Frequently Asked Questions: Students Detail
The Technology Assisted Curriculum Center (TACC),
located in the Marriott
Library, provides fully online courses through a service called
U-Online. A variety of University of Utah Academic Departments provide
online classes which are identical to traditional on-campus classes,
with the obvious exception that there is no need for the instructor to
meet with students in the same geographical location; there are no
classroom meetings, albeit some instructors require proctored exams
(extension sites and out-of-area proctors are available options for
off-campus students). Also, be aware that online classes follow the same
schedule as outlined in the University Semester Calendar.
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Who can tell me about the content of a particular online course?
Online instructors, not UOnline, are responsible for
the course content of their courses. If you need to learn more about a
particular online course, please read its course description located in
the UOnline catalog found on the UOnline home page.
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What can I expect from my online instructor?
U of U instructors are responsible for developing
their own online courses and grading assignments and exams. You can
expect timely and thoughtful responses to your questions via e-mail
regarding course content, assignments and exams.
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Is the course credit for online courses the same as the credit for on-campus courses?
If you plan to receive a degree from the U of U,
online courses will count as credit toward your degree. If you plan to
transfer your credit to another university, you will need to contact the
university to which you will be transferring and find out if they will
accept a particular U of U, online course as credit toward a degree.
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How do online courses differ from other distance education courses?
Exams- With the exception of exams (read section IV, “Testing Procedures for Online Courses” in the student help guide on the UOnline home page), UOnline courses are fully online and count as credit toward a degree at the University of Utah. The semester schedule for online students is the same as the semester schedule for on-campus students. You will therefore need to follow the campus schedule regarding deadlines for admission, registration, adding & dropping classes, and so forth.
Academic Departments- UOnline courses are under the direction of academic departments and therefore function like on-campus courses. For example, if you have questions regarding course content, or if you need to request special permission to take exams outside the scheduled dates, you will need to contact your instructor. For specific step by step instructions, please read section IV, part c, “Special Arrangement Exams” in the “Testing Procedures for Online Courses” of the UOnline student help guide.
Tuition and Fees- The tuition schedule for online courses is the same as on-campus courses. However, UOnline charges a $25 special fee per online course for maintaining the operation of UOnline. Please visit the U of U web page for tuition and fees. This web site lists tuition and fees for both resident and nonresident students and lists tuition and fees based on the number of credit hours. Please note that during Summer Semester tuition and fees for nonresidents is the same as tuition and fees for resident students.
Other distance learning through the
U of U- University telecourses, independent study and other Academic
Outreach &Continuing Education are not offered as credit or
non-credit. To learn more about these distance learning courses, please
visit the home page for U of U Continuing Education or call them directly
at (801) 581-6461.
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Do I have to Travel to the U of U campus to take UOnline courses?
With a few exceptions described below, you will not have to travel to the U of U campus or its corresponding extensions. Online students receive their course assignments and interact with fellow students and instructors online.
However, some classes require that you take
proctored exams at either a site on campus or at one of the U of U
testing sites. U of U extension sites include Bountiful,
Murray,
Sandy
and Park City. Exams take place Thursday evening or
Saturday morning of the exam week. If you are a student living more than
20 miles away from one of the above extension sites, you qualify as an
out-of area student, meaning that you are permitted to take your exams
at a location that follows our proctor guidelines found in the UOnline
Student Help Guide in section IV, “Testing
Procedures for Online Students”, part b, “Testing Procedures
for Out-of-Area Students".
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Do I have to attend online courses at a specific time?
Not necessarily. Most courses are available 24 hours
a day. However, instructors often set deadlines for assignments and
discussions (called Chat), but the majority of interaction takes place
through discussion services and e-mail in which you can send and receive
messages at times convenient for you. For specific course information,
please visit the UOnline home page, and visit the "Catalog"
links located under the "Student" section.
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Do online classes fill the same U of U requirements as on-campus classes?
Yes, online classes fill the same requirements as on-campus courses. Taking an Anthropology 1101 online course, for example, provides you with the same credit value as an on-campus Anthropology 1101 course.
However, if you wish to transfer the credit earned
through an online course to another university, you will need to contact
the university to which you will be transferring.
