Frequently Asked Questions About Independent Study
Independent Study Policies
Before You Enroll...
What is Independent Study?
Independent Study is a way to take college
classes without having to sit in a classroom. Independent Study students
use a course manual, textbook, assignments and exams to learn and earn
college credit. Depending on the class, you may also use videos, computer
disks, the Internet or interaction with other people. You'll communicate
with your instructor in writing and by phone, fax or e-mail. Your instructor
will give you feedback via written responses on your assignments and
exams. Grades are based on assignments, projects and exams. You can
register at any time during the year and you'll have nine months from
the day you enroll to complete your class.
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Is Independent Study right for me?
Many people enjoy the flexibility that an Independent Study class offers. These courses work particularly well for:
- Students with tight schedules
- Students who need a specific on-campus class that is full for this semester
- Teachers and other professionals who need classes to meet recertification requirements
- Students who move out of town without finishing their degree requirements
- Students who can't easily attend classes because of injury or illness
- Military personnel whose duties make on-campus attendance difficult
- Students who live in remote locations
- Non-degree seeking people who are taking classes for personal enrichment
Be advised, however,
that to complete an Independent Study class you must be a self-motivated
and conscientious student.
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Will I get college credit for this class?
Yes. Credits are based on semester units just like their on-campus counterparts. Many colleges
and universities accept credit earned from University Distance
Education classes. You may want to meet with your academic advisor
and check your institution's credit transfer policy and your own personal
department/major requirements before enrolling. If you are military
personnel consult with your education officer. As a teacher seeking
endorsements and certification requirements you should speak with your
school district or state board of education recertification specialist.
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Is this course offered for a certain semester?
Independent Study classes
are tied to semesters. You may not register for a class at any time
and you'll have up to one semester from your date of registration to
complete it. The semester that you complete the class is the semester
you'll get credit.
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May I complete my class as fast as I want?
No. You have up to nine months from the day that you enroll to complete the course, so you
may take as much time as you would like. Please note, however, that
each course has an estimated completion time, giving you a rough timeline
of the fastest a course could be completed in the most ideal circumstances.
Keep in mind that these are college-credit courses that will take some
time to complete. For the most part these courses are more difficult
than their on-campus counterparts since you are virtually teaching
yourself the material. Contact the Distance Education office for more
specific information for the class you have in mind at 801-581-8801
or 1-800-467-8839. Please plan ahead; the semester you complete the
class is the semester you'll get credit based on the University of
Utah's deadlines.
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I am a U employee – will I get reduced tuition?
No; Independent Study classes are not funded from the University. Payment for these classes is processed
separately from on-campus courses. Reduced tuition does not apply for Independent Study classes.
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May I take more than one class at a time?
Yes. However, we encourage you to take no more than three courses at a time in order to succeed
in your classes. We recommend you finish one course and then enroll in another.
NOTE: At the University of Utah a maximum of 30 nonresident
(courses not taken in a classroom) semester credit hours may be applied
toward the 122 minimum hours requirement for graduation. No more than
10 hours of nonresident credit may be taken during your senior year.
Resident requirements vary from institution to institution, so check
with your parent institution's graduation office to determine their independent
study credit limits.
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Do I have to take my class for credit?
No. You may audit an Independent Study course, but the cost of the course remains the same. With this
option you turn in assignments for instructor comments, but are not required
to take exams. This class will appear on your transcript with a "V" for
visitor. Contact the Distance Education office for more information.
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What if I don't want a letter grade?
If you're looking for credit but prefer not to receive a letter grade you may apply for the credit/no-credit option. With this option your transcript will read CR for grades of C- or above and NC for grades of D+ or below. You will need to request this option before submitting your second assignment. Contact the Distance Education office for more information.
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I'm still in high school – may I take a class?
Yes. High school students 16 years of age and older may
take classes to satisfy high school graduation requirements if approved
by your principal. Classes may also be taken to fulfill college requirements.
