Flexible Learning Program FAQs

This program is offered as totally online or hybrid. The program can be done part-time or full-time.

Part-Time – Modular Intensive

• Most students complete the program by coming to campus three weeks a year, usually once a semester (Fall, Spring, and Summer). There is advance work to complete before arriving on campus for that week, and a project to finish after leaving.
• At this pace, the M.A. can be completed in as little as 3 years but students have up to 5 years to complete the degree. Students can work with an adviser to plan out their 40 credit hour program.

Part-Time Only – in Tandem with Residential or Remote Assistantships

• Classes are offered residentially or in a distance learning format. Individuals enrolled residentially take classes while working as a graduate assistant on campus in Wheaton, IL, either in the residence halls or through a campus organization.
• Those who enroll in this 2-year flexible learning format can take classes from a distance while staying in their current settings, with week-long intensives on campus in July and January.

Part-Time – Hybrid Intensive

• 2-year part-time hybrid option that offers a combination of on-campus intensive courses and online courses.
• The part-time hybrid option was created to serve individuals who are out on the field and looking to pursue graduate studies remotely. In this format, you will have to make 2 trips to Wheaton, for a total of 2 weeks on campus at the beginning and end of the program. The rest of the courses are online and can be completed at your convenience.

Part-Time – Modular Intensive

• Most students complete the program by coming to campus three weeks a year, usually once a semester (Fall, Spring, and Summer). There is advance work to complete before arriving on campus for that week, and a project to finish after leaving.
• At this pace, the M.A. can be completed in as little as 3 years but students have up to 5 years to complete the degree. Students can work with an adviser to plan out their 40 credit hour program.

Part-Time – Summers only (2 Options)

• 5 summers by taking two weeks of courses (8 credits) each summer
• 4 summers, taking two weeks of courses (8 credits) each summer and then a combination of the following: internship, independent study, online, distance learning courses or intensive/modular classes during another time of the year.

Part-Time – Intensive or Hybrid

• This 2-year program is offered in intensive or hybrid formats, allowing students to participate from a distance if they need to maintain their roles elsewhere. You would only need to come to HoneyRock for one to two weeks of residential sessions per semester, timed to accommodate camp programs.
• Moreover, if the camp that you are working for is a member of CCCA, you are eligible for a 15% tuition discount.
• Students who are not residential at HoneyRock will often take the studies at a more leisurely pace, to allow them to be fully immersed in their place of work.

TESOL Flex Option

• The program in the 2- or 3-year Flex format offers online classes taught in an asynchronous online format which allows online students to participate in a graduate TESOL course taught on Wheaton’s campus during the fall or spring semesters.

The Wheaton College Graduate School offers a variety of flexible programs that offer the same level of academic excellence while allowing you to remain in your current location. This ranges from a combination of intensives and online coursework to summers-only programs.

Hybrid courses consist of mostly online study and learning with a visit to Wheaton’s campus for one week during the semester for an in person / intensive week of study with the class.

Online courses are offered in most of the degree programs with only two degrees offered fully online through the TESOL and Intercultural Studies programs: the M.A. in TESOL and Intercultural Studies and the Graduate Certificate in TESOL.

Residential classes take place in person on campus.

The flexible learning format varies per degree option. To get a better understanding of what flexible learning opportunities are available for the degree you’re interested in, see above. If you have any additional questions about the flexible learning format for a particular degree you’d like to pursue, please contact graduate.admissions@wheaton.edu.

For our fall and spring semester, we recommend staying at a local hotel or Airbnb in town. You can find a list of a few hotels here (Local Hotels). During the summer semester, we have optional on-campus housing. Feel free to reach out to us at mml@wheaton.edu for additional information.

We want you to have access to everything you need as a flexible learning student. Visit our Flexible Learning Resources Guide for more information regarding what you need before coming on campus, resources you have while on campus, billing and payment, etc.

Yes. Wheaton College offers two fully online options through the TESOL and Intercultural Studies programs: the M.A. in TESOL and Intercultural Studies and the Graduate Certificate in TESOL.

Wheaton’s campus offers a variety of outdoor activities and nearby fun so you can make your visit worthwhile.

Illinois Prairie Path

South of campus, just across the railroad tracks
This stretch of wooded trail alongside Wheaton's campus is only the beginning of a 62-mile pathway for walkers, joggers, and bicyclists.
Website

Wheaton French Market

Saturday, 9am-2pm
Downtown Wheaton, at the intersection of Main Street and Liberty Drive, just south of the railroad tracks.
Modeled after an outdoor market in France, this weekend marketplace is alive with locally grown produce, flowers, baked goods, and handcrafted gifts. 

Cosley Zoo

Hours: 9:00 - 5:00 
1365 N. Gary Avenue, Wheaton
Admission: $5 adults, children 3-17 free
A local petting zoo and pumpkin patch with plenty of places to picnic.
Website

Morton Arboretum

Hours: 9:00 - 6:00
4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle
Admission: $12 adults; $11 seniors; $9 youth age 2-17
1,700 acres of gardens, including native woodlands, a restored Illinois prairie, and 16 miles of hiking trails.
Website

Kuipers Family Farm

Hours: 9:00 - 6:00 
1N318 Watson Road, Maple Park, IL (26 miles west of campus)
Apple-picking, pumpkin-picking, barnyard animals, corn maze, and farm stand.
Website

Downtown Wheaton

Stroll through the streets of our historic town and visit the many shops and restaurants.
Website

Downtown Glen Ellyn

Explore the shops and restaurants of our neighbor town just two miles to the east.  
Website