Distance Learning Program
The Judson College Distance Learning Program is designed primarily for adult students whose circumstances prevent them from attending traditionally offered higher education. The major objective of the Distance Learning Program is to incorporate into one degree program those components of traditional college programs that have proved effective in meeting the needs of non-traditional students. Changes and developments in society such as the expansion of knowledge, alternate means of delivering education, demands to re-tool and re-educate the workforce, and increasing job expectations for educational achievement have made the development of non-traditional programs for non-traditional students mandatory if higher education is to continue to meet the needs of society.
The components of the Judson College Distance Learning Program are Transfer Credit, Credit by Examination, Assessment of Prior Learning, Military Education Credit, and Contract Learning.
Curriculum. Students enrolled at Judson through the Distance Learning Program will follow the prescribed curriculum presented in this catalog. All requirements of the General Education Core and of the majors must be met.
Transfer Credit. For information on transfer credit, see the Academic Records and Policies sections of this catalog.
Assessment of Prior Learning. A maximum of thirty (30) semester hours of credit may be gained through assessment of prior learning. This may include a thoroughly documented portfolio of experiential learning and occupational training. Assessment credit will be based on competency gained. Assessment addresses three (3) areas - written presentation, performance, and educational outcomes - and is administered according to CAEL (Council for Adult and Experiential Learning) guidelines and according to procedures and standards approved by qualified faculty. Forms to be used in developing and submitting a portfolio are available upon request. All completed portfolios will be kept in the office of the Distance Learning Program. Fees include a $110 proposal fee and a $675 portfolio fee.
Military Education Credit. The American Council on Education (ACE) Guide will be used to determine the number of semester credit hours which may be awarded for military courses.
Contract Learning. A learning contract is designed to assist the student in achieving a stated educational goal. Entered into by the student and the instructor, the goals and educational purposes of the learning contract will be comparable to the courses that may be taken on campus. After the student receives a program of study that indicates the courses needed to meet their educational goals, the student requests that contract(s) be prepared. With the exception of Music and EducationmMajors (Teacher Education Program), contracts may be entered into at any time. Once accepted into the Music and Education programs, those students will follow the Judson semester system for all of their coursework. Initial and completion dates for each contract will be stated clearly on the contract. The student will have contact with the instructor through means stipulated by the instructor in concert with the situation of the student. Once all assignments of the contract have been completed, the instructor will forward a grade to the Distance Learning Office. If a course is not completed within the original contracted period and the student does not request an extension, or if a student cannot complete the course by the end of the extension period, a grade of "F" is automatically issued. Students have the option of re-enrolling in the course and the "Course Repeated for Credit" policy will apply.
Credit by Examination. Additionally, acceptable scores on AP, IB, CLEP, PEP, or DANTES subject examinations will be accepted toward a degree at Judson College. A list of approved tests may be obtained from the Registrar's office. In certain circumstances, the student may request to take a departmental challenge exam for a particular subject. A test score of at least 60 percent must be earned on the department exams for the student to achieve credit for the course. The departmental exams for credit are given at the discretion of the department head. Fees include a $135 per credit hour examination fee. Please note that no more than 30 non-graded hours will be accepted toward a degree at Judson College.
Drop/Add. A student may add a course to their original schedule within the first month of their original contract period. The period will be known as drop/add. A student who drops a course after the drop/add period will be assigned a grade of WD (Withdrawn). The WD does not affect the student's GPA. A student who drops a course the after mid-point of their original contract period will be assigned a grade of WP (Withdrawn Passing), WF (Withdrawn Failing), or F by the instructor. An F or WF will be calculated in the GPA computation as an F.
Incomplete Grade. An Incomplete (I) may be assigned when a student is enrolled (contracted) and is passing a course but, because of extenuating circumstances, is unable to complete the requirements prior to the end of their original contract period. The student must request an Incomplete prior to the final exam and provide reasons for the request. All Incomplete grades must be approved in advance by the Vice President and Academic Dean or the Director of Distance Learning. Students must remove Incompletes (I) within the first six weeks of their original contract end date. Failure to do so will result in an automatic F. If a student enrolls in a sequential course, a student who has received an Incomplete (I) in the prerequisite must have the approval of the Vice President and Academic Dean or Director of Distance Learning.
Library Services. Upon initial enrollment, each Distance Learning student will receive access to a multitude of online research databases including the Alabama Virtual Library and the Judson Virtual Library. The Judson Virtual Library gives access to all of Judson on-line databases. Each student will also have access to other online databases that have magazine, journal, and newspaper articles essential for academic research. These databases can perform a computerized search of nearly ten thousand journals rather quickly, and can provide the full text of articles. The databases may be accessed by logging into the Judson Student Net using the assigned username and password and clicking on the Bowling Library Homepage.
Student Services. Student Services offered on the Judson campus are available to all students, traditional and non-traditional. A list of these services is available in the Office of Student Services. Cultural and spiritual events sponsored by the college are routinely posted on the Judson College Web site. Students in the vicinity of the campus are encouraged to attend any or all of these events as they are designed to augment the curricular efforts of the institution. Other resources of the Student Services Office may be requested by calling or corresponding directly with that office.
Use of Technology. Due to the nature of Distance Learning, technology knowledge is required. Having direct access to computers and their resources is a must and will be the responsibility of the student. A home computer with high-speed (DSL or Cable) access to the Internet is highly recommended. One must have easy access to a web browser such as Internet Explorer, FireFox, or Opera, an e-mail address, and at a minimum, and a word-processing package with spell check capability. Some online classes may also require Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Access, and Excel (version 2007 and subject to change). The minimum requirements are as follows:
Hardware Requirements: Mac Users Hardware Requirements: PC Users
OS X or later Windows XP, Vista, or higher
G5 or higher, Intel Mac recommended Intel Pentium 4 or higher
1 Gig RAM 1 Gig RAM
500 MB harddrive space recommended 500 MB hard drive space recommended
Speakers or headphones for your computer Sound Card
Printer (ink-jet suggested) Speakers or headphones for your computer
Digital/Web Camera Printer (ink-jet suggested)
Digital/Web Camera
Transient Student
Following initial enrollment at Judson College, a student may earn credit at another college during the summer months under the following conditions:
1. Application and approval of courses must be obtained in advance from the Registrar.
2. A student who has completed 64 semester hours will not be allowed to transfer credit from a two-year college. Under
extenuating circumstances a student may petition the Vice President and Academic Dean for permission to take
courses at a two-year college.
3. The maximum credit allowed is seven (7) hours if a student attends short term or fourteen (14) hours if a student
does not attend short term.
4. Only a grade of C or better will be accepted.
5. Credit will not be calculated into the Judson cumulative GPA.
6. Courses taken while on probation or during suspension will not transfer back to Judson.
The Judson Option - Three Year Plan
Students have the option of enrolling for classes for the fall (late August to December) and spring (January to April) semesters or of adding a short term (May and June). The short term is one-half the length of a regular semester, enabling students to earn six to ten hours of credit.
Students who choose to attend short term MAY accomplish one or more objectives. Some attend short term to lighten their loads during the two semesters. Others choose to attend in order to shorten the time for earning a baccalaureate degree from four to three years. Fulfilling all the requirements in three years, however, depends on the following factors: