Comparing quarter-hour credit to semester-hour credit
Completion of work / graduation deadlines
Examinations
Repeating an exam
Withdrawal
Transfers
Time limit
Maintaining honor and integrity
Transcripts / confidentiality of student records
Using our courses for teacher certification
Special student populations

Independent and Distance Learning is open to all who can benefit from it, and formal admission to the university is not required for enrollment. Admission to IDL programs, however, does not constitute admission to Ohio University or any of its degree programs. You may enroll for courses at any time during the year. Independent and Distance Learning does not follow the traditional academic calendar, so you can begin your course as soon as you enroll.

If you are a high school student: Although most persons who enroll are high school graduates, it is not necessary for you to have a high school diploma if you are an adult. High school students recommended by their principal or guidance counselor are eligible to enroll in lower division courses.

If you plan to transfer the credit: If you are currently enrolled at another institution of higher education or if you plan to transfer the credit earned, you should obtain written permission from the college that is to accept the credit. Others do not need special permission.

If you are an Ohio University student: If you are an Ohio University student, you must obtain a permission slip from your college to enroll in an Independent and Distance Learning course. Students who are enrolled in the Schools of Art, Music, Theater, or Dance who wish to take courses through IDLP must have permission from the director of their respective school as well as from the College of Fine Arts.

If you want to enroll on a noncredit basis: Enrollments are accepted on a noncredit basis for those who are not interested in college credit but who are studying for personal satisfaction. The noncredit fee is the same as the credit fee, but the supervised examinations can be omitted.

Read all the information contained in this section, and then select the course or courses for which you wish to enroll. Complete the enrollment application and submit it. You may enroll for a course at any time. The IDLP staff can supply more detailed information about correspondence courses, web courses, or course credit by examination courses.  However, we cannot provide advice or recommend course s to meet particular requirements or to use in a particular program of study.

Method of payment: Make your check or money order payable to Ohio University. You may also pay fees by Discover®, VlSA®, or MasterCard® (see application). Students residing out of the United States should pay fees on a United States bank, payable in United States dollars. Bank drafts will not be accepted.

If you are receiving financial aid from other sources, such as scholarships or employee educational benefits, you must provide a billing authorization and account number from the source of the financial aid. The IDLP office takes no responsibility for obtaining p payments from outside sources unless you provide proper authorization forms from that source.

Refunds cannot be processed until four weeks after your enrollment fees are received, even if you request withdrawal before that time. Allow an additional two to four weeks to receive the refund.

A letter containing information concerning your previous related coursework, experience, training, or special interest and your reasons for enrolling in the course should be submitted along with the enrollment application and course fee. Please allow sufficient time for arrangements to be made with the department and faculty member. The instructor will inform you what should be studied in preparation for the examination and the type of examination to be given.

If the IDLP office is unable to arrange for your examination, your fee will be refunded in full. If you withdraw within one month of your enrollment in a special course credit by examination, one half of the course fee will be refunded. No refunds will be given after one month from the date of enrollment.

GRADES

The usual letter grades of A to F are given. Plus and minus signs are often used together with the letter (for example, B+). Failing grades are reported to the Office of Student Records and will appear on your record. Your examination grade will be reported to you by mail about two wee ks after the examination.

Students whose institutions will accept such credit may enroll for the pass/fail option if they so indicate at the time of their enrollment. If you are enrolled in a degree program at Ohio University, you must have written permission from the dean of your college in order to select the pass/fail option.

Ohio University students may not select this option (1) for any course that satisfies any major or minor requirements, or (2) for any course used to satisfy a Tier or distribution requirement. If you wish to change your grade option from pass/fail to a letter grade or vice versa, you must notify the IDLP office within 4 weeks of your enrollment date or before you take the first examination in the course, whichever comes first.

The IDLP office maintains fax service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The fax number, 740-593-2901, can be used to transmit enrollment applications (if payment is by credit card), correspondence to faculty members and IDLP staff, and course lessons. Examinations may not be transmitted by fax. Course lessons received by fax do not receive any special handling, and graded lessons are returned by mail.