To register, ask the Distance Education office for the High School Student
Enrollment Form. It will request written approval from your parent or guardian
as well as your high school principal.
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Will financial aid cover this class?
No. Financial aid is not available through the Distance
Education office. Full payment is required at the time of enrollment.
Due to the length of the enrollment period, Independent Study students are
usually not eligible for funds originating through grants or loan programs,
nor does enrollment in Independent Study courses meet federal requirements
for loan deferment. You may want to ask your employer about reimbursement
options. Some companies offer funds for continuing education that include
independent study programs.
Military Personnel: The Defense Activity for
Nontraditional Educational Support (DANTES) accepts credits earned from
the University of Utah. Consult your education officer or nearest education
center concerning individual, veteran or tuition supported enrollments.
The DANTES correspondence study catalog contains course and registration
listings. Veterans may be reimbursed for fees (no texts) for completed
courses under the GI Bill. It is to your advantage to complete your class
as rapidly as possible to save entitlement on the GI Bill. Contact your
VA office before enrolling.
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How do I register for a class?
There are 3 ways to register:
1. Online - From the course
description page click the "Add to Cart" link of the class you
would like to take.
2. Over the phone - Contact the Distance Education
office directly. Phone: 801-581-8801 Toll-free: 1-800-467-8839
3. In
person - We are located in the Annex building in the A wing, room 2180.
Our office is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm. The Annex is
directly east of the Huntsman Center. (SEE
MAP)
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Will you bill me for my registration?
Sorry, but all courses must be paid in full at the time
of enrollment. We accept cash (if you're here in person), credit card, check,
or money order payments.
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When will I receive credit for my class?
The semester you complete your class is the semester you'll
get credit based on the University of Utah's deadlines. Contact the Distance
Education office for more information.
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Now That You're Enrolled...
How do I get my class materials?
Your course manual, coversheets and other important information
will be mailed from the Distance Education office within two business
days of your registration. Your manual will explain in detail how the class
works; it will also include all lessons and assignments. You'll receive
a "Policies
and Procedures" brochure that will detail Distance Education's Independent
Study policies (you can also read the online
version here). Go through
both your manual and the brochure before beginning your assignments.
Textbooks and all other supplemental materials (videos, computer disks, etc.) are
ordered separately, they are not available through the University of
Utah bookstore.
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My course requires videos. How do I get them?
You have two options:
- View the videos at the Marriott Library on the University of Utah campus.
- View the videos at a public library, if the specific video series is available there.
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Is it possible to get a refund for my class?
Yes. A full refund of the course fee, minus a processing fee, will be
issued if you withdraw from the class by close of business on the 14th
calendar day after registration; no refunds will be given after that date.
Course manual fees are non-refundable.
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Someone in the Distance Education office asked for
my University of Utah ID#. Where do I find that?
You will be assigned a University of Utah ID# when you enroll in your
class. It will appear on your welcome letter, along with your course expiration
date. You can also find it on your golden colored coversheets right under
your name; it's an 8-digit code. The Distance Education office does not
keep track of students based on Social Security numbers, your U of U ID#
is separate from this.
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What can I expect from my instructor?
It's important that you read your instructor's comments on assignments;
this is one of the best ways that your instructor will communicate with
you. Keep in mind that with a correspondence course it will take a little
time to get assignments back. Allow about 10 working days for the instructor
to grade your assignments/exams. If it's being returned to you via US
mail, you'll want to make allowances for that as well. If you would like
to contact your instructor directly just look in the front of your course
manual, on the very first page, where you will find contact information.
This lists the best way to contact your instructor directly. If you have
not heard back from your instructor, after several attempts to contact
them, let the Distance Education office know and they will contact your
instructor for you.
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My first assignment is ready, how do I turn it in?
You may submit neatly written or typed assignments by mail, e-mail, fax,
or in person. Be sure to keep a personal copy of all assignments you hand
in. All assignments must be submitted in chronological
order with a proper coversheet. See your course manual for more information.
