The College has moved to a new student-centric course material delivery model in collaboration with Barnes & Noble. The program is called NOVA All Access (formerly Barnes & Noble College First Day® Complete). NOVA All Access will reduce the cost of course materials and ensure that you have all of your materials across all courses prior to the first day of class.
Instead of purchasing materials a la carte on the NOVA Online Bookstore Website, you receive access to all required course textbooks and digital materials for a flat fee per credit ($22.50/credit). You choose the delivery method that works for you (either pickup at the campus bookstore or direct shipment to your home) and receive all digital and electronic materials directly through Canvas. If the cost for course materials is determined to be less outside of NOVA All Access, you have the choice to opt out of the program each semester.
More information is available on the NOVA All Access Website.
OER Courses
If your course uses Open Educational Resources (OER) or is “no materials required,” your instructor will let you know the best way to obtain your course materials in your syllabus. You may not be required to purchase textbooks and other materials for this course. We are making this information available so you can make an informed choice about participating in NOVA’s new course materials program, NOVA All Access. For more information on NOVA All Access, please visit the NOVA All Access website.
If your instructor indicates you are not required to purchase materials and you are taking only courses with no materials required, then you should opt out of the NOVA All Access program.
Ebooks and Proctored Assessments
Electronic textbooks may not function during open-book assessments. Visit the Proctored Assessments Module or contact your instructor if you have any questions about the use of an ebook for open-book assessments in this class.
Notes for SSDL Students
SSDL students may purchase their textbooks from their campus bookstore or the NOVA Online Bookstore Website. However, SSDL students using financial aid to pay for their books must purchase from their campus bookstore. Be sure to check the NOVA Online Bookstore Website for the ISBN number for the required textbook to ensure that you are buying the correct textbook from your campus bookstore. If you have any questions, please contact your home college liaison.
You may be required to access linked library resources for this course. When clicking on these links, you may be prompted to log in.
Respondus Lockdown Browser and a webcam are often used when taking NOVA Online proctored assessments. iPads are not enabled for use with Respondus LockDown Browser. Some courses may require assessments to be taken with your professor live through Zoom. Still other courses may provide an alternate method of proctoring. Review the proctored/major assessments information in the course and the college’s minimum technology standards early on to be sure you will have everything you need in place to successfully complete your proctored/major assessments.
Speak with your professor if you have any issues with taking a proctored assessment (such as privacy concerns, equipment problems, or inability to attend a synchronous assessment session). If special arrangements for proctoring (such as taking an assessment at a nearby college testing center or military installation, for deployed students) need to be made, your professor may have you submit a NOVA Online Proctor Request form available in the student forms dashboard. Please note you must allow up to 5 business days for NOVA Online staff to process a completed request. Delays in submitting your request and delays in response to the verification process with your proctor may result in missed assessments and grade penalties.
If you have an approved Memorandum of Accommodation (MOA), reach out to your professor to discuss specific needs for the course and for testing. It is best to discuss your needs at the start of the semester/term to ensure you are fully supported.
If you are an SSDL student (enrolled in this course through a different Virginia Community College other than NOVA), refer to the Shared Services Distance Learning (SSDL) Student Information below.
Students enrolled through their home college as a Shared Services Distance Learning (SSDL) Student, can find support and resources on the SSDL page. If you have any questions about obtaining textbooks or need assistance requesting a proctor, please contact your home college SSDL Liaison.
Textbooks
Be sure to check the Textbooks and Materials section of the syllabus for the required textbook to ensure that you are buying the correct textbook from your home college bookstore.
SSDL students using financial aid to pay for their books must purchase from their campus bookstore. Other SSDL students may purchase their textbooks from their home college bookstore or from the NOVA Online Bookstore.
Library Access
You may be prompted to log in when accessing linked library resources.
To log in, use your VCCS username and password. This is the same username and password that you use to access your online course.
For questions or concerns, please email the NOVA Online Librarian.
Research shows that students are most successful with online learning when they start their coursework on time and make steady progress. Refer to the chart below for the recommended hours you should expect to spend on the course based on the course length and number of credits.
| Course Length | 1 Credit | 2 Credits | 3 Credits | 4 Credits | 5 Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6-week | 5-8 hours/week | 10-16 hours/week | 16-24 hours/week | 21-32 hours/week | 26-40 hours/week |
| 7-week | 4-6 hours/week | 8-12 hours/week | 12-18 hours/week | 16-24 hours/week | 20-30 hours/week |
| 8-week | 4-6 hours/week | 8-11 hours/week | 11-16 hours/week | 15-22 hours/week | 18-28 hours/week |
| 10-week | 4-5 hours/week | 7-10 hours/week | 10-15 hours/week | 13-20 hours/week | 17-25 hours/week |
| 12-week | 3-4 hours/week | 6-8 hours/week | 8-12 hours/week | 11-16 hours/week | 14-20 hours/week |
| 15-week | 2-3 hours/week | 4-6 hours/week | 6-9 hours/week | 8-12 hours/week | 10-15 hours/week |
NOVA Online assignment due dates are based on Eastern Time (ET).
Use these directions to change the Time Zone in your Canvas settings to stay on track with assignments.