Ohio University is on the quarter-hour system. Each university course credit value in quarter hours is indicated in parentheses after the course number and title in the course listings. The table shows the relative value of quarter and semester hours.

1.5 quarter hours = 1 semester hour
3.0 quarter hours = 2 semester hours
4.5 quarter hours = 3 semester hours
6.0 quarter hours = 4 semester hours
7.5 quarter hours = 5 semester hours

Completion of work: You must enroll in sufficient time to complete your work for a specific deadline such as graduation or certification. Ohio University degree candidates should complete all requirements, including the final examination, two weeks before the end of the quarter in which they expect to receive the degree. If you live outside the Athens area, add seven to 10 days for mailing times. Students completing degrees at other institutions should determine in advance what their deadline is and allow sufficient time for completion. Keep in mind that time must be allowed for preparing and mailing official transcripts.

Graduation Deadlines:  Graduation is not automatic. To graduate, apply online at www.ohiou.edu/registrar. You may apply in person at the Registrar Services Window, first floor lobby, Chubb Hall, or at the regional campus student services offices.

If you intend to graduate from Ohio University in November 2007, and plan to use IDLP course credit toward that graduation, all lessons and examinations must be completed and in our office by November 2, 2007. The deadline for March 2008 graduation is March 1, 2008. The deadline for June 2008 graduation is May 16, 2008. The deadline for August 2008 graduation is August 1, 2008. Neither Independent and Distance Learning Programs nor the university can guarantee graduation if these deadlines are not met.

If you reside near an Ohio University campus, you must take your examination at that campus. Others can arrange to have their examinations proctored at another accredited college or university or, if it is more convenient, at an accredited local high school. Ohio University reserves the right to reject a proposed examination supervisor. Detailed information about examination procedures will be included with your enrollment material. You should allow two weeks after your examination is received in the IDLP office for your examination to be graded.

REPEATING AN EXAMINATION

If you are an international student on scholarship, and your sponsoring program has not yet paid your course fees, you must pay the $ 50 withdrawal fee at the time you request the withdrawal.

TRANSFERS

You are permitted to change your registration once to one other regularly offered course during the first three months of enrollment. You must pay the difference in fees, if any, plus a $50 transfer fee. No refund of the original fee will be made. Fees cannot be transferred from one student to another or from our program courses to campus study. The date of the original enrollment remains effective for all transfers.

If you need additional time to prepare for the examination, you may request one four-month extension for a fee of $50.

Students enrolled in Independent and Distance Learning courses are expected to maintain high standards of honor and integrity. All work submitted is to be accomplished through your own efforts. Academic penalties will be invoked in cases involving dishonesty or plagiarism.

Transcript of Records: Along with the material you will receive upon enrollment, a form is provided which you may use to request an official transcript of a completed course directly from the Office of the University Registrar, Chubb Hall 108, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701. You may also request a transcript online at www.ohio. edu/registrar/transcri.htm. Confidentiality regulations prevent the IDLP office from requesting a transcript for you. The fee of $5 for each transcript must be sent with the request; the transcript will be sent to the person or institution indicated on the form.

For students who complete correspondence courses, independent learning projects, or web courses the transcript will indicate that they were completed by "Independent Study." For students who complete course credit by examination the transcript will indicate they were completed by "Course Credit by Exam." Note: Course titles on the transcript may appear in abbreviated form.   All types of IDLP credit are considered resident credit by Ohio University and there is no limit to the amount that can be applied to an Ohio University degree.

Confidentiality of Student Records:  Ohio University abides by the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. Under this act, educational records of students are released only with written consent and request of eligible students except, in accordance with the law, to authorized persons within the university and to authorized agencies outside the university and to authorized persons within the university and to authorized agencies outside the university. In addition, eligible students may inspect their records by requesting an appointment in writing.

Certain personal information is considered public record and may be published in a University publication (including the university's Web site directory): the student's name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and the most recent educational agency or institution attended by the student. Student s may request that the University keep such information confidential; such requests must be made in writing directly to the office of the Registrar. A form for this purpose can be requested from Independent and Distance Learning Programs. Students should be aware that limiting access to this information means that the University cannot verify enrollment, even when such verification would be advantageous to the student.

