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Polk State’s courses are delivered through various modalities to maximize options and flexibility. The Class Schedule indicates the modality for each course session.
- The traditional face-to-face Classroom Option is offered at all campuses and centers and may include required activities or participation within the Canvas learning management system (LMS).
- An Asynchronous Online Option (i.e., online, with no in-person meetings, but with specific dates and deadlines for varied assignments, duties, and exams) has no face-to-face component. Instruction is delivered with the same quality as traditional education. The student uses a device with the internet to access the College’s Canvas LMS. Some pure Internet classes may require the use of other resources and proctored examinations. This may require visiting a testing center and additional costs. Each student is advised to log in to the Canvas class site no later than the first day to review the Course Syllabus carefully to determine resource usage, as well as proctoring and testing requirements. Information regarding online opportunities is available at Online@PolkState.
- A Synchronous Online Option requires regularly scheduled class meetings that occur online (often via conferencing tools), as well as specific dates and deadlines for varied assignments, duties, and exams. The student must attend class online during the scheduled times and days, as set by the professor. In addition to this attendance requirement, there are also asynchronous activities that accompany the synchronous class meetings. Information is commonly delivered through the Canvas LMS and its interactive tools. Each student is advised to log in to the Canvas class site no later than the first day to review the Course Syllabus carefully to determine resource usage, as well as proctoring and testing requirements.
- A Hybrid class includes a combination of asynchronous online requirements and face-to-face course delivery. In a hybrid course, the student attends scheduled class meetings in person and participates asynchronously in the course online via Canvas. Each student is advised to log in to the Canvas class site no later than the first day to review the Course Syllabus carefully to determine resource usage, as well as proctoring and testing requirements.
[Note: A student must meet the minimum technology requirements to participate in any distance learning course. Polk State College’s Distance Learning website explains these requirements and provides further details, including a description of the learning management system interface. Some online classes may require other resources and proctored examinations. This may require visiting a testing center and additional cost. Each student is advised to log in to the Canvas class site no later than the first day to review the Course Syllabus carefully to determine resource usage, as well as proctoring and testing requirements. An online student must adhere to the Guidelines for Students in the Online Environment.]
Estimating Student Time Investment from a Schedule’s Meeting Hours and Credit Load
It is important for a student to consider the potential time investment of a given schedule in comparison with his or her other duties and obligations. A student can estimate the approximate time investment for a given course by applying the unit-based system of measurement used by colleges and universities. Per the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) and in accordance with the directives of the Department of Education, for every approximately one course-meeting hour spent in a 15- to 16- week term, approximately two hours outside of class are expected in preparatory and study activities. For example, a rough calculation of the investment for a three-credit class that meets weekly for approximately three hours during a 15- to 16-week period equates to nine total hours per week (i.e., three hours of meeting, and six hours for readings, assignments, and studying). Alternatively, a four-credit lab class with 4.5 hours of meeting time would require approximately 13.5 hours of total weekly investment and a four-credit lab class with 7 hours of meeting time time would require approximately 21 hours of weekly investment. The student should check the course meeting times and credit values to estimate the investment for each schedule made. An online or hybrid section of a course requires the same time investment as a traditional section, but there is flexibility in the setting. Depending on the student’s background and fluency with a given course’s subject matter, the actual time investment may vary.
Generally, if a student enrolls in a full-time schedule of 15 credits composed of five three-credit courses that each meet for three hours, the approximate total weekly time investment for the semester would be approximately 45 hours (i.e., similar to full-time employment). For comparison, a 12credit load would require an approximate time investment of 36 hours. During a 12-week session, a similar workload to a 15-credit 16-week term would be 11 to 12 credits as this term moves at a faster pace.Those who generally enroll in 12 credits during a 16-week semester should only enroll in 9 credits. In an eight-week Fastrack session, seven to eight credits would be roughly equivalent to taking 15 credits in a traditional term. Those who balance enrollment at 12 credits during a 16-week term should enroll in only six credits with this accelerated format. A six-week summer session moves at 2.5x the pace of a traditional 16-week term. A student should not enroll in more than five to six credits within this accelerated format.
Maximum and Minimum Course Load Limits
During Terms 1, 2, and 3 (i.e., fall, spring, and summer), the minimum course load per term for a full-time student is 12 semester hours, such as, enrollment in fewer than 12 credits is considered a part-time load. To complete a degree according to the traditional schedule (i.e., two years for an associate degree and four years for a baccalaureate degree) a student must average 15 semester hours during Term 1 or Term 2 (i.e., 30 credits per year). Conversely, if a student takes 12 credits in Term 1, and 12 credits in Term 2, he or she should enroll in six credits during the summer term (Term 3) (i.e., totaling 30 credits during the Academic Year) to maintain timely progress toward completion.
The maximum course load for a student during the fall (Term 1) and spring (Term 2) is 20 semester hours, and the maximum course load is 15 semester hours for the summer (Term 3); however, the maximum number of credit hours for a given term cannot be taken in one accelerated session (e.g., all 20 hours in a Fastrack session). A student who achieves a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and who has completed at least 15 semester-credits may exceed the credit maximum with the approval of the Campus Dean of Student Services. An individual wishing to appeal this regulation is required to do so prior to the first regular registration day for classes in the semester.
Certain situations may further limit the maximum course load for a student, such as dual-enrollment status or issues related to Standards of Academic Progress.
A student who plans to work while attending school (or who has caretaking obligations) is encouraged to plan a lighter schedule that provides for these factors. To maximize scheduling options, the student should register for classes early in the registration period.
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