 Independent Study Policies & ProceduresFees Independent Study Frequently Asked Questions Distance Education's Independent Study fees vary according to the number of semester hours of credit, cost of course materials and postage. Call the Distance Education office or search the course information pages on the website for the class that you are interested in. The same fees apply to students who wish to audit the class or take the class for credit/no-credit. All fees are subject to change without notice. Students whose fees are paid by their employers must include a written authorization for billing from their employer with their registration. Financial aid is not available through the Distance Education office. Full payment is required at the time of enrollment. Due to the length of the enrollment period, Independent Study students are usually not eligible for funds originating through grants or loan programs, nor does enrollment in Independent Study courses meet federal requirements for loan deferment. You may want to ask your employer about reimbursement options. Some companies offer funds for continuing education that include independent study programs. Military Personnel: The Defense Activity for Nontraditional Educational Support (DANTES) accepts credits earned from the University of Utah. Consult your education officer or nearest education center concerning individual, veteran or tuition supported enrollments. The DANTES correspondence study catalog contains course and registration listings. Veterans may be reimbursed for fees (no texts) for completed courses under the GI Bill. It is to your advantage to complete your class as rapidly as possible to save entitlement on the GI Bill. Contact your VA office before enrolling. You have up to nine months from the day you enroll to complete all assignments and exams. To ensure that the highest standards of academic conduct are promoted and supported at the University of Utah, we ask that our students adhere to standards of academic honesty. This includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarizing, research misconduct, misrepresenting your work and/or inappropriately collaborating. Unacceptable academic behavior may result in failure of the class and notification of your parent institution or employer. Students may purchase up to six one-month extensions which are non-refundable, so plan carefully. Please contact the office for the current cost of extensions. Each extension will go from month to month; for instance, if your course expires on January 17, purchasing one extension (regardless of when you purchase it) will change your expiration date to February 17. A second will take you to March 17, etc. Contact the Distance Education office for more information. Graduation deadlines are earlier
than regular semester credit deadlines. Please contact the
Graduation office for their credit deadlines. Plan ahead and finish
your Independent Study course at least three weeks before the graduation
deadline; this will ensure that the credit is posted to your transcript
in a timely manner. Fail the Final - Fail the Course To receive a passing grade in your Independent Study class you must pass the final exam or final project for the class. The course grade - whether passing or failing - will be recorded with the University of Utah Registrar. The Distance Education office cannot ensure that a final grade will appear on an official University of Utah transcript by the end of a semester unless all assignments and exams are completed three weeks before the designated credit deadline. The class will appear on a transcript eventually, but if you need it by a specific deadline plan ahead and get your class finished three weeks before that date. Official printed University of Utah transcripts are only available at the end of each semester term and take at least two weeks to be mailed out. If you need an official verification of completion before the end of a semester, the University of Utah Registrar's office will send out an official letter (if your final grade for the course has been received). Your official transcript will be sent out as soon as it is available. For more information contact the Transcripts office at 801-581-8964. A full refund of the course fee, minus a processing fee, will be issued if you withdraw from the class by close of business on the 14th calendar day after registration. Course manual fees are non-refundable. No refunds will be given after the above-mentioned date. General Education Requirements Many colleges and universities have general education requirements. At the University of Utah General Education courses are designated on this site by the following codes:
Check with your parent institution to ensure that a Distance Education course will be credited toward your general education requirements. The University of Utah operates on a semester academic schedule; Fall, Spring and Summer. The semester you complete your class is the semester you'll get credit based on the University of Utah's deadlines. The University of Utah's classes are divided into the following number system:
The University of Utah is a member of the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges A per-semester recreation fee allows Distance Education students to utilize the University of Utah recreation facilities for a period of three months. This includes the Fieldhouse (indoor tennis, racquetball, weight room) and the complete Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) complex on the east side of campus. Call 801-581-3797 for more information. Remember to take a copy of your receipt with you when securing these privileges. Distance Education students may use the facilities of the Marriott Library, excluding the computer center. Students outside the continental United States may not borrow materials, but photocopies are available through an interlibrary loan. To request a library card, complete the application form found in your yellow "Policies and Procedures" brochure and mail it to the Distance Education office. You may also contact the Distance Education office and apply over the phone. Your course manual, cover sheets, and other important information will be mailed from the Distance Education office within two business days of your registration. Your manual will explain in detail how the class works; it will also include all lessons and assignments. You'll receive a "Policies and Procedures" brochure that will detail Distance Education's Independent Study policies. Go through both your manual and the brochure before beginning your assignments. Textbooks and all other supplemental materials (videos, computer disks, etc.) are ordered separately, they are not available through the University of Utah bookstore. They are available through our book vendor Specialty Books. In-stock materials are shipped within 24 hours of receipt of payment for the order. Special order items may take 12 to 15 business days. All materials are shipped via FedEx or UPS to domestic locations and via UPS International for orders being shipped outside the United States. For more information contact Specialty Books directly. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), as amended, is a federal law that sets forth requirements regarding the privacy of student records. FERPA governs the release of records maintained by an educational institution and access to those records. Institutions that receive funds administered by the Federal Office of Education are bound by FERPA requirements. Failure to comply with them may result in the loss of federal funding. The Distance Education office, in keeping with FERPA, is forbidden from releasing personally-identifiable student education records or files to anyone but the enrolled student. No information will be disclosed to parents, spouses, children or friends of an enrolled student. Academic Freedom in the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge through all media is maintained at the University of Utah. This freedom is recognized as a right of all instructors, faculty, all administrative officers and all students. Nondiscrimination and Disability Access Statement The University of Utah is fully committed to policies of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity, and vigorously pursues affirmative action in all programs, activities, and employment with regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age and status as a person with a disability. Religion, sexual orientation and status as a disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era are also protected under nondiscrimination and equal opportunity employment policies. The University seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities. Reasonable prior notice is needed to arrange accommodations. Students should call 801-581-5020 or 801-585-1813 (both are TDD). Evidence of practices not consistent with these policies should be reported to the Employee Relations/Dispute Resolution office at 801-581-8365 (voice or TDD).
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