Confederate cemetery across Route 11 from Civil War hospital site
(Mount Jackson, Shenandoah County)
You're encouraged to come to some, or even all, of the in-person class meetings in the Fall, 2008 semester (Thursday afternoons, 4:30-6:00pm in Robinson Hall B, Room 108 on the Fairfax Campus). However, one key advantage of a class like this is that you don't need to drive to campus every week.
Instead, set aside some time each week for "Geography of Virginia," just as if it was meeting for an hour in a classroom on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. If your schedule has more time open on Tuesdays and Thursdays, set aside an hour-and-a-half on those two days. Or commit 3 hours one evening each week for watching the videos, browsing the Web, and reading the materials online.
Then set aside a couple more hours each week for doing your homework. You can save time in this Internet class by not commuting to campus, but you can't skimp on time for studying.
If you watch the GMU-TV broadcasts of the video segments, you should structure some time to study the related materials just before and after each broadcast. You can carve out a more-convenient time for study if you record (or purchase) the videos, or watch them in a campus library. And remember, this class offers information you can apply every day.
As you travel to work or other places throughout the week, look around and start asking yourself "Why is that located there, and when did that happen?" You'll discover by the end of the semester that you've had plenty of time to learn about Virginia. [You can't squeeze all your study into a few moments right before each test, watching the videos and browsing the Web at the same time, you'll be wasting your tuition money. Be disciplined and do the work, on time.]