General Information

Registration

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Textbooks and Required Materials

Print/Web Course Guidelines

Lesson Completion

Drop/Add

Exams

Withdrawals/Refunds

Extensions

Appeals

What is Independent and Distance Learning (IDL)?

Who can take IDL courses?

You do not have to be admitted to the University of Georgia (UGA) to enroll in Independent and Distance Learning, though many current UGA students supplement their on-campus classes with our courses. We offer a flexible option for anyone who wants or needs to obtain academic credit but cannot attend traditional campus classes. We have a diverse body of students (e.g., traditional students working on degrees, teachers fulfilling certification requirements, and adult students). A high school or home school student age 16 and over may take our courses if he/she is jointly enrolled in a college or university.

IDL tuition and fees for Georgia residents age 62 or older are the same as tuition charged to any Georgia resident.

IDL does not provide a “space available” option.

How long does it take to complete an IDL course?

The maximum time allowed to complete an IDL course is nine months, though you are strongly encouraged to finish the course in less time. You must be enrolled in the course at least eight weeks, and all required lessons must be submitted and completed before taking your final exam. After the final exam, allow 30 days to receive your final grade. If you are unable to complete a course within nine months, you may pay an extension fee of $60.00 to receive an additional 90 days from the date of course expiration. If other completion requirements have been stipulated by your financial aid arrangements, graduation, etc., please follow those deadlines first.

Does IDL have options for disabled students?

Can an incarcerated student take IDL courses?

Incarcerated students may take IDL courses. All IDL course lessons can be mailed through the United States Postal Service (USPS), and special arrangements can be made with the education officer at the correctional facility for proctored examinations. There may be some restrictions in courses with field work assignments or those that require Internet access or special projects. Please contact our office for additional information.

What other services are available to IDL students?

IDL students have access to the University System of Georgia’s GALILEO (Georgia Library Learning Online), as well as to various UGA resources including, UGA Libraries, EITS Computer Services, Learning Disabilities/Disability Services, Tutorial Services, the Language Laboratory, the University Health Center, Parking Services, and UGA’s Campus Transit System. Though all of the services are available to IDL students, some are only available in the Athens, Georgia, area.

We strive to make enrollment in IDL courses as convenient as possible. Admission to UGA is not required. Complete the online registration form, and submit it over our secure server, or print one out and mail or fax it to the IDL office. Once you have submitted your registration form, you will receive your materials by mail. If you have selected the web format of a course, you will also receive an email with log-in instructions. Our office will contact you only if there is a problem that blocks the processing of your registration. Most of the time, you can expect your registration to be processed within three to four days of receipt. However, there are times of the year when there will be a longer processing time, such as the beginning of each University of Georgia semester. Please allow one to two weeks to receive your materials once you have sent your registration information and payment.

How do I know what courses I need to take?

Since Independent and Distance Learning does not offer a degree program, we do not offer academic advisement. Students considering IDL courses should speak with their academic advisors about fulfilling requirements through IDL courses. IDL is not responsible for misadvisements, changes in programs of study, or actions resulting in improper choices of courses.

If you are interested in returning to college, taking online classes, or if you have questions and do not have an academic advisor, please contact the IDL Office for more information.

Because I may be enrolled in my courses for nine months, will this give me credit hours toward every term that the course remains active?

The credit hours for your IDL course will only count toward the semester/term in which you register, even though you may take longer to complete your course.

What about academic prerequisites for IDL courses?

Before enrolling in an IDL course, please consult with your academic advisor regarding the prerequisites and recommended courses listed in the course descriptions. UGA students are responsible for completing the prerequisites for courses originating from the University of Georgia (A course is not complete until a course grade is listed on your official transcript). It may also be possible to seek a prerequisite override from the UGA department in which the course originates.

What is the difference between resident and nonresident credit?

Resident credit is an option available only for current University of Georgia students who meet the following requirements:

• Grade Point Average (GPA) at UGA of 2.0 or higher
• 15 semester hours completed at UGA
• Active enrollment status

Resident credit means that the course will count toward the student’s UGA hours and UGA GPA. If a UGA student does not meet the three requirements, he/she can take the course for nonresident credit. This means that the credit will be counted as transfer credit, affecting a UGA student’s overall hours and overall GPA.

Even if you are a legal resident of the State of Georgia, if you are not enrolled as a University of Georgia student, you will earn nonresident credit (transfer credit) for your IDL course.

IDL offers courses taught by instructors at other University System of Georgia institutions, in addition to those taught by UGA faculty. These courses are designated by “U” at the end of the course code (e.g., POLS 3635U). Nonresident credit is the only credit option for these courses.

