Options for Nontraditional and Distance Education

Since its founding, Mountain State University has worked to create new ways of making higher education accessible to more people, a commitment that has resulted in a wide array of nontraditional and distance learning options. The choices include online education as well as independent study, credit for portfolios and exams that demonstrate prior learning, and programs formatted especially for adult learners. Some academic programs are available only in nontraditional formats, and a growing number of campus-based programs include distance learning or other nontraditional options.

Educational Options
MSU’s Center for Distance Education offers a variety of alternative methods for learning and earning University credit. Most of these options are available to campus-based students as well as those pursuing their studies off campus.

Students planning to pursue any nontraditional learning option are encouraged to analyze their readiness for independent or online study and to talk with an enrollment coordinator or academic advisor. If you are working toward a degree, it is also important to ensure that the option you are considering meets the requirements of your degree program.

Transfer Credit
Courses taken at other colleges and universities are evaluated in light of University and program requirements. If approved, these course credits can be applied to your degree program.

While there is no limit to the amount of credit that can be evaluated for transfer,
you must earn a minimum number of hours at MSU to complete a degree. See Transfer Credit and Graduation Requirements for more information. Individual programs may limit transfer credit.

Training Credit
Certifications, licenses, corporate training programs, and other documentation of learning that has taken place outside an academic setting can be evaluated for possible academic credit. This evaluation is done on an individual basis through MSU’s prior learning assessment program (described later in this section). In other cases—for example, for students enrolling through a corporate partnership—credit and course equivalencies are predetermined in accordance with University standards as well as prevailing guidelines within the relevant professional field.

Any credit awarded for training does not appear on your official transcript until all degree requirements have been met and your degree is certified.

Credit for Military Training
Mountain State University recognizes the value of the learning experiences associated with training programs and courses completed by US military service members. The University makes use of the credit recommendations for training and educational programs completed by servicemembers contained within the most recent edition of the Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services, published by the American Council on Education.

Mountain State University is a member of the Service Members Opportunity Colleges (SOC) consortium of schools, through which more than 1,800 colleges and universities annually serve hundreds of thousands of servicemembers and their families.

SOC coordinates associate and bachelor’s degrees in a variety of curriculum areas for the Army (SOCAD), Navy (SOCNAV), Marine Corps (SOCMAR), and Coast Guard (SOCCOAST). These degree programs are offered by colleges and universities that are located on or accessible to Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Army National Guard, and Air Guard installations worldwide. Within each curriculum or degree network, member colleges agree to accept each other’s credits in transfer.

SOC programs are designed to be flexible and typically offer several means of earning academic credit, including credit by examination through CLEP and DANTES; use of the ACE credit recommendations for military learning experiences; and access to coursework through various delivery methods including traditional classroom instruction, distance learning, and computer- or Internet-based instruction.

As a member of SOCAD, Mountain State University offers several Army Career Degree (ACD) plans. The ACD program matches the learning associated with a Military Occupational Specialty, or MOS, with the requirements of a specific degree program. ACD plans include an array of options for meeting college requirements through Army training, classroom study, distance learning, testing, certification, and licensure. Currently available ACDs include MSU degree programs matched to Army MOS 68S (91S) Preventive Medicine Specialist and 68W (91W) Health Care Specialist.  

Mountain State University is also a member of SOCMAR and SOCCOAST, and offers additional SOC-approved associate and bachelor’s degree programs.

Independent Study
Independent study, or IS, provides a flexible means to manage your own learning at the times and places that are convenient to you. While it is available to all students, IS is most often used by those who live far from campus or are unable to attend traditional classes. Course materials are designed by knowledgeable faculty members, and guidance and feedback are available to students who require learning support.

You can enroll in an IS course at any time and have up to four months to complete it. Examinations can be taken on or off campus with an approved proctor. A list of current IS courses is available (in pdf format) here.

General Education Options
Eligible students have the option of completing their general education requirements through Spectrum, which is designed to help students begin a program of study at MSU. Spectrum integrates general education requirements over four semesters that can be completed with one night a week in the classroom. For complete information, visit Spectrum.

An online general education sequence is also available. See the General Education Requirements chapter for details.

Degree Completion
Degree completion programs provide an excellent opportunity for adult students to complete their college degree. The courses are presented in a compressed accelerated format, with a single instructor each semester.  Degree completion programs are open to those who have already earned 40 hours of college-level credit. Applicants who do not meet these admission requirements are considered on a case-by-case basis.