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Can I earn a degree by taking only online classes?
No, the University of Utah does not offer enough
online courses to obtain a degree by taking only online courses.
However, academic departments are adding new online courses each
semester. Please contact individual departments to find out if they are
planning to make degrees available exclusively through online courses
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How much do online classes cost?
The tuition schedule for online courses is the same
as on-campus courses. However, UOnline charges a $25 special fee per
online course for maintaining the operation of UOnline which includes
computer servers, equipment, staff support and exam administration that
most online classes require. Please visit the following web site for
tuition and fees for both residents and non-residents: Tuition
and Fees. Please note that nonresidents pay resident tuition and fees
for Summer Semesters.
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Do online courses follow the same schedule as on-campus courses?
Yes. The semester schedule for online students is
the same as the semester schedule for on-campus students. You will
therefore need to follow the campus schedule regarding deadlines for
admission, registration, adding & dropping classes, and so forth.
Like some on-campus courses, there are a few online courses that follow
a compressed time format. Please visit the following web site for the U of U academic calendar.
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Can I transfer credits from online courses to another university?
The University of Utah does not determine if course
credit will transfer to another university. Before enrolling for a U of
U online class, you will need to contact the university offering the
degree you are perusing to find out if they will accept U of U online
courses as transfer credit.
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How do I communicate with my instructor and fellow students?
E-mail, newsgroups and chat rooms provide you the
opportunity to communicate with fellow students. Each class has a
virtual conferencing system that allows registered students and
instructor-invited guests to participate in discussions relevant to
course material.
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Is my computer hardware sufficient for an online class?
1 . You will need a computer, of course. Keep in mind, however, that some classes ask for specific system requirements. The course description for each course will list computer system requirements.
2 . You will need an internet connection and you will need one of the following Internet browsers:
- Netscape: 6.2.x
- Explorer 5.0-5.5: Microsoft Explorer 5.0-5.5
- AOL 5.0
3. You will need an e-mail address so that UOnline and your online instructor can contact you about a variety of issues relating to your online course.
What if I don't have much computer experience?
Taking an online course requires a certain degree of technical proficiency. At minimum, you must know how to surf the Internet, send and receive e-mail, and download files. Some online classes make use of media that utilize plug-ins, and some courses may require other skills like the ability to write HTML, or the ability to download PDF files.
If you wish to learn basic computer skills, try taking a class like the one semester unit Internet Navigator or a non-for-credit class through U of U Continuing Education. For more information, please visit the home page for Continuing Education. The phone number for Continuing Education is (801) 581-5461.
Please contact UOnline at (801) 585-5959 or info
uonline.utah.edu if
you experience technical difficulties with your online course.
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I am ready to register or I am registered for classes information.
How can I view a list of all the classes offered by UOnline?
Please visit the UOnline home page for a list of current course
offerings. The UOnline catalog lists the courses that are available for
the current U of U registration period which is updated at the same time
as the U of U class schedule. For a list of all classes
that have been offered by UOnline, please click on the “Help”
link on the UOnline
home page. Choose section III, “Catalog of all UOnline
Courses”, to view the list of online courses that were offered in
past semesters.
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Do I need to be admitted to the U of U in order to take UOnline classes?
Yes. You must be admitted to the University of Utah
as a matriculated student to take classes through the U-Online Program.
Visit the University
of Utah home page and look for the "Future Students" link, as well as
related items located below it for a list of options you may want to
explore. Please contact Admissions at (801) 581-7281 if you have
questions.
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How do I register for an online class?
Please read and follow section II, “Registration Procedures for Online Courses” in the student help guide on the UOnline home page. Top of page
Is there a limit to the number of students that can enroll in an online course?
Yes, instructors and academic departments set class
size limits for their online courses. Online courses require the same
instructor responsibilities as on-campus courses; instructors give
quizzes, assignments and correct papers. In addition, and similar to
on-campus courses, the instructor interacts with the entire class.
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What is a permission/access code? I tried to register for an online class, but I need a permission/access code?