You may request permission to audit IDL courses and to not receive course grades. Regular tuition and fees are charged for audited courses. Auditing a course allows you to complete the lesson assignments without the requirement of taking the examinations. A grade of W is earned if course work is not completed for audited courses.

A UGA student may take IDL courses with the Pass/Fail option if all requirements are met as outlined by UGA policy and the student has received clearance in OASIS from his/her academic advisor prior to registering with IDL.

Tuition for IDL courses is $171.00 per semester hour, with the exception of those University of Georgia students who are classified by the University as nonresident (out-of-state) students. UGA out-of-state students who wish to receive resident credit for UGA courses will pay $743.00 per semester hour. All tuition, fees, or other charges are subject to change at the end of any semester.

How do I pay for courses?

Tuition for a student who registers online or by fax must be paid with a credit card. We accept Visa, MasterCard, and Discover. For other types of course registration, tuition may be paid by credit card or by check or money order made payable to the University of Georgia. A current UGA student who receives financial aid may wish to check with our office to determine whether he/she qualifies for a 14-day fee deferment.

An “authorization to bill” or tuition assistance agreement may be presented in lieu of payment at the time of registration if you register through business or military agreements or through certain scholarship programs. The official date of registration is the date that IDL issues a receipt of full-fee payment or receives a valid billing authorization. IDL cannot retroactively accept a billing authorization or tuition assistance agreement once a registration has been processed.

Does IDL participate in the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) for UGA employees?

IDL courses are not currently eligible for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), since IDL does not provide a “space available” option. UGA employees should consult with their individual departments concerning tuition reimbursement.

What do I do if the course I want to register for requires that I obtain the textbooks before enrolling?

Occasionally, a required textbook for an IDL course will go out-of-print. IDL will keep these courses open, but students should obtain the required textbook and provide confirmation in writing or via e-mail to IDL before the registration can be processed. Please contact the IDL publications specialist for assistance, or for the most complete information on the out-of-print text.

Once registered, you may select the option to receive your course materials in one of three formats (check the course listing for availability):

• CD-ROM: Course guide on CD-ROM
• Print-Based: Course guide booklet
• Web Course: Web-based course guide and lesson submission

You may also select the option to submit your lessons in print based or CD-ROM courses in one of two formats: Postal Service or Fax Return.

The formats can be combined as follows:

• CD-ROM/Postal
• Print/Postal
• Web/Web
• CD-ROM/Fax Return
• Print/Fax Return

These submission/return formats must be selected and indicated on the registration form at the time of registration.

You will also receive a student packet containing your IDL Student Handbook, notices, forms, and, for some courses, special materials and instructions. Print students will receive their course materials in these packets. Web students will receive an e-mail with log-in instructions for their web course, along with the course packets with required forms and instructions.

Upon receipt of your registration materials, it is important to purchase your textbooks and course materials immediately. Be sure to understand and follow the policies and directions given in the IDL Student Handbook and in your course. You may begin your lessons as soon as you are ready.

In each course, there are lesson assignments corresponding to assigned readings in the required texts or materials. These assignments are to be submitted consecutively via mail or online, depending on the option you select as your method of lesson submission. All assignments are sent to IDL, where they are logged before being forwarded to the instructor.

There is a maximum number of lesson assignments that can be submitted per seven days, and
this number varies from course to course. IDL is self-paced, so you may turn in lessons more slowly if you wish. If at any time you need to contact the instructor, a note can be included with a lesson, or you may contact him or her via e-mail or phone. (See your course materials for contact information, or contact an IDL student representative if your course materials do not include instructor contact information.)

You may begin your course at any time during the nine months. However, if you have a deadline, remember to consider assignment submission limitations and processing time, as well as your own study time, in your completion schedule.

Please note that access to your ALISSA web course ends upon receipt of a course grade.

Be aware of the possibility that IDL instructors may change during the time of your enrollment. You will be notified of these changes should they occur.

What is the IDL grading system?

Each lesson you submit will receive a grade. Your course grade will be a combination of the average of your lesson grades, your midterm (if required), and your final exam. In determining the final course grade, the weight of lessons and exams varies from course to course and is described in the course materials.

Regardless of your lesson grades, you must pass the final exam in order to pass the course. After you complete a course by turning in the lessons and taking the required exam(s), you will receive a grade that is recorded by the University of Georgia Office of the Registrar.

Note: Your Certificate of Registration will list your official midpoint (four-and-a-half months from the enrollment date) of the nine months. If you withdraw from an IDL course by this midpoint, you will be assigned a grade of W. If you withdraw after this midpoint, you will be assigned a failing grade of WF. All grades are recorded by the University of Georgia Office of the Registrar.

Is there a location on UGA’s campus where I can drop my print lessons?

