Core Syllabus Component for Online College Credit Courses

Each of the Division of Continuing Education’s online courses has a core syllabus that outlines the course goals, course materials, and other course specific information. This component covers the general information necessary for all of the Division of Continuing Education’s online courses which are designed as for-credit college courses. Even if a student is not taking a class for credit, the information here applies to the course.

In addition to the core syllabus, each course also has its own primary syllabus. That syllabus contains the specific information describing the course. Students are required to follow the information in both the primary and core syllabi, as well as the applicable rules and requirements set by the Division of Continuing Education and the University of Florida.

Contact

In addition to the course instructor, students may contact the Division of Continuing Education regarding their courses. For questions related to course content, contact the instructor via your assignment cover sheet. For procedural information, students may contact the Office of Flexible Learning/Correspondence Study.

Office of Flexible Learning/Correspondence Study Contact Information
University of Florida Division of Continuing Education
Office of Flexible Learning/Correspondence Study
2209 NW 13 Street, Suite D
Gainesville, FL 32609-3498

email: learn@doce.ufl.edu
Phone: (352) 392-1711
Toll free: (800) 327-4218 (outside Florida)
Fax: (352) 392-6950

Technology Requirements

Students must have and check a valid email account for this course. Students are recommended to check their email accounts at least twice per week or more often depending on progress in the course.

By signing up for an online course, students certify that they have reliable access to a computer and the internet. If this is not the case, please contact DOCE. In order to take these courses, students need to have a web browser, a word processing program, a program for reading Acrobat documents, and other programs may be necessary for particular courses.

If a student does not already have these programs, many options are available including these free options:

Multi-platform Web Browser: Mozilla Firefox, http://www.mozilla.org/
Word Processing: OpenOffice, www.openoffice.org
Acrobat Reader: Adobe Acrobat, www.adobe.com

Grading/Assessment/Criteria

Following the University of Florida's grading scale, the course letter grade will be determined according to the following scale:

A Excellent 90-100%
B Good 80-89%
C Fair 70-79%
D Poor 60-69%
E Failure 59% and below

Please note that “minus” grades are not given as final grades. “Plus” grades may be given for grade levels B, C, and D. For further information on a particular course’s grading scale, please see the course specific syllabus.

Institution and Student Conduct

Online Conduct

Students are expected to abide by the University of Florida's code of student conduct, including the rules applicable to online courses and student conduct in general.

Academic Honesty

Please see the undergraduate catalog for more complete information: http://www.registrar.ufl.edu/catalog/policies/students.html

Students enrolled in distance education (correspondence study) courses through the University of Florida Division of Continuing Education are expected to perform with the highest level of academic honesty and integrity. You are responsible for providing proper acknowledgement for any work that is not the product of your own thought; this includes published and unpublished texts and information taken from Internet sources. Failure to properly cite such material will be regarded as plagiarism.

Plagiarism is the use of another’s ideas, data, and statements without acknowledgment and/or extensive use of another’s ideas, data, and statements with only minimal acknowledgment, or multiple submissions (submitting the same work for more than one class).

Academic honesty violations will result in a grade of “E” (failing) in the course and forfeiture of all course fees. University of Florida students may refer to Rule 6C1-4.017 (Academic Honesty Guidelines) for information on the university’s policy and possible disciplinary actions resulting from an academic honesty violation.

Special Accommodations

Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the Instructor when requesting accommodation.

Exams

When the student is ready to take an exam, and has selected a proctor and testing site, he or she must complete the exam request form and email, mail, or fax it to the Office of Flexible Learning/Correspondence Study. Include the test date on the examination request form. The test date should be a minimum of two weeks later than the date you submit the request form.

The accuracy of the information supplied on the examination request form is critical, since the exam will be sent to the student's proctor. The proctor will receive the examination within two weeks. The student must contact the proctor prior to the examination date, to insure the receipt of the examination. Exams must be taken within one month of receipt of the examination request form. Proctors are allowed to hold examinations for only one month. Students should notify Flexible Learning/Correspondence Study Student Services immediately if the proctor does not receive the examination as expected.

Examinations may be sent via express delivery, provided a $20.00 fee has been paid in advance by cash, check, or credit card. Examinations cannot be faxed.

In the very rare instance when a completed examination is lost, the instructor reserves the right to require an alternative assessment (i.e., another form of the examination or an alternative to the proctored examination). The instructor may also choose to base the grade on assignments previously submitted or ask the student to write an extra paper. The exercise of these options is always at the discretion of the instructor.

Testing Centers

The Office of Flexible Learning/Correspondence Study has an on-site testing room (in Gainesville, FL) for the student's convenience. Students should call Student Services to schedule an examination. Tests are administered at the Office of Flexible Learning/Correspondence Study Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Twenty-four hours notice must be given prior to taking an exam. Note: Students currently residing in Alachua County or enrolled at UF must take their exams at the Office of Flexible Learning/Correspondence Study.

All examinations for correspondence study courses are administered by a proctor. A proctor is someone who facilitates and watches over the examination to ensure that no improprieties take place.

If the student takes an exam at the Office of Flexible Learning/Correspondence Study, we will proctor that exam. No testing fee will apply. However, if the student is unable to come to our facility, or chooses not to use our testing center, he or she will need to select a proctor and a testing site.

Examinations cannot be taken in a private location, such as someone’s home or office.

Choosing a Proctor

Persons qualified to serve as proctors include (but are not limited to):

• authorized testing center personnel
• certified elementary or secondary teachers
• certified librarians
• civil service examiners
• guidance counselors
• judges of a court of law
• Principals
• school superintendents
• U.S. Armed Forces Education personnel
• Services Officers
• Other options include: officials of colleges and universities (such as deans, department chairs, registrars) or, for incarcerated students, the education officer or librarian.

