Welcome to the Self-Paced Program information page! Thank you for your interest in the self-paced program. My name is Jennifer Gatlin, Undergraduate Curriculum Advisor, and I will be your point of contact for self-paced study. It is my hope that this site will provide guidance in how you enroll and complete your classes.
Be assured, degree requirements are the same for all B.A.L.S. students, no matter the mode of delivery (please see your personalized degree plan or the B.A.L.S. degree requirement sheet at http://www.ou.edu/cls/bals/).
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about the self-paced study option; I have answered these questions as completely as possible, but always feel free to contact me if you have additional questions or concerns.
What are the differences between the Self-Paced courses and Online/Onsite?
There are several differences in the format of the self-paced courses from our semester-based courses. Your start date is dependant upon the date your enrollment is processed. You can enroll in a maximum of 6 credit hours at one time and you have one year to complete the course(s). You are also allowed to enroll in more classes upon completing each course; you do not have to wait for new ‘semesters’ to begin in order to continue your studies!
How do I enroll in Self-Paced courses?
Once you have decided on your course(s), you will need to complete a “Self-Paced Add/Drop Form,” which will give me authorization to enroll you in courses on your behalf. You will then fax it to my attention
at 405-325-9032, and I will begin the process of enrollment. Since instructors are assigned on an individual basis, you should allow 5-10 business days for this process to conclude.
For your convenience, the enrollment form is provided below, along with a sample for your review.
How will I get in contact with my instructor?
Upon enrollment, you will be added to an Independent Study section of your course through the Desire2Learn (D2L) website http://learn.ou.edu. You will be sent an automatic notification from D2L to your OU EMAIL account once you have been added to a course. This email will indicate which course you have been added to, along with required log-in information. You must log into the D2L website to access your course! You may contact your instructor through the D2L portal messaging tool, or you may email directly; their OU email address will be provided in the course site.
It is highly recommended that you contact your instructor upon receiving your enrollment verification. It is required that you have set
up and have access to your OU EMAIL. The following site can assist you
in setting up and checking your OU EMAIL account:
http://www.ou.edu/cls/Current/Masters/mlsemail.html
What is the drop policy for self-paced courses?
You can drop any self-paced course within one month of enrollment without financial penalty. You will be responsible for all charges associated with this course if you choose to drop it after the FREE ONE MONTH DROP PERIOD.
What if I need to take longer than one year to complete my course(s)?
For enrollments prior to December 31, 2006:
Each self-paced course has a maximum term life of three years. If you need longer than one year to complete your course work, you can pay a Records Maintenance Fee (RMF) to extend your course for an additional year. You will be sent an RMF Notice nearing the end of your term; in order to continue your course(s) simply complete the form and send payment (check, money order, or credit card) for the RMF. The current RMF fee is $82 (subject to change).
For enrollments on or after January 1, 2007:
You are allowed one full calendar year to complete your self-paced enrollment. If you are not finished with coursework at the end of that one year period, you may request a grade of incomplete from your faculty member. To qualify for the grade of incomplete, you must have completed at least half of the assignments for the course. If you have not completed 50% of the course assignments, you do not qualify for the grade of Incomplete; you are also subject to being assigned a final grade based on the amount of work that has been submitted. If you have not completed your course requirements, do not qualify for an Incomplete, and receive a failing grade or are withdrawn, you must re-enroll in the course in order to receive credit. Re-enrollments will be charged at the current tuition rate.
For further information regarding our grading policies, please visit the following link: http://www.ou.edu/cls/mals/mals_withdraw.shtml.
How will I know which books to buy for the course(s), and where can I get them?
The College of Liberal Studies keeps an updated Textbook List on our website at all times. This list can be accessed on the Current Students page of our website. The course websites have all the course requirements as well as the textbooks that are required and can be viewed through the D2L system. Any questions about the syllabi should be directed to your assigned instructor. You can order books online through The University Bookstore, Borders, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, etc. Additional book information is available at the Advisor’s Corner website at http://www.ou.edu/cls/.
How does Financial Aid work with Self-Paced courses?
If you are a student on Financial Aid, additional paperwork will be required. Before I can process any enrollments for you, you will need to complete a Self-Paced Progress Form and return it to this office. For your convenience, this form is provided below, along with a sample for your review. Once I receive this form, I will process it and send it to Financial Aid so that we may coordinate your courses accordingly. It is important to note that financial aid is set up differently for self-paced courses from online or onsite courses. Please carefully review the following link:
http://financialaid.ou.edu/forms/2007-2008/BA_Liberal_Studies-Self_Paced_Fact_Sheet_07-08.pdf.
**This information link has been provided from the Liberal Studies Financial Aid office; please contact their office directly at 405-325-2929, or email at lsaid@ou.edu for further information regarding this process.
If I am a Self-Paced student, can I enroll in online/onsite courses as well?
You can mix and match the modes of delivery for your Liberal Studies degree any way that you please! If you wish to take courses either online or onsite (or both) you should familiarize yourself with the online enrollment system (http://enroll.ou.edu/) to add enrollments delivered in this format. You will also need to contact Anika Cole-Carr with the Financial Aid office if you are receiving financial aid, as these types of enrollments may affect your aid.
I wish you the best in taking your courses. If you have any questions about your degree or enrolling, please feel free to call or email. The following website has degree and course information which you may find helpful: http://www.ou.edu/cls/Current/.
