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.
Q. 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 an extended period of time to complete the course(s)—timelines are noted below. 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!
COURSE COMPLETION TIMELINES:
Enrollments beginning on or prior to July 31, 2009: You will have one year to complete your course(s).
Enrollments beginning on or after August 1, 2009: You will have six months to complete your course(s).
Q. Why have the timelines for self-paced courses been shortened from one year to six months?
Beginning August 1, 2009, our self-paced courses will no longer be one-year courses, but rather will be offered for 6-month terms. This will only be effective for courses beginning on or after 08/01/2009.
We are making this change with our students in mind. For Financial Aid purposes, when our students are enrolled in the self-paced program, they are required to finish their courses within 6-months to meet federal guidelines. This new format will allow us to be more consistent with their standards, and keep our students from having conflicting information regarding completion timelines coming from the College versus Financial Aid. We are also hopeful that the shortened timeline will actually contribute to increased student success in this delivery method. In our experience, the longer an enrollment remains open, the less likely it is that it will be successfully completed. We want to do what we can to aid in our students’ success, and are very hopeful that this will be a big step in the right direction.
Q. What if I need to take longer than my enrollment period to complete my course(s)?
For enrollments prior to December 31, 2006:
The College of Liberal Studies previously accepted a nominal fee in order to extend your enrollment period. We have discontinued this program, and will ask that your faculty work with you to allow for “Incomplete” grades to give you an additional one-year extension as your courses expire. It is important that you maintain contact with your instructors to complete your requirements within one year of receiving an “I”; Incomplete grades are only active for one year, and if you have not completed your course within that time frame, 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/bals/withdraw.shtml
For enrollments on or after January 1, 2007:
You are allowed one-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/bals/withdraw.shtml.
For enrollments beginning on or after August 1, 2009:
You are allowed six-months to complete your self-paced enrollment. If you are not finished with coursework at the end of that six-month period, you may request a grade of incomplete from your faculty member, which would allow you an extension of up to one year. 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/bals/withdraw.shtml.
Q. How do I enroll in Self-Paced courses?
Once you have decided on your course(s), you will need to complete a “Self-Paced Enrollment 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. Once everything is in place, you will receive an email including the web link to your course syllabus and contact information for your instructor.
For your convenience, this form is provided below, along with a sample for your review.
Q. 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.
Q. How will I get in contact with my instructor?
It is highly recommended that you contact your instructor upon receiving your enrollment verification. Your letter will provide you with contact information for your instructor, and will also provide the instructor with your address and OU EMAIL ADDRESS. It is required that you have set up and have access to your OU EMAIL. You can access your OU e-mail account at http://exchange.ou.edu/.
Q. 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 here. The course websites have all the course requirements as well as the textbooks that are required. Any questions about the syllabi should be directed to your assigned instructor. You can order books online through the University Bookstore at http://www.efollett.com/, Borders, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, etc. Additional book information is available at the Advisor’s Corner website at http://www.ou.edu/cls/bals/.
Q. 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 Declaration of Progress Expectations Form and return it to this office. For your convenience, this form is provided below, along with a sample for your review. It is best if you are able to submit the progress form and your Enrollment Request form at the same time. 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 directly 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.
Q. 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.
