Extended Studies, University of Nevada, Reno

Guidelines for Open-Enrollment Courses (Online or Print-based)
PLEASE read all the information provided. You are expected to know and follow all applicable policies and procedures.

The following guidelines are for students taking online or print-based open-enrollment courses. Please see the links on the main page for additional general information about independent learning policies and procedures that may also apply. Guidelines for online semester-based courses are available here.

Courses available
For all independent learning university courses listed by subject area with full course descriptions and details, click here; high school courses are listed here.

Technical requirements and skills for online courses
Please be sure you have the appropriate technology requirements before enrolling in an online course. Familiarity with your personal computer, its programs and its operating system will help you succeed as an online student. The University of Nevada, Reno uses the course software WebCampus for most of its online courses. Students enrolled in online independent learning courses will need access to a computer with a printer and access to the Internet. We recommend a computer running Windows 95 or higher or Macintosh OS 10 or higher, a printer, access to the Internet and a supported Web browser installed. To see if your browser is functional with WebCampus, visit: www.webct.com/tuneup/. Knowing how to use e-mail and navigate the Internet is essential. Students must be able to send messages to their instructors, post assignments, communicate with other students and reach the online classes’ web pages. Students registering for online courses must have the computer skills necessary for participating in and completing a course on the Internet.

Enrolling in a course
What paperwork do I need to enroll? If this is the first class you've taken from the University of Nevada, Reno, or if you have taken classes but not paid the fee, or if you have paid an application fee but never attended, you'll need to submit the independent learning registration form, as well as the University of Nevada, Reno application form, including a nonrefundable $60 application fee, payable to Board of Regents.

If you have taken a prior class from the university, submit the independent learning registration form. You must also pay a nonrefundable application fee of $60.00 payable to the Board of Regents, if you have never paid this fee before. If you are a continuing University of Nevada, Reno student, your online course will appear in your existing WebCampus homepage at webct.unr.edu.

Where do I send my registration forms? Submit your registration for an open-enrollment course to the Independent Learning office anytime during the year in any of the following ways:

Complete the registration form for university credit or high school credit and
Mail it to our address with payment, or
Fax the registration form to (775) 784-1280 with credit card payment, or
Call 1-800-233-8928, ext. 4652, or (775) 784-4652 with credit card payment
Submit your completed form in person at our office in the Continuing Education Building, 1041 N. Virginia St., second floor.

Once I've enrolled, how do I access my class?
For online courses: Once your information from the application form (above) has been entered into the University's system, go to http://webct.unr.edu and click on "Activate your NetID account." That function will also provide your password and logon information to enter your WebCampus online class. It will take approximately five working days for your online access to become available from the time the University receives your information.

For print-based courses: Once your registration form has been received by the Independent Learning office, you will receive the required course materials (texts, CDs, etc.), as well as a detailed course syllabus with instructions on how to proceed. If you mail or fax your registration to the Independent Learning office, your syllabus and materials will be mailed to you. If you live locally and prefer to stop by the Independent Learning office to enroll, you can also pick up these items the same day.

Fees and Other Charges

Course costs for open-enrollment courses: For course fees, click here.
Course materials, textbooks: For course materials and textbooks, click here.
Financial aid: Most types of financial aid do not apply to open-enrollment courses. Check with your financial aid advisor if you have questions.
Refund policy for open-enrollment courses: Click here for more information.
Transfer policy: Click here for more information.

Course Materials

Course materials for open-enrollment courses: Click here for more information.

Lessons
Lesson assignments: For open-enrollment courses, we recommend that you submit the first one or two lesson assignments to the Independent Learning office and then wait for feedback from the instructor before sending in further lessons. This is for your benefit as it helps you to know that you are answering questions or doing problems adequately before continuing with the course. However, if you like, you may proceed with the acceptable number of lesson submissions each week (as determined under the "Maximum lesson submissions allowed," below) regardless of whether or not your previous lessons have been returned. This is acceptable with the independent learning office if you feel that you understand the material sufficiently to continue and your grades remain at the "C" level or better. We recommend that you make an electronic copy of your lessons in the event your instructor asks you to e-mail it once again. For more information, click here.

Lesson services for open-enrollment courses: Click here for more information.
How to prepare and submit your lessons/reports: Click here for more information.