A lesson dropbox is located outside of the Georgia Center for Continuing Education, between the South Campus Parking Deck and the Georgia Center. Lessons can be dropped off here 24 hours a day. They are picked up daily Monday through Friday. Any lessons dropped in this dropbox after 5:00 p.m. Friday and before 7:00 a.m. on Monday will be entered in the IDL registration system for Friday’s date. Lessons can also be dropped off at the IDL office during business hours, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

IDL encourages you to be certain that you are enrolling in the course you need by checking with your academic advisor prior to registering. However, if you do find yourself in the wrong course, or simply decide you would like to switch to another course, you have 53 days to drop an IDL course and add another in its place. There is a $30.00 fee for this service, plus an additional $10.00 for each lesson that you have submitted. Drop/add cards are included in your course packet.

Final examinations are required of all IDL students seeking academic credit. Some courses also include midterm exams. These exams must be taken under the supervision of a proctor at an approved test site office (e.g., college or university testing center). You are responsible for scheduling the exam with an approved test site and submitting the exam request form so that it is received by the IDL office at least 10 days before the scheduled test date. All lessons must be submitted according to IDL lesson submission guidelines before an exam request form can be processed.

How do I verify a test site?

If you would like to take your exam at a test site other than UGA’s Clark Howell Hall, contact IDL for the test site closest to your geographical location. If IDL cannot provide a location close to you, new test sites can be verified and added to the IDL test site database.

A typical approved test site is an accredited college or university that offers national standardized testing. The information IDL needs to conduct a test site verification is the testing official’s name, a phone number, and a fax number. Once we have this information, an exam representative will contact the testing center to verify that it meets IDL testing criteria. Please allow more than the required 10 days for the verification process. Also be aware that testing centers charge individual testing fees. You should inquire about any required fees when scheduling your exam.

Students who take exams at sites outside of Georgia may want to allow even more mailing time than the required 10 days to ensure that their exams reach the testing center. Exams requiring international mailing will be sent via UPS to ensure proper delivery. The student will incur the cost of this delivery which is based on the weight of the package, delivery location, and any required customs fees. Final exams should be taken at least 30 days prior to the deadline you have in mind for receiving your grade.

Remember, you must pass the final exam to pass the course.

What about academic honesty?

In an effort to promote and ensure academic honesty and the integrity of our courses, IDL has adopted the University of Georgia’s academic honesty policy and procedural guidelines to adjudicate violations of academic honesty. “Academic honesty” is defined broadly and simply as the “performance of all academic work without cheating, lying, stealing, or receiving assistance from any other person and without using any source of information not appropriately authorized or attributed.”

Academic honesty is vital to the integrity of IDL. All students must comply with an appropriate and sound academic honesty policy and code of honest behavior. All IDL faculty, staff, and students are responsible for, and are involved in, maintaining an honest academic program, and all must work together to ensure the success of the academic honesty policy and code of behavior.

Students, staff, and faculty together operate the academic honesty system. Where suspected violations of academic honesty occur, appropriate procedures are followed to protect the academic process and integrity while ensuring, as much as possible, the ideals of due process rights. The academic honesty system is an academic process, not a legal process.

Note: While IDL is designed to allow students to learn on their own outside of the traditional classroom, students may have opportunities to study with other students who are enrolled in the courses or may choose to engage the services of tutors. Such opportunities may enhance learning. All written assignments (lessons, projects, etc.) must be completed independently unless the instructor indicates otherwise. For further information, please refer to the IDL Student Handbook.

Students who formally withdraw from an IDL course within the time period described below will be entitled to a tuition refund.

The refund percentage will be computed pro rata
by dividing the number of calendar days remaining in the nine months of enrollment (from the student’s official withdrawal date through the student’s official expiration date) by the total calendar days in the nine months of enrollment. That total includes weekends and holidays, but excludes scheduled breaks of five or more calendar days. Students who withdraw from an IDL course when the calculated percentage of remaining days is 40% or less are not entitled to a refund of any portion of the tuition or fees.

What grade will I receive if I withdraw from a course?

If you do not complete your course within the allotted nine month period, you may extend your enrollment for an additional 90 days by paying a $60.00 extension fee on or before the course expiration date.

Students with extenuating circumstances who wish to appeal an IDL policy may submit an appeal letter explaining the circumstances to the IDL office.

Appeal meetings take place on Thursday of each week (excluding holidays). Appeal letters must be received by 4:00 p.m. on the Tuesday of the week you would like your letter to be reviewed. An appeal letter should include your current contact information, course title, Social Security Number, the policy you are appealing, and a statement of your circumstances. Supporting documentation must be supplied along with the appeal letter, or the appeal will be held until this documentation is received.

What are some examples of documentation?

Documentation can be letters of support from doctors, advisors, or employers.

Other types of documentation include receipts, medical documents, copies of certificates of birth or death, etc.