How It Works
How do online courses work?
How long is the program?
What is the time commitment?
How do I contact my instructor?
How will I meet with my advisor?
How do I turn in assignments?
What if I miss a due date?
What if I go on vacation?
How do the grades work?
What if I can’t decide which concentration to chose?
How do online courses work?
The structure of the course will vary somewhat between instructors and course concentration, but for the most part, online courses are run similarly to contact courses. Twice a week your instructor will provide lessons, which may be in the form of a recorded or live lecture, power point notes, readings, or on-line chat sessions. Some of these may require you to be online at a certain time, others will not. The specifics of how the classes are run are generally detailed in the syllabus provided to you by your instructor.
Different course concentrations will have different objectives and teaching styles. For example, the urban forestry concentration will contain many readings and lecture-style teaching, whereas the wood design concentration will have more downloadable technique guides and peer-engagement. Online courses are made to be flexible and work easily around your schedule. Most classes will not require you to be online at any given time, and will measure your participation more through assignments and tests than through ‘attendance’.
How long is the program? What is the time commitment?
The standard certificate takes two semester, fall and winter, to complete. The advanced certificate requires three semesters, fall, winter, and summer.
Classes ‘meet’ twice a week for 10 weeks. Your time commitment will vary based upon your concentration and your level of interest/commitment. Most classes will not have a set meeting time, and will instead rely on you to log on to the Blackboard system each week and pull the lecture and assignment material, to work on in your own time. Generally, the wood design concentration will require more of a time commitment than the other concentrations, as it requires fabrication of actual projects in addition to the normal assignments of standard courses.
How do I contact my instructor? How will I meet with my advisor?
Other than the standard methods of online communication (e-mail), your instructors and advisor will hold office hours, just like with a contact course. Being ‘in the office’ means that your instructors/advisors will be on Skype at a given time. Using Skype (free to download and use), you can live videoconference with your instructors/advisors. It’s just like having a real meeting, except you don’t have to bother leaving your house.
How do I turn in assignments?
Once enrolled in your class, you will have access to it through Blackboard. All of your course material will be available through this system, and you will be able to upload your assignments into your instructor’s drop box at any time. Blackboard also lets you receive your grades electronically, interact with your classmates, and manage most aspects of your online course.
What if I miss a due date? What if I go on vacation and can’t do my work?
Just like contact courses, these types of issues are best to deal with with your instructor. You receive grades for your assignments, just like in contact courses, so missing one assignment will simply lower your final grade in the class.
How do the grades work?
The grading scale runs on a standard 10-point scale as follows:
90-100: A
80-89: B
70-79: C
60-69: D
Below 60: Fail
You must pass your fall term classes with a 60 or above to continue in the winter term. Winter classes within your concentration require a 70 or higher to pass. Extra classes outside of your concentration require only a 60 or above. The optional summer contact class must be passed with a 70 or above to receive the advanced certificate for your course.
What if I can’t decide which concentration to chose?
You do not have to make your decision right away. Everyone takes the same two introductory fall classes, and then is divided into their concentrations for winter/summer. You do not need to declare your concetration(s) until you register
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