Distance Learning and Learning Resources

Distance Learning at Tri-County 

Online classes at TCCC are available through Moodle, a website that allows instructors to present course material and assignments to students. Students can access online courses at home, campus computers or anywhere with a high speed internet connection.

Internet courses cover the same material and have the same credit hours as conventional courses; however, these courses allow students to access the information at a time and place convenient to them.

Tri-County Community College is committed to providing an education for residents in Cherokee, Clay, and Graham North Carolina counties as well as out-of-state students. For many, time and circumstances make it difficult to take traditional courses. Online courses can help make education a reality. 

Why Take Online Courses?

  • Convenience - Online courses are flexible. You work when you are ready to work.
  • Cost - Online courses save automobile and other travel-related expenses.
  • Comfort - Online courses allow your home to be your classroom.

Visit the  Distance Learning Support webpage  or click a link below for more information

Login to your Self-Service account to search the Schedule of Classes for a list of online and hybrid classes being taught this semester. From the Class Type drop down menu select either Online Classes or Hybrid Classes. Online classes are held completely online. Hybrid classes are held partially online and partially in class.

Distance/Online courses are presented on Moodle, a website where students interact with instructors, review course materials, submit assignments, participate in forums, take exams and check grades, all from any location with Internet access.

Use your 7 digit student ID number found on your schedule printout or at the top of your student ID card.


Username: first 4 letters of your last name followed by the last 4 digits of your student ID number.

USERNAME EXAMPLE: stud4567

INITIAL PASSWORD: for new Moodle users the initial password is the first 2 letters of your last name (with the 1st letter capitalized) and birthdate in 2 digit format

EXAMPLE: Susie Student birthdate: January 1, 1998 Initial password will be St010198

Returning students will use the same password as the previous semester.

Password trouble? Please contact ccornwell@tricountycc.edu or 828-835-4309


To access your class on Moodle, click HERE.

View a Moodle login video tutorial

Contact:  Donnie Morrow, Learning Management Systems Administrator

Moodle Support
e-mail:dmorrow@tricountycc.edu
Phone: 828-835-4287
Office: McSwain 119

Computer support is available to traditional and online students.

Contact: Carissa Cornwell, Learning Management Systems Technician

Online Computer Support
e-mail: ccornwell@tricountycc.edu
phone: 828-835-4309
visit: Student Computer Support lab – McSwain building, Room 119

You must complete the PASSWORD MANAGEMENT process before logging in to Self-Service or Student Email

PASSWORD MANAGEMENT
Password management is located on the TCCC homepage
https://www.tricountycc.edu/ under the Quick Links dropdown menu.

You may use the following URL: https://reset.tricountycc.edu/

To enroll in Password Management NEW students will use the following:
Username: First 4 letters of your last name + last 4 digits of your student
ID number 
Password: First 2 letters of last name (with first letter capitalized) and your
birth date in MMDDYY format
You will then set up security questions and answers that will allow you to
reset or unlock your account.
Returning students may need to visit https://reset.tricountycc.edu/ and
click on “Forgot Password” to reset their password, if it has expired from
the previous semester.

Student e-mail and Self-Service have the same password.
Passwords will expire every 90 days.
You cannot change your Moodle password via password
management. You must use the “Forgot Password” link from Moodle.
The system will send an e-mail to your TCCC student e-mail to allow
you to reset your Moodle Password.
Check your email for notifications of your password expiration

Student account information is found inside your Self-Service page. You can use Self-Service to check final grades and transcripts, register for classes, and check your financial aid award status.

To access your Self-Service account, access the Current Students link on the TCCC home page and select Self-Service. Enter the username and password that you set up in the Password Management system.

You will use the following to log in to Self-Service

Username: 1st four letters of last name + last 4 digits of student ID number

Password: 1st 2 letters of last name, with 1st letter capitalized + birth date in MMDDYY format.

EXAMPLE:   Jane Smith  student ID:1234567  birthdate: January 1, 2001

Username:  smit4567   Password:  Sm010101

Returning students may need to visit https://reset.tricountycc.edu/ to reset their Self-Service and Student e-mail password.

Please note: This change will not affect your Moodle password

For more support with Self-Service login click HERE

To access your email account, click  HERE 

You will use the following to log in to email 

First 4 letters of your last name + last 4 digits of your student ID number +  @students.tricountycc.edu

(add the @students.tricountycc.edu to the end of your username ONLY when logging in to your email)

First 2 letters of last name (with first letter capitalized) and your birth date in MMDDYY format

EXAMPLE:   Jane Smith  student ID:1234567  birthdate: January 1, 2001

Username:  smit4567@students.tricountycc.edu    Password:  Sm010101

Electronic magazines, e-books and streaming videos are provided to faculty, staff and students on and off-campus 24/7. Your library account number is required to use library e-books, databases etc. off campus

For help logging in to Library resources  click here

Contact: Rachel Whitener, Director of Learning Resources

Online Library
e-mail: library@tricountycc.edu
phone: 828-835-4218
visit: Library – McSwain building

State Authorization for Distance Education Programs and Students

The U.S. Department of Education regulation 600.9(c) State Authorization requires that all U.S. post-secondary educational institutions must be legally authorized to provide post-secondary educational instruction in their states. These state laws and regulations also apply to online and distance education. To comply, Tri-County Community College and its online/distance educations programs must be authorized in certain states prior to offering those courses or programs to students residing in those states.


