Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Who can take ASC Distance Learning courses?
A. These courses are open to any student meeting the course prerequisites. You do not have to be admitted to ASC or be a degree-seeking student to enroll in these courses.
Q. Do the courses have prerequisites?
A. Some courses have prerequisites that must be met before you can enroll in them. The purpose of these prerequisites is to ensure that you have the necessary background to undertake these courses. The prerequisites, if any, are listed in the course descriptions.
Q. What if I am unsure if I have the course prerequisites?
A. We suggest you contact the instructor via telephone, e-mail, or postal mail to ask if your background qualifies you for the course.
Q. How much do the courses cost?
A. Tuition and any fees are listed with each course description in the catalog and on the Extended Studies web site. Most courses have basic tuition charges but some may have additional materials fees. The cost of textbooks is not included in the tuition.
Q. Are there any additional fees?
A. As stated in the previous answer, some courses may require the payment of additional fees which are due at the time of registration. Course descriptions will include any specific or related fee. Because Distance Learning is most often conducted by the exchange of material by mail or through the Internet, students should expect to incur costs associated with postage or Internet access.
Q. When is tuition due?
A. Tuition for each course is due at the time of registration. Courses may be paid for by credit card, personal or company checks or money orders. Exceptions to the payment due at time of registration policy are made for students receiving company sponsored tuition and military tuition assistance programs. A letter authorizing payment must accompany the registration form. All forms of payment must include your Social Security number and must be made payable to: Adams State College. Mail to: Adams State College, Extended Studies, 208 Edgemont Blvd., Alamosa, CO 81102-9918.
Q. Will I need a textbook for the course?
A. Yes, textbooks are generally required for each course and some courses also require a study guide. You may purchase your textbooks at the ASC Bookstore, or have them mailed to you by using a credit card and calling 1.719.587.7912. You may also call the Extended Studies Office at 1.800.548.6679 and ask to be transferred to the Bookstore. You can also order books by faxing the printable book order form, or the online book order form to submit your order electronically.
Q. What happens after I submit my course registration form?
A. From the ASC Extended Studies web site, click Distance Learning. You may access the course requirements including instructor contact information, textbook requirements (and study guide, if required), a syllabus which outlines the course and provides more course details and specific requirements established by your instructor. If you are unable to access the materials, e-mail us at ascextend@adams.edu and we will mail to you the materials mentioned. You may also call us 1.800.548.6679. Included will be selected forms which you may find useful at some point.
Q. Do most of the courses require writing papers or completing multiple examinations?
A. Course requirements vary and it is left up to the instructor to determine what those requirements will be. Courses could include any combination of term or research papers, readings, journals, projects and examinations. Un-supervised examinations may be included in the syllabus, or request forms may be provided in courses that require examinations be administration by an approved test proctor.
If you have access to the Internet, you have immediate access to all this information at our web site and will not have to wait for a syllabus to be mailed to you. Please inform us at the time of your registration if you have downloaded a syllabus with course information from the Internet. Although you will have access to the course requirements, be advised that no work will be graded until a completed registration form and payment is received.
Q. How are assignments prepared?
A. The introductory material in the syllabus provides specific instructions on how to prepare your assignments. The course syllabus is the study guide and contains explanatory material, which pertains to the required textbooks, and the assignments, which should be sent to your instructor to be evaluated. Be sure to include your name, address, course name and number, and assignment number in the upper right corner of the first sheet. Include your name on every sheet if you are mailing your lessons. At the beginning of the course students are urged to wait until the first assignment has been evaluated and returned before the second assignment is turned in. This will enable you and the instructor to establish a closer rapport, and allow you to have a clearer idea of what is expected in the course. Keep in mind that the instructor will be happy to answer any questions you may have that are pertinent to the material being studied. This may be done by attaching a note or letter to your assignment. Since our instructors often have additional academic responsibilities on campus, please allow ten to fourteen days for the graded assignments to be returned. Many instructors will provide you with lesson submission options through e-mail or postal mail.
Q. How do I contact my instructor?
A. The instructor's contact information, including telephone number, e-mail address and postal mailing address, will be provided in the course syllabus. If you have any questions concerning the administration of your course(s), call Extended Studies (1.800.548.6679) or e-mail us at ascextend@adams.edu. Questions concerning the lesson assignments or grades should be addressed to the course instructor.
Q. Am I limited in the number of courses I can take?
A. Undergraduate students may enroll in 20 semester hours each semester without special permission. Course loads above these guidelines must be approved by the dean of the school in which the student's major resides. If you are enrolled in other regular college courses we advise you to enroll in no more than two distance learning courses at one time. If you are not enrolled in other courses, you may enroll in up to the maximum allowed as described above.
