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 colle ge 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 cannotprovide advice or recommend courses to meet particular requirements or to usein a particular program of study.

 a 4-quarter-hour course = $564

 a 5-quarter-hour course = $700

 a 4-quarter-hour course = $612

 a 5-quarter-hour course = $765

Some courses carry additional fees which are listed in the individual course descriptions. All fees must be paid at the time you enroll.

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 payments from outside sources unless you provide proper authorization forms from that source.

A full refund is given only when you are refused enrollment. Course guide costs are not refundable and course guides should not be returned to our office. If you request withdrawal within one month from the date of your enrollment, the course fee will be refunded less $50 and a charge for each lesson graded. If you request withdrawal between one and two months from the date of your enrollment, one-half of the course fee will be returned, less a charge for each lesson graded.  No refunds will be authorized after two months from the date of enrollment.  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.

Correspondence Courses Only - If you live outside of the United States, an additional fee applies to the delivery of your course guide, assignments, and examinations. These are shipped using a priority delivery service so that time spent in transit is not more than a few days. Due for each course on enrollment, these fees are not refundable:
                         
                         Outside the U.S. (except Canada and Mexico) $60
                         Canada and Mexico $20

In addition to the above, there is a charge of $5 per lesson unless graded lessons are returned electronically.

Shortly after you enroll, you will receive a course guide containing all the required lessons in the course. (Students in Web Courses will find all of their lesson content is on the World Wide Web.) You will be instructed to submit written lessons to the IDLP office, where a record of their receipt is made; they are immediately forwarded to your instructor for evaluation, grading, and comments. The instructor will return the assignments to the IDLP office, where the grade is recorded before they are sent back to you. The time required for grading is generally one to two weeks after the lesson is received in the IDLP office (one week for a Web course). This time will depend somewhat on any delays in the mail and on the instructor's personal schedule, for all instructors also carry teaching loads in residence. During vacation and between quarters, instructors often leave campus; thus, some delay may occur at these times. IDLP courses have been designed to allow you interaction with your instructor and feedback on your assignments. You will make the best progress if you set a regular schedule to work on your lessons and submit your assignments. To benefit from your instructor's comments, wait to submit a lesson until the previous one has been graded and returned to you. If you have a deadline for completing the course, request permission from the instructor, after Lesson 1 has been graded and returned to you, to submit more than one lesson at a time.

GRADES

The lessons you submit will be graded by the instructor assigned to the course. The method of grading is explained in detail in the course materials. Final grades are largely determined by grades on supervised examinations and they are reported on an A to F scale. Plus and minus signs may be reported together with the letter grade (for example, B+). Examinations are not returned, but midcourse and final examination reports are sent to you. A final grade report will be sent to you at the same time the grade is reported to the Office of Student Records.

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 credit earned in this program is expressed in quarter hours. All credit is considered resident credit at Ohio University and there is no limit to the amount of IDLP credit that can be applied to an Ohio University degree. IDLP credit can generally be transferred to other institutions; the accepting institution, however, establishes the policy in this matter. You are therefore urged to make arrangements in advance so that you will know that the credit earned will transfer.

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.

Most of the correspondence courses or web courses require one or two supervised examinations. If you reside near an Ohio University campus, you must take your examination at the nearest 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 informatio n about examination procedures will be included with your enrollment material.

You may withdraw upon written request to the IDLP office, subject to the fee refund policy described in the following section. There is no academic penalty for withdrawal.

You are permitted to change your registration once to one other regularly offered course during the first three months of enrollment (during the first two months for a Web course). 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.

Maximum Time:  You are allowed eight months from the date of enrollment to complete a correspondence course (five months for a Web course). If progress has been made but the course has not been completed in that length of time, one extension of four months (two months for a Web course) can be requested

An extension request form is included in each course guide. When approved, the fee for an extension of time is $50. If you fail to apply for an extension before your enrollment expires and you are withdrawn, a reinstatement fee of $50 in addition to the extension fee must be paid. Reinstatements can be authorized only during the three-month period following the expiration of the initial enrollment. 

Minimum Time:  You may proceed through your course at a rate that is mutually satisfactory to you and to your instructor. Ideally, after the first lesson is submit ted, another is not sent in until the preceding one has been evaluated by the instructor and returned. Some students, however, will wish to work at a faster rate. Since the rate must be largely determined by your ability to do the required work, you should inform your instructor of your desire to work at a faster rate in an early lesson. As soon as the instructor has had an opportunity to form an opinion about your ability, he or she will either permit or deny your request. In making a request, you should keep in mind that our courses are designed to allow a dialogue between students and instructors. For students who do not want such a dialogue or for students who have prior knowledge of a subject, opportunities are available to earn credit by examination. You should not expect to complete a correspondence course in less than six months or a Web course in less than 5 months.

With approval of the instructor (and the academic dean if you are an Ohio University student), you are permitted to retake a course. You must register and pay the course fees again. Ohio University regulations that apply to courses retaken in the classroom also apply to courses retaken through IDLP Programs.

Students enrolled in IDLP 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. 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. Students may request that the University keep such information confidential; such requests must be made in writing directly to the office of the Registrar. Students who do not want their directory information printed in the Web site Directory must complete the Ohio University Confidentiality Status form and return it to the Registrar's Office in 160 Chubb Hall within the first 15 days of enrollment. 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 Human Resources to obtain the fee waiver. Take or send the fee waiver to t he 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 course, five months to complete 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.

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