NC-SARA Logo

Tri-County Community College has been approved by North Carolina to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education. National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements.

The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement is a voluntary agreement among its member states and U.S. territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance-education courses and programs. It is intended to make it easier for students to take online courses offered by postsecondary institutions based in another state.


Prospective out-of-state students are advised to consult with officials in their state of residence and the appropriate Tri-County program director to assure that online courses offered by Tri-County Community College meet their state requirements before entering into a TCCC program.

The states in which the college is authorized to serve students are listed below.  If you reside in a state not on this list, you are not eligible to register for courses at Tri-County Community College at this time.  If you have questions, please contact our registrar’s office at: https://www.tricountycc.edu/student-services/registrar/

NC-SARA States
AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansas
ColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of Columbia
FloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdaho
IllinoisIndianaIowaKansas
KentuckyLouisianaMaineMaryland
MassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippi
MissouriMontanaNebraskaNevada
New HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew York
North CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahoma
OregonPennsylvaniaPuerto RicoRhode Island
South CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexas
UtahVermontVirginiaWashington
West VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

SARA North Carolina Portal Liaison:

Terrence R. Scarborough, M.P.A. Director of SARA North Carolina

North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority

P.O. Box 41349

Raleigh, NC 27629

T: (855) SARA1NC (727-2162) T: (919) 549-8614, ext.4667

terrence@saranc.org   www.saranc.org

Contact and Complaint Resolution Information For Other States

Professional Licensure
Eligibility for licensure and/or certification may involve more than successful degree completion. All Tri-County Community College academic programs prepare students to sit for applicable licensure in North Carolina.

In order to comply with U.S. Department of Education regulations regarding distance education and professional licensure, Tri-County Community College is required to make the following disclosure with respect to professional licensure outside the state of North Carolina:

Tri-County Community College cannot confirm whether a particular program meets requirements for professional licensure outside of the State of North Carolina.

Tri-County Community College has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA). However, NC-SARA does not deal with professional licensing board approval for any courses or programs leading to professional licensure. If you are not a resident of North Carolina and you are taking an online course or hybrid program leading to professional licensure, please contact the dean of the degree program at Tri-Community College to discuss licensure options prior to beginning your course of study. Please contact the appropriate licensure board(s) in any state you may want to pursue licensure prior to beginning a TC academic program in order to determine whether the program meets licensure requirements.

Students may view the disclosure for each program or certificate to know which state Tri-County Community College’s curriculum

  • meets state educational requirements for licensure or certification,
  • does not meet state educational requirements for licensure or certification, or
  • has not made a determination.

Licensure Information, by Profession

Automotive- 
Keith Marcus- Instructor Automotive Technology
Tri-County Community College
21 Campus Circle
Murphy NC 28906
828-835-4250
kmarcus@tricountycc.edu   
TCCC Automotive Program Licensure Disclosure
Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET)- 
Allen Denny
Tri-County Community College
21 Campus Circle
Murphy NC 28906
828-835-4243
adenny@tricountycc.edu 
TCCC BLET Program Licensure Disclosure
Cosmetology-  
Misty Kelischek
Tri-County Community College 
21 Campus Circle
Murphy NC 28906 
828-835-4225
mkelischek@tricountycc.edu
TCCC Cosmetology Program Licensure Disclosure
Culinary - 
Terra Ciotta
Tri-County Community College
21 Campus Circle
Murphy NC 28906
828-835-4242
tciotta@tricountycc.edu
 TCCC Culinary Program Licensure Disclosure
Emergency Medical Science - 
Bryan Gagnon 
EMS Instructor/Clinical Coordinator  
Tri-County Community College 
21 Campus Circle
Murphy NC 28906 
828-835-4227
bgagnon@tricountycc.edu - 
 TCCC Emergency Medical Science Program Licensure Disclosure
Emergency Medical Science- 
Kim Fairlie, Public Safety Training Instructor 
Tri-County Community College
21 Campus Circle
Murphy NC 28906 
828-835-4215
kfairlie@tricountycc.edu -  
TCCC Emergency Medical Science Program Licensure Disclosure
Esthetics Program, Misty Kelischek  
Tri-County Community College
21 Campus Circle
Murphy NC 28906
828-835-4225
mkelischek@tricountycc.edu   
TCCC Esthetics Program Licensure Disclosure
Medical Assisting, Greta Farmer
Tri-County Community College
21 Campus Circle
Murphy NC 28906   
828-835-4247
gfarmer@tricountycc.edu - 
 TCCC Medical Assisting Program Licensure Disclosure
Nursing Program - Jessica Arrowood 
Tri-County Community College
21 Campus Circle
Murphy NC 28906   
828-835-4252
jarrowood@tricountycc.edu - 
TCCC Nursing Program Licensure Disclosure
Paramedic - Henry Angelopulos, Director of Public Safety Training
Tri-County Community College
21 Campus Circle
Murphy NC 28906
828-835-4251
hangelopulos@tricountycc.edu
TCCC Advanced Paramedic Licensure Disclosure
Therapeutic Massage-
Heidi Holton, Instructor Massage Therapy
Tri-County Community College
21 Campus Circle, Murphy NC 28906
828-835-4296, hholton@tricountycc.edu
TCCC Therapeutic Massage Licensure Disclosure
Welding, Jason Penley, 
Tri-County Community College
21 Campus Circle
Murphy NC 28906 
828-835-4296
jpenley@tricountycc.edu
TCCC Welding Program Licensure Disclosure

