1. About OhioLearns!
2. FAQS
   Frequently asked e-learning questions
3. Regional Coordinators
   Local help in your area

1. Explore
2. Get a plan
   Are you ready for distance learning?
3. Get started
   Self-based exploration
4. Get support
   Local help in your area

Catalog Information

How can OhioLearns! help me?
OhioLearns! is an online catalog of courses, certificates and degrees available at a distance from Ohio's colleges and universities. You can conduct and tailor your search in the catalog in order to search for specific institutions, subject areas, and course delivery modes.

How are degrees offered?
The OhioLearns! catalog displays the distance learning certificates and degrees offered by Ohio's traditional colleges and universities. When working on completing a degree or certificate, it is important for you to select a home institution. Please see our list of Ohio degrees and certificates offered at a distance or contact a Regional Coordinator for more information. The catalog information updates frequently. Please check back often to see what new degrees have posted.

How are courses delivered by Ohio's colleges and universities?
Distance learning courses in the catalog are delivered through a variety of formats: video tape, audio tape, CD for Windows, CD for Macintosh, CD ROM for any system, DVD , World Wide Web, interactive video, television and other means. You need to be sure you have access to the necessary technology to receive the courses in which you are interested.

When do courses start?
Starting dates differ for courses between institutions and sometimes among departments at an institution. Some courses are designed to follow a traditional academic calendar, whether it is a quarter- or semester- long period of time. Other courses can start at any time, as long as they are completed within a year. The catalog identifies these dates when you click onto the link for the course.

How do I enroll?
Each course, degree, or certificate listed in OhioLearns! has a transition page. On this page you will find information about how to enroll in or contact a person from the institution who can assist you. If you experience difficulty, please contact an OLN Regional Coordinator.

Do I have to go to campus?
Each course listed in OhioLearns! indicates whether there are any on campus visits that are required with a Yes or No response.  A No response indicates that there should not be any on campus visits required for the course.  Each degree, or certificate listed in OhioLearns! has a transition page . And, on the transition page, there is a category that indicates the percentage that the degree or certificate is offered at a distance.  The percentage will range from 100% to 70%.  Any percentage below 100% indicates that you will have to visit the campus for some reason.  Keep in mind that in some instances, this will be to take your exams. A number of institutions will permit you to take the exam away from campus if it can be proctored. Your institutional contact can clarify this with you.  It is strongly recommended for every degree or certificate program you participate in, that you clarify with your instructor (or institutional contact) whether your attendance on campus will be required including the reason for the required on campus visits.

How much do courses cost?
Each course listed in OhioLearns! displays the tuition and fees associated with the course.  There are three categories associated with the course cost: In-state, In-district and Out-of-state.  If a student is an Ohio resident, the cost  for the course will fall under in-state or in-district.  In-district usually refers to the county that the institution resides in.

What are some common academic terms I will need to know to use the catalog effectively?

• What is the difference between a semester and a quarter? A quarter system is generally based on delivering instruction over a 10-week period of time with an additional week designated for taking final exams. A semester system is generally based on delivering instruction over a 14-16 week period of time with an additional week designated for taking final exams. Occasionally, some courses in our catalog do not follow either of these ways of delivery, and will indicate a different time sequence in OhioLearns!.
• What are prerequisites? Some courses require successful completion of other courses before enrollment can take place. These are called prerequisites. Why do some courses have prerequisites? Some knowledge is best learned when approached in a sequential manner. Courses with prerequisites are designed on this premise. To enroll in a course without having taken the prerequisites can have negative consequences. First, you might be dis-enrolled from the course. In the view of the instructor or faculty member, you are not prepared to take the course and should not be in it. Or, you might gain entry to the course, but then be at a disadvantage because other students in the course have a better background than you. If you have not met the necessary prerequisites for a course, but still are interested in taking it, most institutions require you to contact the instructor of the course prior to enrolling in the course.
• What is a credit hour? Credit hours are used to determine the weight of one course in relationship to an overall degree program. For instance, in an undergraduate quarter system most courses are four to five credit hours with 180 to 200 hours needed to graduate. This translates into 36 to 40 courses needed to complete a degree.

What is a home institution?
A home institution is a student's primary college or university. A home institution does not have to be the closest institution to where you live or work, although that is often convenient. The home institution advises, awards course credit, keeps official student transcripts, and often awards the degree to a student when all of the requirements have been met toward completion of the degree.

What questions should I ask of my institution?
You might have some important questions we have not been able to address. Some questions about distance learning should be addressed to the home institution. An example of some of these types of questions would be:

• Is everything I need on the Internet or will I need to purchase a text or other materials?
• Will the same material be covered in the Internet class as in a "traditional" class?
• Do I need any kind of testing before I enroll in distance learning courses?
• How do I communicate with my instructor? How do I communicate with other students?
• How are assignments handled: by mail, by e-mail, by fax, or on the Internet?
• Are there specific deadlines/timelines that I will need to meet?
• Will I be taking any exams, and how will I handle that?
• Will there be additional fees beyond the course cost listed in the catalog?
• How much will the certificate or degree programs listed in the catalog cost?
• How much time do I have to complete the course?
• How do I get on the Internet from home?
• Where else can I go to access the Internet?
• Do I need to be a proficient Internet and e-mail user to take this course?
• Are there other prerequisites that I need to address before enrolling in the course or program?
• How do I get assistance when I am having a problem?
• Are there any tips on how to use the Internet more effectively?
• How do I set up an e-mail program?
• What are chat rooms, will we be using them?
• What are attachments and how do I send and receive them?
• What is threaded discussion and how do I use it?
• What is chat and how do I use it?
• Are there additional tools to help me with my study skills if I need them?

