General
Admissions
Costs — Human Resources and Employment Relations (HRER)
Courses/Registration/Time Commitment — HRER
Technology Requirements
Penn State Policies
Learning at a Distance
General
Is this the real Penn State?
Yes! Penn State World Campus is one of Penn State's 25 campus locations. Our students are Penn State students and are held to the same rigorous standards as Penn State students attending courses on campus. Your transcript will look the same as any other Penn State student's transcript, and your diploma will look the same as any other Penn State student's diploma. There will be no differentiation that you studied through distance education. You can learn more about our history or mission by visiting the about us section of our Web site.
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What types of courses are offered at Penn State World Campus?
There are currently two types of courses offered at Penn State World Campus.
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How long does it take to complete the HRER program?
Because students work at different paces, the time it takes to complete the program depends on how many courses you take each semester. If you take 1 or 2 courses each semester, it is possible to complete the program in 2 ½ to 3 ½ years.
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Admissions
How many students are accepted into the program?
Because admission is competitive, usually only 35–40 new students are accepted each semester. Acceptance decisions are based on a candidate's undergraduate academic record, professional work experience, letters of recommendation, and the candidate's statement regarding his or her interest in pursuing graduate work in HRER.
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How do I submit my letters of recommendation?
To submit your letters of recommendation you have two options:
1. You can mail them to our program office courtesy of Trisha A. Everhart at Penn State College of Liberal Arts, 133 Willard Building, University Park PA 16802; or
2. You can provide the e-mail addresses of your recommenders within your online application; if you choose this option, we will contact your recommenders by e-mail to ask for a letter of recommendation.
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Costs — HRER
My employer will pay for my tuition. What do I need to provide with my registration so that you can bill my employer?
We will honor an "authorization to bill" letter at the time of registration. This should come from your employer and be on letterhead. Please be sure that your employer includes the contact information of the person who will be authorizing the payment.
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Does the World Campus accept Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) credits?
Yes. Please let us know when you register of your intention to use TAP credits for your course. We will confirm the availability of those credits prior to officially enrolling you with the University.
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What type of financial aid or payment plans do you offer for the HRER Program?
There a few types payment options and financial aid available to World Campus students. Please see the financial aid section of the course information page for details.
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Courses/Registration/Time Commitment — HRER
How do I register for a course in the HRER program?
For information about registering for a HRER course, please see the registration section of the course information page for more details.
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Do I need to have all my application materials gathered before I can register for a course?
Yes. The HRER program requires students to complete the entire application process and be granted admission to the program prior to enrolling in a course.
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What kind of time commitment can I expect?
Time commitment may vary depending upon the type of course you're taking. Please see our time commitment page for more information.
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How can I complete my research projects from home?
You will be able to access Penn State's University Libraries system — one of North America's leading university research libraries. You can search the online catalog and review databases as if you were sitting at a terminal in any Penn State library.
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Where can I get the help I need to complete the HRER program?
As a distance education pioneer, Penn State has developed a nationally recognized support system for students who are geographically removed from campus.
Technical support: The HelpDesk is accessible by phone, e-mail, or real-time chat from 8:00 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Friday, and from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekends.
Library resources: You can search the online catalog and review databases as if you were sitting at a terminal in any Penn State library.
Academic advising: Support and help is available from your academic adviser.
Student services: This office will help you with registration, scheduling, academic records, and book purchases.
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How long will it take me to complete a course in this program?
Each course takes place over one semester. All the courses have assignments with specific due dates. See the syllabus for each course for specific dates.
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How long will it take me to complete the entire program?
Most of our graduate-level students take one course each semester, in order to keep a good balance between work, family commitments, and education. At that rate, it will take you about 3 years to complete the HRER program. It is possible to take 2 or more courses, but this should only be done in consultation with your academic adviser.
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Technology Requirements
Can I submit my assignments electronically?
Yes, in fact, this is the preferred method. The built-in discussion forums and e-mail systems in the courses allow you to attach electronic files. There may be exceptions to this rule for certain courses; they will be noted in the assignments themselves.
