Hi, I was wondering if a first time freshman can take all online courses such as distant learning or is that for people who already have some college credit?
Sure you can. Especially if you enroll in a program that is primarily or entirely online such as University of Maryland University College, or Penn State World Campus.
The general recommendation to take at least some “live” classes has to do with the specific challenges of distance ed. Online coursework requires a great deal of self-disciplne and self-motivation because of the lack of face-to-face contact with your instructor and classmates. Some people never do well in online classes.
Thank you for the response I am looking at one college that offers online degrees but I am confused if I need prior credit could you take a look at this link and let me know what you think? I’ve contacted the college and am just waiting for a response. http://catalog.unomaha.edu/undergraduate/college-public-affairs-community-service/school-criminology-criminal-justice/criminology-criminal-justice-bccj-bs/index.html#text
The program that you are interested in, does not admit students directly. They must complete some general education coursework and some major-specific coursework before applying for admission to the major program.
You are correct that it is not immediately clear from the information given, whether or not that preliminary coursework can also be taken in online format.