If you attempt to register late or if you register
for a class that has reached its enrollment cap, the U of U Campus
Information System will ask you for a permission/ access code to
register for the class. Please do not call UOnline for a permission/
access code. Instead, please call the academic department that offers
the course and request a permission code.
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Where can I purchase course material such as textbooks and videos?
Each online course has a course description that lists, among other things, the material required for the class, including places to purchase them. To access course descriptions, please click Catalog on the UOnline home page at http://uonline.utah.edu and then click the name of the course. Please contact the U of U Bookstore to find out if your course material is available at their location. Please be prepared to provide the U of U Bookstore with the course and section number of your class. The phone number for the U of U Bookstore is (801) 581-6325.
You may watch videos and DVD’s and listen to CD’s in the Multimedia Center at the Marriott Library with your student ID card. The Marriott Library does not allow these materials to leave the Multimedia Center. (NOTE: students living too far away from the University of Utah are NOT allowed to receive these materials through Interlibrary Loan.)
Please use the library catalog in the Marriott Library’s
home page to see if the library owns a particular CD, DVD or video. You
will need to click on advanced search and then scroll down the page to
find “Format”. The format field allows you to choose videos
and CD’s. If you need help finding CD’s, DVD's or videos,
please call the Marriott Library Multimedia Center at (801) 581-6494.
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Your instructor will most likely provide you with
assignment submission information on the course’s home page or
through the course's web interface system (WebCT or departmental
interface.) If you have any questions on how to submit your assignments,
please email your instructor. The “course info” link in the
course’s home page includes your instructor’s e-mail address.
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Most online classes require proctored exams. If you live 20 miles or less from the U of U campus or one of the U of U extensions sites, you will take your exams either at EMCB (Engineering/ Mines Classroom Building) or at one of the U of U extension sites. For more information, including exam registration procedures, please follow the instructions in section IV, “Testing Procedures for Online Students” in the student help guide on the UOnline home page. To begin, click Help Guide found under Help.
Out-of-area students are those living more than 20
miles from the U of U campus or one of the U of U extension sites.
Out-of-area must register for their exams at least 2 weeks prior to the
date of each exam. For more information, please follow the instructions
in section IV, “Testing Procedures for Online Students” part
b, “Testing Procedures for Out-of-Area Students” in the
student help guide in the UOnline home page. To begin, click Help Guide found
under Help.
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Where can I receive a class number for registration?
UOnline class numbers are available in the second
column of the Online-Class Schedule. However, students are no longer
required to register by class number. Simply go to the U of U Campus
Information System page to register for UOnline classes. If you have
any questions regarding the U of U registration system, please call
Registration & Records at (801) 581-8969.
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When do I start my online class?
Online classes follow the U of U academic calendar, which includes among
other things the first day of class, add & drop deadlines and
registration deadlines.
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Please read and follow section III, “How to
Access Your Online Course” in the student help guide on the UOnline home page.
To begin, click Help Guide found under Help.
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How do I update my UOnline student profile information?
To update your student profile information, please
visit the UOnline
home page and login to the UOnline system using your UNID and password
and then click Edit Profile found on the left side of the page.
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I still have questions. Whom do I contact?
Since UOnline classes are very much like U of U on-campus classes you will need to contact specific departments for course content, grading and other course related issues.
1. Content and Grades. U of U online classes are similar to on-campus courses in variety of ways. Like an on-campus course, each academic department (e.g. Anthropology, Philosophy, Writing, etc.) offers the class and provides the instructor. Therefore, if you have a question regarding course content or grades, you will need to contact the department or the instructor directly.
2. Permission Access / Codes. If you receive a permission/ access code request when you register for your class in the U of U registration, please call the academic department offering the course, Not UOnline.
3. Exam Registration, Course Access & Problems With Course’s Home Page. Please contact info@uonline.utah.edu if you have questions regarding exam registration or if you experience difficulties involving course access, exam registration or other problems relating to a particular course’s home page.
4. Tuition, Financial Aid & U of U Registration. If you have questions regarding tuition, financial aid or U of U registration, please contact the individual U of U administration office that offers these particular services. Please visit the U of U web site A-Z index to access U of U administration web pages. Most administration web pages provide contact information.
Document last updated: 5/28/03 - jnp