding to online and distance education inquiries and connecting them with the appropriate campus resources. Are you a student and have a question? Submit the Online and Distance Education Inquiry Form.

Faculty and Staff Support

Strategic Program Consultation: We assist faculty, program directors, coordinators, and administrative units with planning and developing online programs, offering guidance on university processes, policy alignment, and regulatory requirements.
Training and Support: We assist faculty and staff with navigating university systems and processes, such as the Non-Degree Studies (NDS) application process, and share best practices for managing ODE programs.

Program Marketing and Market Research

Program Promotion: We maintain and update the ODE website to promote new and existing online programs and ensure information is accurate and helpful to prospective students.
Market Research Support: Using Lightcast’s Analyst software, we generate labor-market reports and provide data to inform program planning and development.

Non-Degree Studies (NDS) Support

We manage the NDS application process for online undergraduate certificate and licensure programs.

Office of the AVP-ODE Services

• Professional Licensure Compliance: Collaborates with academic programs to maintain accurate licensure information and meet federal disclosure requirements for programs that may lead to professional licensure.
• State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) Compliance: Oversees NC State’s compliance with SARA, ensuring the university maintains authorization to offer online programs across state lines and completing all required reporting.
• Regulatory Compliance & Collaboration: Serves as the liaison with the Office of General Counsel, the Graduate School, and Enrollment Management and Services to interpret federal regulations and implement required compliance measures. 
• Curriculum Coordination: Reviews and approves distance education program curricular actions on behalf of the VP-DELTA, ensuring programs meet university standards.
• Academic Planning & Institutional Collaboration: Act as the primary contact for DE program matters with OASIS, the Graduate School, the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, and the Office of Undergraduate Courses, Curricula, and Academic Standards, facilitating collaboration and planning across the university for distance education initiatives.
• DE Consultations: For questions or consultation requests, please contact Dr. Tim Petty, AVP-ODE.