Students who are interested in getting a degree from Patrick Henry College but want to take distance learning classes will choose the Campus & Home program. The Campus & Home program allows a student to take as much of the PHC core curriculum through distance learning as they choose and then to come to campus to complete the degree. Examples of what a student might take each semester can be found here.

Distance learning allows for a more economical and flexible approach to a college education. Some students will want to complete the degree as quickly as possible and take a full load each semester. Other students may choose to go at a slower pace. Often the students that choose a slower pace are those still in high school. PHC Distance Learning courses allow exceptional high school students to begin earning credits toward a bachelor's degree.

Here is an example of how a student might obtain a degree through PHC using distance learning: John is a senior in high school and he decides to take a PHC DL class to see what it is like. He fills out the distance learning application and gets started on the course. He then realizes that PHC is the college for him and he wants to pursue the new Strategic Intelligence Track within the Government major. He completes the full application and is accepted. He now is able to take as much of the core curriculum through distance learning as he wants and then come to campus whenever he is ready to finish the degree. He may decide to just take DL classes for one semester and then come to campus. Or he may decide he wants to take as much of the core as he can before coming. (Note that students may not return to distance learning after coming to campus.)

So what will be the best option for you as you pursue your PHC degree? Should you take one semester of DL and then come to campus, or should you take as much of the core curriculum as you can, or maybe something in between? Really only you can answer that question. You should work with your family and our admissions office to make that decision. Don't hesitate to call or email us with questions! Admissions@phc.edu, 540-338-1776

Degree-seeking students complete the full application, whether they choose to be on campus for the entire four years or for only part of that time if they choose to take advantage of DL. For those students who wish to simply take courses at PHC for a time without seeking a degree, there is the Distance Learning Application

The Distance Learning Application is designed to make it easy to get started with PHC distance learning right away. It is a tool whereby the college seeks students with the same high academic accomplishments and commitment to PHC's unique Christian mission, but it does not include the lengthy review that is applied to the degree-seeking applicants. The minimum requirements for the distance learning application are: student is at least 16 and a junior in high school (exceptions can be made), agreement with the College's Statement of Faith, and a short essay. Students accepted through this application earn the same credit and build a transcript just as degree-seekers do, but they cannot come to campus to take classes or go beyond 30 credits of distance learning without completing the full application and committing to graduate from PHC.

The most common path for PHC distance learning students is to start with the distance learning application and then at some point go through the full application.