Course Descriptions and Objectives
Descriptions and objectives are available for each course as PDFs on NOVA's website.
Early Online College with Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA)
No cost online college for FCPS high school juniors and seniors. Learn about the collaboration with FCPS and Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) where students can take up to two college courses online.
Early Online College is a collaboration with FCPS and Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) that offers high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to take up to two college courses online. There is no cost to students.
Get a jumpstart on your college education while you're still in high school! For a limited time, NOVA is offering select asynchronous college courses (2 per semester) at no cost to Fairfax County high school juniors and seniors. Online courses begin on September 23, 2024, and end on December 17, 2024.
Completed Applications for Early Online College are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, July 26, 2024.
Information Session
Early Online College Information Session
- Date: Tuesday, May 21, 2024
- Time: 6-7 p.m.
- Location: Zoom (online)
Register to receive the Information Session Zoom link.
Benefits
Benefits to taking college credits while in high school include:
- Students may complete up to two college courses per semester.
- Families save money--each class is free!
- Early Online College lowers the cost of college--students graduate from high school with college credits that are highly transferable to many colleges and universities.
- Students have access to campus resources and participate in college events and activities
- Accelerates earning an associate degree from NOVA.
- NOVA has transfer agreements with Virginia state colleges, ensuring your credits count at a VA 4-year public institution.
- Courses are asynchronous so students can still participate in jobs
Available Courses
3-credit courses require 8 to 12 hours per course-per week of asynchronous online study time.
| Course Code | Course Title | Textbook Costs |
|---|---|---|
| ARA 101 | Beginning Arabic I | $40.00 |
| CST 110 | Introduction to Human Communication | $0 |
| ECO 201 | Principles of Macroeconomics | $0 |
| ECO 202 | Principles of Microeconomics | $0 |
| GEO 200 | Introduction to Physical Geography | $0 |
| HIS 102 | History of World Civilization post-1600 CE | $0 |
| ITE 152 | Intro to Digital and Info Literacy and Computer Applications | $165.00 |
| ITN 101 | Introduction of Network Concepts | $165.00 |
| ITN 107 | Personal Computer Hardware and Troubleshooting | $150.00 |
| ITN 257 | Cloud Computing: Infrastructure and Services | $165.00 |
| REL 100 | Intro to the Study of Religion | $0 |
| SDV 100 | College Success Skills | $0 |
| SOC 200 | Introduction to Sociology | $0 |
Registration Process
- Apply to NOVA. This will give you a 7-digit NOVA ID.
- Create a Dual Enrollment Student Account.
- If you have already created an account, log in and proceed to step 3.
- You will need your NOVA EMPLID number for your account.
- Be sure to select "Early Online College Fall 2024" as your term.
- Have your parent or legal guardian consent to your course selection.
- Upload a copy of your current high school transcript that includes a required cumulative GPA of 3.0 and higher or any qualifying scores.
To check your application status, log in to you Dual Enrollment Student Account. Check your email for updates as your application is processed.
Early College Online Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Open to juniors and seniors
- Must meet enrollment criteria via GPA or qualifying test scores
- Must submit a current high school transcript and qualifying scores
- NOVA Online, asynchronous course
- Two courses per semester
- Total credit limit of 18 credits per term
- College credit only
- Free to students enrolled in an FCPS high school
- Office of Dual Enrolment will complete the enrollment and confirm in the student’s nvcc.dualenroll.com account. Students may not select the instructor.
- High school juniors and seniors currently attending a Fairfax County public school may apply.
- Applicants must demonstrate proof of English and math college readiness.
- Applicants who can complete a 12-week, 3 credit course with 8 to 12 hours of study time per week and weekly deadlines.
- Juniors and Seniors looking to get a head start on college coursework.
- Planning on attending NOVA next year for an associate degree
- Planning on attending a four-year college/university and looking to obtain college credits that will fulfill general education requirements at most VA colleges and universities.
- Should be able to learn in an asynchronous learning environment
- Asynchronous online format
- Not self-paced, weekly or mid-weekly deadlines
- Instructor office hours, NOVA resources available
- Map out your week and schedule your course work like you are going to class
- Reach out early if you have questions, concerns or feel this isn’t the right fit
- Access Canvas the Friday before the start date
- Check with your high school IT Coordinator if you are planning to use your FCPS issued computer as you may need to add a lockdown browser for proctored exams or other tools not loaded on your computer.
- 3-credit,12-week courses: 8 to 12 hours of study time per week per course
- 1-credit, 12-week courses: 3 to 4 hours of study time per week per course
- Apply to NOVA. This will give you a 7-digit NOVA ID.
- If you are already a NOVA student, locate your EMPLID and proceed to step 2.
- Create a Dual Enrollment Student Account.
- If you have already created an account, log in and proceed to step 3.
- You will need your NOVA EMPLID number for your account.
- Be sure to select "Early Online College Fall 2024" as your term.
- Have your parent or legal guardian consent to your course selection.
- Upload a copy of your current high school transcript that includes a required cumulative GPA of 3.0 and higher or any qualifying scores.
To check your application status, log in to you Dual Enrollment Student Account. Check your email for updates as your application is processed.
For more information, contact NOVA’s Office of Dual Enrollment at [email protected].
- Early Online College Information Session: Tuesday, May 21, 2024, 6-7 p.m.
- Registration Deadline: 5 p.m. on July 26, 2024.
- Early Online College start date: September 23, 2024.
- Early Online College drop date: October 5, 2024
- Early Online College withdrawal date: November 13, 2024
- Early Online College classes end: December 17, 2024
Course enrollment dates will be listed in the course syllabus and NOVA account after enrollment.
NOVA will enroll students in specific Early Online College sections.
Tuition and fees are only covered for specific Early Online College sections enrolled through the program.
- In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1793 and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008, NOVA makes reasonable accommodations in:
- courses
- programs
- building modifications
- auxiliary aids and services
- Most correspondence with a NOVA Counselor will occur in your NOVA email account.
- IEP and 504 accommodations are not guaranteed for college coursework.
Any student wishing to receive accommodations for a NOVA course must apply online.
Students are only permitted to register for 2 courses.
If you register for more than two, you will be contacted to limit your choice.
These are college credit only courses.
High school credit will not be issued either as dual enrollment or concurrent credit.
No, you must stay in the section in which you are placed in order to receive the free tuition as part of this program.
- You may drop your Early Online College course on or before October 5, 2024. If you drop by this date the course will not show on your NOVA transcript.
- You may withdraw from your Early Online College course with no grade penalty on or before November 13, 2024. If you withdraw by this date, a W will show on your NOVA transcript.
Yes, the transcript should be submitted as part of your application package.
The courses were selected because they meet most of NOVA’s Associate degree requirements and are highly transferable to many colleges and universities.
Check with the colleges you are interested in attending to see if they will transfer.
All classes are asynchronous, and they may have high school students from neighboring districts or in some cases NOVA students may be enrolled to fill sections.