Although we strive to connect you with the best information possible, Tri-County Community College may not be able to confirm whether a particular program meets state educational requirements for licensure or certification outside of the State of North Carolina.

Hyperlinks provided lead to websites of public and private organizations not associated with Tri-County. Such links are provided solely for the user’s convenience.

Access the NCSARA Professional Licensure Directory to contact the appropriate state licensing or certification agency in your program.

The U.S. Department of Education also provides information about most licensed professions by states.

Student Complaint Policy and Procedure

TCCC strives to resolve complaints for distance learning students as well as those on-campus. Tri-County Community College’s representative for student complaints is:

Dr. Steve Wood, Vice President for Instruction and Institutional Effectiveness
Tri-County Community College, 21 Campus Circle, Murphy NC 28906
828-835-4254
swood@tricountycc.edu
https://www.tricountycc.edu/learning-resources/
Students should use the links provided below to locate the appropriate form and process for complaints.


In State and Out-of-State Students enrolled in distance courses who wish to resolve a complaint related to their enrollment must first follow the steps below:

1. Follow the Tri-County Community College’s Student Complaints Policy located in the current Tri-County College Catalog (TCCC Student Grievance Policy TCCC Catalog (pdf) or visit the Tri-County Student Rights and Policies web site.

2. North Carolina residents may use the NC Higher Education Complaint Policy and Procedure as follows:

The Licensure Division of the University of North Carolina System Office serves as the official state entity to receive complaints concerning post-secondary institutions that are authorized to operate in North Carolina. If students are unable to resolve a complaint through the institution’s grievance procedures, they can review the Student Complaint Policy (pdf), and submit their complaint using the online complaint form at https://studentcomplaints.northcarolina.edu/form

For more information contact:

North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints

c/o Student Complaints
223 S. West Street, Suite 1800
Raleigh, NC 27603
(919) 962-4550
studentcomplaint@northcarolina.edu; (919) 962-4550

For more information, call (919) 962-4550 or send an email to: studentcomplaint@northcarolina.edu.  website address: https://www.northcarolina.edu/post-secondary-education-complaints/

To file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division of the North Carolina Department of Justice, please visit the State Attorney General’s web page at: http://www.ncdoj.gov/complaint. Or access the  NC DOJ online fillable complaint form here. North Carolina residents may call (877) 566-7226. Outside of North Carolina, please call (919) 716-6000. En Espanol (919) 716-0058.

If you choose to mail a complaint, please use the following address:

Consumer Protection Division
Attorney General’s Office
Mail Service Center 9001
Raleigh, NC 27699-9001


4. Out-of-State Students enrolled in distance courses who wish to resolve a complaint related to their enrollment must first follow the steps above.

If an issue cannot be resolved to your satisfaction, you may file a complaint with SARA-NC the authorizing agency for North Carolina on the SARA-NC complaint webpage and Complaint Form.

SARA North Carolina State Portal Contact Information
North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority
c/o SARA North Carolina
P.O. Box 41349
Raleigh, NC 27629
Phone: toll free (855) 727-2162
Fax: (919) 248-6667
Email: information@saranc.org
website: https://www5.ncseaa.edu/SARANC/index.html

For students residing outside North Carolina, each SARA-member state has a liaison office. You may also file a complaint in your own state of residence.  Contact information can be found in the Directory of State Authorization Agencies and Contacts.

5. Tri-County  Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

Contact information for SACSCOC:

1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033
Phone: (404) 679-4500
Fax: (404) 679-4558
http://www.sacscoc.org/

 If a student finds that TCCC is in non-compliance with SACSCOC Complaint Policy (1-2020) standards, policies and procedures, they may contact SACSCOC using the (SACSCOC) contact us page.

For more information on filing complaints with the State of North Carolina, your home state or accrediting agencies, please refer to the agency contacts above.

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