An Analysis of Final Grades for Selected Courses in the Farquhar Center for Undergraduate Studies: Differences between On-Campus Students and Off-Campus Students.

Overview & Synopsis

This study examined differences in final course grades for campus-based and distance education students in the undergraduate studies program at Nova Southeastern University (Florida). Data on 11,930 course grades for winter term 1997 were obtained from university records. It was found that students enrolled in courses offered through distance education received a significantly greater frequency of successful grades (A, B, C, or Pass) than their campus-based counterparts. In regard to six specific courses offered both on-campus and off-campus, students enrolled in two management courses received a significantly greater frequency of successful grades than their campus-based counterparts. In the other four courses, one in business and three in education, off-campus students were in parity with on-campus students in terms of relative frequency of successful grades received. An appendix provides four sets of data tables. (MDM)