What is a transition page?
Transition pages connect the OhioLearns! catalog with the college or university offering the course. Transition pages provide more information about a course, certificate or degree than is typically found within the OhioLearns! catalog, including how to enroll in them.

What types of courses exist in the OhioLearns! catalog?

• Developmental Courses: These courses are designed to help a student achieve entry-level college proficiency in a specific area of content. Generally, these courses do not count towards college graduation. Students take these courses so they can be successful in more advanced undergraduate college course work. Many institutions use proficiency tests to determine placement in developmental courses. For example, a student taking a placement test in mathematics may find that he or she needs to review high school algebra in order to be successful with college-level algebra. Read transition pages carefully to see if an institution that  offers developmental courses will require placement testing before you can enroll in the course.
• Undergraduate Courses: Undergraduate courses relate to both Associates and Baccalaureate degrees. An Associates degree is generally a two-year degree, while a Baccalaureate degree is a four-year degree. Both of the degrees have two major components to them: general education requirement courses and courses in a major study area that provide for mastery of a subject and specialization.
• Graduate and Professional School Courses: Upon completing an undergraduate degree, some students wish to continue their education by pursuing graduate or professional school degrees. Entry into these programs is often selective and requires taking exams such as GRE, LSAT, or the MCAT. Students using OhioLearns! should carefully read the transition pages for these courses and degree programs to be sure they have met the requirements to enroll in them.
• Continuing Education Courses (C.E.U.): Some students wish to continue their education by taking college courses for personal growth or for enhancing their career skills without pursuing a degree. They may or may not have already completed a college degree. Some need to take college courses related to their careers to keep current in their career field. Continuing Education is often a means for them to achieve these goals. When using OhioLearns! carefully read the transition pages to be sure you are enrolling in courses through Continuing Education if you wish to pursue college course work through this means.
• Certification Courses: Preparation for and entry into some careers require completion of specific course work. This course work, however, may not be equivalent to the degree requirements established by colleges and universities for their degrees.

Are the courses, degrees, and certificates in your catalog accredited?
All colleges and universities that participate in OLN are accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. This is a regional accreditation body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Although students must always check with an institution about how transfer credit will be applied, each of the eight regional accrediting bodies is recognized nationally as having responsibility for accrediting entire institutions, rather than individual programs within institutions. A college or university, accredited by one regional accrediting body, is recognized by colleges or universities accredited by other regional accrediting bodies as being similarly evaluated and approved.

Do I need any kind of testing before I enroll in distance learning courses?
You may need to take a placement test at some institutions before you can take certain courses. Often, new students to an institution have to take English and mathematics placement tests. You need to ask the institution to which you will be taking the course whether you will be required to take a placement test. Most institutions in the OhioLearns! catalog explain this requirement on their transition page.

How many distance learning courses can I take at once?
Sinclair Community College offers some good advice on this topic. They suggest distance learning students may elect to take as few as one or as many as six courses at any one time. The correct number of courses for you will depend on how much time you can devote to school, how new you are to distance learning, and how prepared you are for successful online study. If you are working full time, chances are you will not have the time to take a full academic load (12-18 credit hours). Remember that one 3-credit hour class normally requires about 6 hours per week of study outside of class. A good rule of thumb for determining how many courses to take when employed is:

Do the distance learning courses transfer to other colleges and universities?
Most of the courses transfer to other colleges and universities. However, you must always check. To ensure transferability of any college course, regardless of delivery method, students should contact a counselor at the institution to which they plan to transfer. In some cases the Course Applicability System (CAS) might help answer some of your questions regarding transferring course work within Ohio institutions.

What if I cannot find the courses, degrees or ceritificates at a distance I need in OhioLearns!
We would first recommend contacting a Regional Coordinator. They can assist you in your search. If you are unsuccessful in finding the content you need, you might want to consider institutions from outside of Ohio. The National Center for Educational Statistics Global Indicator could help you with these inquiries.

If two accredited schools offer the same program or course, how do I choose?
As you can see, the OhioLearns! catalog provides you with a host of information to make grounded decisions. If however you cannot make a decision between two institutions of apparent equal value, you may want to take the following steps.

• Review information you have acquired through interviews based on "What questions should I ask my home institution?" with both institutions
• Identify 2-3 critical questions from the 22 presented.
• How do both institutions answer these questions? Is there an institution with responses you like better? If so, why?
• Are you still experiencing some concerns? Contact an OLN regional representative. They will be happy to respond to your inquiry through e-mail or set up a telephone conference with you.

OhioLearns! is part of the Ohio Learning Network
Ohio Learning Network is a consortium of Ohio's colleges and universities and is not a degree-granting, virtual university