If you have not taken Distance Learning courses in the past, we recommend your initial enrollment be for no more than two courses. After you begin sending in lessons, feeling comfortable with the workload, developing good time management skills, or nearing completion on the first courses, you may then want to register for additional courses.
Q. Will financial aid cover the tuition cost of distance learning courses?
A. If a student is eligible and degree seeking at an institution of higher education, federal financial aid can cover the tuition cost of distance learning courses offered through Adams State College. Some students apply for student loans, company sponsored tuition reimbursement plans, or military tuition assistance as well. You might also seek scholarship aid from local civic groups that may sponsor such study.
Q. Are there time limits?
A. You will have one year from the date of registration to complete a course, unless the course description or syllabus specifies a shorter time period. Successful students generally complete their courses within a standard semester time-frame. The minimum requirement for course completion, regardless of the number of credit hours, is six weeks. No student may complete course requirements in less than six weeks.
Many organizations providing financial aid or tuition assistance reimbursement will require course completion in less than one year. If you are receiving any type of financial assistance, please refer to your providing organization for their completion requirements.
Q. Will my tuition be refunded if I drop the course?
A. A written request for refund must be received at Extended Studies within 30 business days from the date of registration, and must include the reason for the request. Refunds will be 90 percent of the tuition paid. You may fax, mail or e-mail the request. Telephone requests can not be honored.
Refunds will not be given for course materials that have not been received. The basic course syllabi which list all course requirements are available to students at the ASC Extended Studies web site.
Q. What is ASC policy on withdrawing from a course?
A. You may withdraw from a course any time during the first six months of the course. After that, you may not withdraw. You are responsible for initiating the formal withdrawal using the ASC form available through ASC Extended Studies, or listed in the back of the course syllabus. A copy of the withdrawal form will be forwarded to the faculty member.
Q. Do I pay postage for mailing lessons, examinations, etc.?
A. You pay postage on all assignments and examinations sent to the instructors. You must submit to the instructor, a self-addressed, stamped envelope to receive completed work assignments and test results. ASC requires that at the time of registration, all students living outside the United States (excluding APO/FPO addresses) pay an additional fee of US$45 for airmail postage.
Q. How quickly after I complete my course will a grade appear on my transcript?
A. For information on requesting a transcript, click here.
Q. What grade is on my transcript until my final grade is posted?
A. Incomplete grades will be issued at the end of the term in which you registered if you have not completed the course. That incomplete grade will be changed at the time your work is completed and the instructor provides a final course grade. If you have not withdrawn from the course within 6 months of registration, or completed the course within one year from registration an "F" grade will be issued. Because many instructors are not on campus during the holidays or term breaks, a delay in the return of corrected assignments may need to be anticipated. If there are important deadlines to meet, such as graduation, be sure to inform you instructor of your need, complete and send in all of the assignments and take the Final Examination at least five weeks before the credit is needed.
Q. Am I automatically admitted to ASC when I enroll in an ASC Distance Learning course?
A. No, enrolling in an distance learning course does not automatically admit you to ASC. To be officially admitted to ASC, or to apply distance learning credit toward an ASC degree, you must complete an official Admission Application and pay the appropriate fee. If you are attending another college or are not registered with any college, you may enroll in Distance Learning courses without being officially enrolled in ASC. Credit earned through distance learning will be recorded in the Office of Records. Distance Learning credits may be used toward a degree, depending on the requirements of your current or future College. It is your responsibility to insure that the credit(s) earned will apply toward graduation or certification deadlines.
Q. Am I allowed to get assistance from outside sources?
A. Any questions regarding assistance in completing your course should be directed to your instructor. The responsibility for maintaining academic integrity and avoiding dishonest scholarship rests with you. We recommend you review the ASC Student Rights and Responsibilities - Code of Conduct in the current Adams State College Catalog for further explanation of these responsibilities.
Q. Will I be given an opportunity to do a course and instructor evaluation?
A. Upon completion of the course, you are expected to complete the course evaluation sent with the final examination. These evaluations are machine tabulated you may include written comments in the spaces provided. We do not provide completed course evaluations to the instructor until after the final grade has been recorded. Course evaluation should be returned to: Extended Studies, Adams State College, Alamosa, CO 81102.
Q. Will these courses transfer to another school to meet my requirements there?
A. Before you take an Distance Learning course from Adams State College to transfer to any other school, you need to first ask your current institution if the course will be acceptable to meet your degree requirements. Each institution determines courses that will be acceptable in transfer.
