Asynchronous Courses
« Back to Glossary Index
What are Asynchronous Courses?
Courses that let students access course materials and complete work on their own schedule, with no required live meetings. They’re ideal for online learners balancing jobs, family, or different time zones.
Key Features
- Learn at your own pace; no set class meetings.
- Suits diverse schedules and independent learners.
- Course content often includes pre-recorded lectures, assignments, and discussion boards.
Favorite Quote
“Asynchronous courses gave me the freedom to learn when life allowed—perfect for busy parents and adult students.” —Tracy Altheide
Stats and Accolades
- 80%+ of US colleges now offer asynchronous options.
- High student satisfaction and retention for online learning.
- Core format for MOOCs and self-paced platforms.
Related Blog Posts
- Are Asynchronous Classes Right for You? The Different Class Delivery Methods, CLEP College Credits, and Choosing Asynchronous vs Synchronous Learning
- How I studied for CLEP exams: Modern States to the rescue
- How to Start Your First Free College-Level Course on Modern States (CLEP Prep)
- Inside a Modern States Course: Layout, Quizzes, and Progress Tips
- Modern States CLEP Course Tips, Tools and Troubleshooting
Links and Resources
- Modern States asynchronous course catalog
- What is Modern States?
- What are CLEP exams?
- CLEP by College Board
- Dictionary definition for Asynchronous: Not synchronous; occurring at different times. ( Free Dictionary API )
- Dictionary definition for Courses: A sequence of events. ( Free Dictionary API )
Tracy A
Tracy helps self-starters and project finishers find the tools, strategies, and confidence to complete the work that matters most. She shares actionable tips, book notes, reviews, and personal experiments to help you start strong and finish well.