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| "Penn State Online has given me confidence in myself and I am able to do so much more in my life. The confidence comes from the self-discipline I didn't know I had until I started distance education." —Deborah Guy, undergraduate student
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FAQs
General
Costs—Supply Chain
Courses/Registration/Time Commitment—Supply Chain
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. (Back to Top)
Costs—Supply Chain
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. (Back to Top)
What type of financial aid or payment plans do you offer for the Supply Chain 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. (Back to Top)
Courses/Registration/Time Commitment—Supply Chain
Where can I get the help I need to complete the Supply Chain 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.
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. (Back to Top)
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. Back to Top
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. (Back to Top)
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. (Back to Top)
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. Back to Top
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. Back to Top
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. Back to Top
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
Back to Top
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. Back to Top
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