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Does this program require Internet access?
Yes, this program requires Internet access for activities, assignments, and communication tools. The course content in the program is available in PDF format on each course Web site as well, so you have the option of printing the content and taking it with you if you travel.
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I may need help using the Internet to access my online course materials. How can I learn more?
The World Campus has provided you with 2 great resources--training in the form of the free course "World Campus 101" and technical support via the World Campus HelpDesk, a resource available by phone (800-252-3592, option 4, 814-865-0047 for local and international calls), e-mail, or real-time chat.
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Penn State Policies
What is accreditation, and why is it important?
Accreditation is a national system of monitoring the quality of credits you receive from an institution of higher education. Because Penn State is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, our courses are accepted for transfer by most other colleges and universities. If you are enrolled in a specific program at another institution and you are hoping to transfer one of our courses into it, you should check first with the other institution to make sure the credits will transfer.
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What are your graduation policies and can I participate?
Yes! World Campus students have the same opportunity as Penn State on-campus students to "walk" during graduation. Your academic adviser will explain the process as you near completion of your degree program. Information can also be found on the University Registrar Web site.
For more information about the graduation process, please see our graduation policies page.
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What is your policy on deferred grades?
If as a Penn State student you are prevented, for reasons beyond your control, from completing a course within the prescribed time frame, you have the option of requesting a deferred grade from your instructor.
You will need to work directly with your instructor to obtain an extension.
If your request is approved, you will be granted a 60-day extension to your course ending date.
When you complete your course, your instructor will assign your grade. If, however, you do not complete your course and the final grade is not assigned within the given time period, the office of the University Registrar will assign a grade of F to your academic record.
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How do I drop a course or add a course?
For complete instructions for dropping or adding a course in the HRER program please see the dropping, adding or withdrawing from a course section of the course information page for more details.
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Learning at a Distance
How will distance learning be different from taking courses on campus?
While it is true that your distance education courses will take place in a different kind of environment than that of a typical face-to-face course, in many ways your courses will be similar to on-campus instruction, with an instructor, other students, and course materials. But the courses themselves allow more flexibility than face-to-face classes.
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How will I interact with my instructor and other students?
You will be part of a group of students in each course in this program. At Penn State World Campus we use a variety of means to bring students and instructors together, including asynchronous electronic threaded discussions on the course Web site, synchronous sessions (Elluminate Live), and e-mail.
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How quickly should I expect responses from my instructor?
When you take a course in a traditional, face-to-face classroom, you can ask a question of your professor and receive an immediate response. Students in distance education programs can still ask questions of their instructors with ease through letters, e-mail, telephone, or other means, but the responses may not be immediate. Instructors are available on a regular basis and are able to respond to their students in a timely manner. As a distance education student, you simply need to become familiar with your instructor's schedule and availability so that you can know when to expect responses to your questions and feedback on your work.
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What if my assignments get lost?
When submitting your assignments — either electronically or via surface mail — you should always keep a copy. If you are preparing assignments on a computer, it is fairly easy to keep an electronic copy on either your hard drive or a floppy disk. If you are writing your assignments out by hand and submitting them via surface mail, we suggest you photocopy them before submitting.
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Who may be a proctor for my exams?
Refer to "Taking Exams and Securing a Suitable Proctor." People such as principals, teachers, guidance counselors, and librarians are qualified to administer the exams, though you will need to send some specific documentation to the World Campus office to get a proctor approved before your exam will be sent to that person. Mentors are not acceptable proctors for exams.
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Will I have access to library resources?
Many of Penn State's library resources can be used from a distance. As a registered University Libraries user, you can use the Web to:
- access electronic databases, and even full-text articles, from the LIAS Fast Track
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep — or even your desktop
- access materials that your instructor has put on electronic reserve
- talk with reference librarians in real time using the Virtual Reference Service — and more
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Will these courses appear as correspondence courses on my transcript?
No distinction will be made on your official Penn State transcript that your courses were completed at a distance. The credits you receive are exactly the same as those awarded to on-campus students. Penn State values distance education as highly as it does resident instruction.
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