Evening classes, broadly defined, are all college courses that begin after 5 p.m. Nontraditional students, or those who do not enter college immediately after high school or who work full-time during the day, are the target audience for these courses. Even though any student can take night classes, the hours and curriculum of these programs are tailored to make them more accessible to those who have daytime commitments.
Evening classes are designed to meet the needs of nontraditional students in a variety of ways. The first is the duration of the classes, which gives them their name. By scheduling classes after 5 p.m., students can maintain a normal schedule during the day, such as going to work, while still furthering their education at night.
A condensed schedule is another way that evening classes are frequently geared toward nontraditional students. Evening classes can run for a variety of hours, days, and weeks in order to accommodate the largest possible number of students. Evening classes may only meet once a week for a few hours or even once every few weeks. The frequency of these classes varies, but the total number of hours the class meets during the semester is usually the same as in more traditional classes. Internet classes are an exception, as they frequently have slightly different accreditation requirements and can meet for fewer total hours than other classes.
Evening class locations can also differ from the norm. Evening classes can meet in other public places to make them more accessible to nontraditional students. Traditional classes usually meet on the college campus, but evening classes can meet in other public places. Elementary and high schools, local government facilities, and recreation centers are all common locations. Some night classes will meet at different locations each time, so it’s important to know where the class will meet each time.
Finally, rather than traditional professors and instructors, night classes are frequently taught adjuncts. Rather than being a member of the college’s staff, an adjunct is a part-time employee. In theory, adjuncts must meet the same standards as other instructors. Adjuncts, like many of their students, have other jobs or commitments, which can lead to some adjuncts being particularly knowledgeable about the material they are teaching and others being underprepared. Before enrolling in a class, prospective students should look up what other students have said about the professor.
Evening classes make college classes more accessible to nontraditional students, but they are still college classes. Despite nontraditional students’ often busy lives, the workload for these classes will be the same as in a traditional classroom, and the contributions required of them will be the same. Before enrolling in a night class, students should ensure that they are capable of meeting the course’s requirements.