Time Requirements
Time requirements and regulations for open-enrollment courses: Students may take a year from the date of enrollment to complete a course. For university courses, the minimum time for course completion is four weeks per credit from the date the first lesson is received in our office. For high school courses, the minimum time for course completion is six weeks from the date the first assignment is received in our office. Please note: It is advisable to allow time to receive ample feedback from the instructor on each lesson before taking any exams. Consequently, working through a course in the minimum time allowed may not be possible without sacrificing the results of your exams, and possibly your grade, for the course. Please remember: Independent Learning provides an opportunity to study and learn at your own pace, but is not intended to serve as a fast-track academic credit program.

Maximum lesson submissions allowed for open-enrollment courses: For every course there is a maximum number of lessons that may be submitted each week. To calculate this number, divide the number of lessons and tests in the course by the minimum time requirement (minimum time is four (4) weeks per credit for university-level courses). For instance, if your course is three credits and has 28 lessons and two exams (28+2), you would calculate 30/12 = 2.5. You could alternate and submit two lessons one week and three the next week. Please note: All lessons and exams must be submitted in order.

Several factors will determine the possibility of finishing a course in the minimum time. They are: (1) the availability and willingness of the instructor to work with the student; (2) the ability of the independent learning staff to handle an increased lesson and test submission rate; (3) the grades that the student receives (average on lessons and tests must be "C" or above); (4) the time of year; (5) turning in all lessons in order, without missing a week. The Independent Learning office will not accept any minimum time requests that are made five weeks or less prior to spring, summer and winter graduation dates. Due to increased work loads of our instructors and our office at these times during the school year, acceleration is not an option.

If you need to meet a deadline of completion for graduation or certification, you should enroll in time to complete the independent learning course and final examination, allowing at least three weeks to have all grades processed. Contact the Independent Learning office if you would like a lesson submission schedule prepared for you. Generally speaking, the following timelines are suggested regarding deadlines for graduation or certification:

Deadlines for May graduation: If course completion is needed for May graduation, you must have completed the lessons and the final examination must be taken (and received) in the Independent Learning office by May 1.

Deadlines for August graduation: If course completion is needed for August graduation, you must have completed the lessons and the final examination must be taken (and received) in the Independent Learning office by Aug. 1. Please note: Check with our office to make sure that your instructor is available during the summer.

Deadlines for December graduation: If course completion is needed for December graduation, you must have completed the lessons and the final examination must be taken (and received) in the Independent Learning office by Dec. 1.

Deadlines for certification or licensing: If course completion is needed for certification or licensing, it is the responsibility of the student to provide adequate lead time to assure the course grade will be available to the proper authorities in time for deadlines. Plan at least three weeks prior to your deadline for processing your final grade. Remember, if your deadline falls during a holiday or vacation time, a longer lead time may be necessary.

Exceptions to the published deadlines for course completion will not be granted to students who have failed to enroll sufficiently early. Failure to take your exam by these dates will result in an automatic assessment of an expedite fee of $25, although this fee does not guarantee your grade will be received by your deadline date.

Extension of enrollment period: Every student enrolled in an open-enrollment course is eligible for one six-month extension for a fee of $75. There are no second extensions. If a student has not completed a course within the time frame of the first extension, but he/she wants to complete the course, the student will need to completely re-enroll for the course by paying all tuition and fees again. A reinstatement fee of $30 may apply, in addition to the extension charge, if an extension payment is received late.

Examinations

Examinations for open-enrollment courses: Click here for more information.

Grades

Grading system: Click here for more information.
Reporting grades to campus: Your class will appear on your campus transcript in SIS (University of Nevada, Reno’s student information system) within approximately three weeks from the date of enrollment. It will indicate a grade of “X” for the class until class is completed and the “X” will then be replaced by your grade. PLEASE NOTE: The course and grade will always appear on the transcript IN THE SEMESTER YOU ENROLLED, even if you complete the course during a later semester. If you do not complete the course, the “X” reverts to a “W” on your transcript. Students applying for graduation must have all “X”s resolved as grades or “W”s on their transcripts. Grades are recorded in the Office of Admissions and Records at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Reporting grades to students: You will receive a copy of the final grade slip stating the grade you received in the course and the date it was processed in our office. A completion letter will also be mailed to you. You will not receive your examinations. Exams are kept on file in the Independent Learning office where you may come to review your work. If you live outside the Reno-Sparks area, you can arrange to review your exams any time during the course with an acceptable testing supervisor. Your exams are kept by our office for a limited time only (approximately six months after completion); please schedule your test reviewing accordingly.
Transcripts: Click here for more information.

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