IDLP course credit can usually be applied toward teacher certification requirements. However, graduate-level and methods courses in education are not available through Independent and Distance Learning. Individual cases should be checked with the institution responsible for recommending for certification or with the Department of Education in your state. In Ohio, students who are completing an undergraduate degree or who hold one from an Ohio institution should check with their university. Those holding an undergraduate degree from an out-of-state institution should check with the College of Education at Ohio University or another state-supported college or university.

Employees: Many employers are willing to help subsidize the education of their employees. Students whose fees are to be paid by their employers should include an official authorization for billing.

Ohio University Employees: IDLP courses taken for credit are covered under the educational benefits offered to employees of Ohio University and their spouses and children. The benefits vary according to employment status. If you wish to take advantage of these benefits to help with the cost of IDLP courses, contact the Human Resources office to determine your eligibility. When you have completed the IDLP application and selected your courses, and the total fee has been determined, take the fee information to the Personnel Office to obtain the fee waiver. Take or send the fee waiver to the IDLP office with the application so the waiver can be applied to your course fees.

Veterans: IDLP courses are approved for veterans or service personnel currently serving on active duty for more than 180 days. Eligible students may apply under: New G.I. Bill (Chapter 30) Montgomery; VEAP (Chapter 32) Post-Vietnam Era; and Reserve and National Guard Educational Program (Chapter 106).

IDLP correspondence and web courses listed in this catalog, as well as other courses taken by Independent Learning Project, are approved for veterans and other eligible persons covered in the provisions of the G.I. Bill. Under the terms of the approval, these courses are considered IDLP courses for Veteran’s Administration (VA) purposes. To satisfy VA requirements, veterans registering under the G.I. Bill must enroll in courses that are applicable to a degree, certificate, or other educational objectives. Courses taken by the course-credit-by-examination option are not approved for educational assistance.

Veterans, like all IDLP students, are allowed one year from the time of enrollment to complete correspondence or web courses and six months to complete Independent Learning Projects. Educational benefits are computed and provided on these enrollment terms. Benefits will cease upon completion of coursework. The VA will be notified if a veteran student does not complete the course(s).

Veterans will be paid at the current VA monthly allowance for their individual benefits based on cost of enrollment. IDLP courses are considered less than half time for purposes of veteran benefits. Veteran students are required to pay the full tuition fee when enrolling for an IDLP course.

Veterans should submit VA Form 22-1990 Veteran’s Application for Program of Education or Training or VA Form 22-1993a Certificate of Eligibility. Service personnel on active duty should submit VA Form 22-1990a; if benefits have been previously used at another institution, submit VA Form 22-1195 Request for Change of Program or Place of Training. Others should consult a local Veteran’s Administration office.

United States Armed Forces Personnel: Ohio University is an approved Servicemen's Opportunity College (SOC) and the director of Independent and Distance Learning Programs is the designated counselor who can help military personnel meet their educational goals. Servicemen's Opportunity College is a network of institutions across the country dedicated to responding to the special needs of adult continuing education for people in the armed forces.

Ohio University is also cooperating with DANTES (Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support). Ohio University IDLP course offerings and course credit by examination are listed in the DANTES catalogs. The catalogs are available for reference at all Armed Forces education service offices.

If you are interested, consult with your educational service officer concerning enrollment and the availability of tuition assistance. If you are on active duty in the armed forces, you may use the DANTES application form to enroll in IDLP courses. DANTES enrollment application forms are also available upon request from the IDLP office.

College Courses for High School Students: Capable high school juniors and seniors who are recommended by their guidance counselors or principals will be permitted to enroll in courses for college credit. Lower division courses are suggested as most appropriate for these students.

High school students in Ohio may not use IDLP courses to earn college credit under the provisions of Ohio Senate Bill 140.

The Incarcerated: If you are incarcerated, you may enroll in courses through IDLP programs; however, certain restrictions may apply. If you are interested in enrolling, consult the director of education at your institution. Information about specific courses can be obtained from the IDLP Degree Services office; other questions about degree programs and advising should be directed to cpi@ohio.edu.