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May I submit my assignments in any order I want to?
No. Each course is set up with a purpose. Please complete all coursework
in the order specified in your course manual. All
assignments must be submitted in chronological order. If they are submitted out of order they
will be held in the office until the missing assignments are turned in.
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I need to take an exam, what do I do?
Wait! Make sure that all of your assignments previous to the exam have been returned to you graded; if they haven't, you're not eligible to take your exam yet. If they have, look below to see how to request your exam.
- If you are a local student (meaning you live in Salt Lake County)
you must take your exams at the University of Utah testing center.
You will need to pay a $5 fee and bring a photo ID with you.
Contact the Distance Education office or visit
this link to request your exam.
- If you live outside the Salt Lake County area, you must arrange
to have your exam proctored by a university or college testing center.
You'll find detailed instructions in your course manual or on your
course website. If you would like to request an exam, visit
this link or contact the Distance Education office.
NOTE: If you fail the Final exam or Final project, you fail your class.
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What are the Testing Center's hours at the University of Utah?
The Testing Center is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8am to 3pm,
and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5pm to 8:30pm. Visit their website
for more information: www.sa.utah.edu/testing
NOTE:
The testing center will not have your exam if you have not requested it
through the Distance Education office. Exams will not be sent until all
assignments previous to the exam have been graded and returned to you.
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What grade did I receive on my assignment?
Unfortunately our office is not able to give grades over the phone due
to FERPA (privacy) regulations. We would be more than happy to compare
your grade for you, "You received the same grade for assignment 6
that you received for assignment 2." Or, "Your grade is 3 points
higher than it was on assignment 4."
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I just moved and my address has changed; what should
I do?
Contact the Distance Education office; we will change your address in
our database as well as send you new coversheets to reflect the new address.
Or, you can check the box available on your golden-colored coversheets,
hand-write your new address and send it in with your next assignment.
We'll send you new coversheets reflecting your new address as soon as
possible.
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It's been 9 months and I haven't finished my course
yet! Now what?
Students may purchase up to six one-month extensions which are non-refundable,
so plan carefully. Please contact the office for the current cost of extensions.
Each extension will go from month to month; for instance, if your course
expires on January 17th, purchasing one extension (regardless
of when you purchase it) will change your expiration date to February 17th. A
second will take you to March 17th, etc. Contact the Distance Education
office for more information.
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I need credit for a specific semester, will I get
it?
You will receive credit for your class for the semester you complete
your course based on the University of Utah's deadlines. This means that
even if you enroll in Summer semester it does not guarantee you will receive
Summer credit for the course. Contact the Distance Education office for
more details.
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Why isn't my Independent Study class showing up
on my University of Utah schedule for this semester?
Independent Study classes only show up after a student has completed
the course. If you need proof of enrollment before you finish, contact
the Distance Education office.
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You've Finished Your Class!
I just finished my class; will you send me a transcript?
The Distance Education office does not send out transcripts. Your final
class grade is sent to the University of Utah’s transcript's office
and they keep your transcript information. Students must request
and pay for transcripts through the University of Utah's transcripts office;
please refer to your course manual for instructions. The transcript's
office phone number is 801-581-8964. Contact them for more information.
NOTE:
Official printed University of Utah transcripts are only available
at the end of each semester term and take at least two weeks
to mail out. If an official verification of completion for an Independent
Study course is required before the end of a semester, the University
of Utah's Registrar's office will send an official letter; the
official transcript will then be sent as soon as it is available.
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How do I request my transcript?
You may contact the transcripts office directly at 801-581-8964. Or you
can fill out the transcript request form that will arrive with the notice
of your final course grade from the Distance Education office.
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I’d like to sell my books, where should I go?
Contact Specialty books. They are available over the phone at: 1-800-466-1365.
You can also go to their website: www.specialty-books.com/utah.
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