If the student is uncertain of the qualifications of a proctor, or has difficulty locating a proctor, contact The Office of Flexible Learning/Correspondence Study for assistance (800-327-4218). All proctors must be approved.

Note: friends and relatives are not permitted to proctor student exams.

For convenience, the following is a listing of some approved testing facilities in Florida. Some of these centers charge for their services. Note that students are not required to use these Centers.

Requesting an Examination
Examination request forms are located in the study guide following the last lesson to be covered by the examination. Submit the examination request form to the Office of Flexible Learning/Correspondence Study. Students may fax it to (352) 392-6950.

Taking the Examination
The student is required to bring a current form of identification clearly bearing name and picture on the day of the examination. The Study Guide lists any additional items needed. The examination cover sheet is an integral part of the overall examination process. The instructor will record the exam grade (and course grade if it is the final exam) on this form and return it to the Office of Flexible Learning/Correspondence Study. A copy of this form will then be returned to the student. Graded exams are not returned.

Students are requested to allow up to three weeks for the examination to be graded and a final grade to be returned. Upon written request within 30 days of taking examination, the student may review the graded examination. This should be done in the presence of a proctor. Taking or using notes or using unapproved electronic devices is prohibited.

Testing in Other States
A cooperative testing agreement exists between the University of Florida’s Correspondence Study and 75 other universities throughout the nation. Out-of-state students may contact the Office of Correspondence Study (in some instances referred to as Continuing Education Office) of the nearest college or university. You may also take examinations at a public or school library or community college campus.

Military Personnel

Correspondence study examinations are administered worldwide by Education Services Officers and Navy Campus Education Specialists. If students are stationed on board a ship or located in an isolated installation, any officer can be approved as a test proctor after receiving prior approval from our office.

Completion Times, Financial Policies, and Grade Policies

• Students may enroll in correspondence courses at any time and can complete within 16 weeks from the date of enrollment. If the (on-campus) academic semester changes during this time, a non-punitive “H” (Hold) will appear on the student’s transcript.
• If time beyond the initial 16 weeks is needed to complete the course, an additional 16 weeks will be automatically allowed.
• If the course is not completed at the end of the second 16-week period (32 weeks from the date of enrollment), the instructor will assign a punitive "I" or a failing grade.
• To be eligible to receive a special extension beyond 32 weeks, a student must show reasonable academic progress and obtain permission from the instructor via the Office of Correspondence Study before the end of the 32 week period. During this third and final 16-week period, a punitive “I” will appear on the student’s transcript.

Students will receive a grade report for each completed course upon completion of each course. This grade report is not an official transcript. To receive an official transcript, the student may utilize the Transcript Request Form included at the end of this section and submit it to the Office of the Registrar:

Transcript Section
Office of the Registrar
222 Criser Hall
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611

The University of Florida assures the confidentiality of all your educational records in accordance with State University System Rules, State Statutes, and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Grades are not given over the telephone. Requests must be in writing.

Extensions

Extensions may be granted due to medical or extreme hardship situations. Requests must be made in writing one month prior to the course expiration date. Extension requests cannot be made by phone. A written copy of the petition is required for your files. Petitions may be either faxed or mailed. There is a fee for an extension, and you must consult the Office of Correspondence Study for details pertaining to your course.

Tuition Refund Policy

A tuition refund will be granted after a student submits a written request to withdraw from the course within 30 days of enrollment. Refund requests may be made by fax, e-mail, or U.S. mail. All requests will receive a written response in the form of a detailed receipt. Refunds are computed at the rate of tuition, less $25.00 per course and $5.00 for each written assignment submitted for grading. A refund is issued on course materials at the time of withdrawal if they are returned within 30 days of sale and are in their original condition. Allow 6-8 weeks for refund checks. No refunds are granted after 30 days. If a credit card was used to pay for tuition, the refund will be in the form of credit to that card.

Transfers

You may transfer from one course to another within 30 days of enrollment. This request must be in writing and sent by fax, e-mail, or U.S. mail. A course transfer form appears on the following page; you may use this form as your written request. You will receive a receipt by mail. Any difference in tuition will be collected or refunded. There is a $25.00 transfer fee and a $5.00 charge for every lesson previously submitted in the original course. After the transfer has taken place, the original enrollment and expiration dates still apply. The signature of a dean or advisor is recommended for college course transfers.

Book Buy-Back Policy

Textbooks and materials in continued use by the Division of Continuing Education that are in good condition may be repurchased at 50% of the original purchase price 30 days after completion of or withdrawal from a course. Contact the Office of Flexible Learning/Correspondence Study Bookstore for details at 800-327-4218.

Financial Aid

The Office of Flexible Learning/Correspondence Study does not offer financial aid at this time. However, scholarships or student loans may be used. To determine conditions and deadlines, students should contact their school’s financial aid office or their private lending institution. Students enrolled in college and receiving financial are advised to check with a financial aid counselor to ensure that they meet all of their requirements for continuing financial aid.

Dropping a Course

In order to drop a course, please complete the “Drop Course Form” included on the following page and send it by e-mail, fax, or mail to the Division of Continuing Education. As previously stated tuition refunds will be granted up until 30 days after the enrollment date.

Textbook refund requests should be addressed to the Office of Correspondence Study Bookstore. A refund is issued when texts are returned within 30 days of sale and are in the original condition. After 30 days, the Bookstore will buy back the textbooks, provided they are still in use. Return this form with your textbooks.

Mail to: University of Florida
Division of Continuing Education
Office of Flexible Learning/Correspondence Study
2209 NW 13th Street, Suite D
Gainesville, FL 32609-3498

This Addendum was created from the standard course guide and the information here: http://www.ir.ufl.edu/fac_handbook/syllabi.htm