A team learning approach allows you to complete studies in your major with the same group of students from start to finish.  As a result, you graduate not only with experience in group processes, leadership, and teamwork, but also with a network of trusted peers.

Classes meet one evening a week over a series of semesters. Both online and traditional classroom versions are offered. The program is structured so that participants qualify as full-time students for financial aid purposes.

Prior Learning Assessment
Mountain State University allows students to receive academic credit for the learning associated with experience gained through work, military service, professional training, hobbies, recreation, and other meaningful activities. These experiences are evaluated for their equivalency to specific MSU courses and their ability to satisfy institutional and degree requirements. Mountain State University’s prior learning assessment program follows the academic and administrative standards established by the Council on Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL). When possible, we use American Council on Education (ACE) credit recommendations in evaluating military and corporate training programs.

To apply for prior learning credit, you must submit a supporting learning portfolio that describes your learning experiences in light of course and degree requirements. While developing this portfolio can be a rewarding process, it also represents a significant investment of time and resources.

Learning portfolios are evaluated by a faculty reader/evaluator who determines if the learning described satisfies the University’s criteria relating to the assessment of prior learning experiences. The faculty reader/evaluator makes a recommendation to the senior academic officer for experiential learning. If approved, the recommendation for granting prior learning credit is forwarded to the registrar to be recorded onto your transcript. Faculty reader recommendations are subject to appeal in accordance with the University’s academic appeal process.

Additional information on prior learning assessment and portfolio development is available (in pdf format) in the Learning Portfolio Development Guide.

Competency Assessment
Competency assessment allows adults with substantial personal or professional learning to have multiple areas or abilities assessed in a process similar to that used in prior learning assessment. For additional information, consult a prior learning assessment advisor.

Online Courses
The University provides selected courses and programs online, either through independent study or in an accelerated online format. To successfully pursue online studies, you should be self-motivated and able to complete assignments independently in a timely manner.

Students who enroll in accelerated online classes and programs make extensive use of WebCT or Blackboard for class and group chats, mail, threaded discussions, posted grades, assignment submission, quizzes, and instructor feedback.

Before enrolling in a course that uses WebCT or Blackboard, you should be proficient in creating and saving documents in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, sending and receiving e-mail, posting messages to an online forum, attaching files, and basic conventions of online communication. It is recommended that you have access to the following resources:

• PC with a Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, ME, or 2003 operating system and at least 256mb of RAM.

• Monitor with a high color or true color configuration and a screen resolution of at least 800x600 pixels.

• Supported web browser (Microsoft
Internet Explorer 5.0, 6.0, or 6.5; Netscape Navigator 7.1 or 7.1; AOL
7.0, 8.0, or 9.0; or Mozilla Firefox 1.5
or 1.6). For a minimum of setup, Firefox is recommended.

• Java Virtual Machine.

• Microsoft Office (available at no cost to students through MSU’s Microsoft Developers Network Academic Affiliation).

Technical support is available by calling 304.929.1496 Monday through Friday between 8am and 5pm Eastern. After- hours support is available by e-mailing webctsupport@mountainstate.edu.

Continuing Education
From upgrading skills to mastering new technologies to learning creative arts, Mountain State University is dedicated to meeting the ongoing needs of the community. Continuing education programs work with individuals and groups to provide educational services in a variety of formats.

MSU offers some noncredit courses in such areas as social work and health sciences. These courses provide Continuing Education Units, or CEUs, as a standardized method of documenting continuing education experiences. CEUs may be offered for learning in any format, at any educational level, and in any subject. They can document learning to help with upgrading professional skills; seeking new or renewed professional licensure, certification, or registration; or other uses.

SERVICES AND RESOURCES FOR OFF-CAMPUS LEARNERS
The University works to ensure that students pursuing distance learning options receive the same degree of support and access to resources as campus-based students. In general, policies described in this catalog apply equally to distance learners and campus-based students, although some processes differ. Contact the MSU Information Center if you have special needs or questions that are not answered here.

Admissions Services
Prospective students who inquire about study through a nontraditional or distance program receive individual assistance with application and enrollment in person, by mail, online, by e-mail, or by telephone.

Admission to nontraditional and distance study is open to all individuals eligible for admission to Mountain State University. Students who are graduates of an accredited secondary school, who have a General Education Development (GED) certificate, or who have previously completed college credit are eligible to apply for admission into associate and bachelor’s degree programs and courses. Some programs have additional requirements or selective admissions; see the individual program listing for details.