Online Student Handbook
Current Location: Introduction

    
The Introduction contains the following main sections:

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Welcome to Thomas Edison State College and your online course. As an adult learner and online student, you probably appreciate the freedom of earning credit toward your degree while studying on your own schedule and in your own location. However, to complete your coursework, you need to be self-disciplined and self-motivated. You also need to be organized so that you can study on a regular schedule. When you bring these qualities to your coursework, you will make steady and rewarding progress toward your educational goals.

The Online Student Handbook contains the information you need to get organized and to stay on track as you proceed through each Thomas Edison State College online course. The principal sections of the Handbook are indexed in the "Quick Jumps" column at the right. These sections contain essential guidelines for completing various administrative tasks for which you are responsible (e.g., acquiring your course materials, properly submitting assignments, and arranging for examinations), meeting the academic standards established by the College, and pursuing your education with honesty and integrity.

All this information needs your careful attention so that you get the most out of your courses and receive the proper credit. Before doing anything else, please read the Handbook carefully and refer to it frequently. Students often find it helpful to print the Handbook for easy reference.


GETTING STARTED

Before you begin the course or courses for which you have registered:

  • Check that you have all of your course materials conveniently near your workstation. (See the section Course Materials.)
  • Read the letter of introduction from your mentor (Syllabus > Mentor's Letter), and take note of his or her office hours (see also Faculty Information).
  • Refer to the course calendar or assignment schedule in the Course Syllabus, and fill in the dates by which assignments must be submitted. To find the dates, refer to the table of week-by-week dates posted on the course Web site (Information > Week-by-Week Dates).
  • Make arrangements during the first week of the semester to take course examinations. (See the section Examinations and Proctors.)

You may need to work on specific study skills to help you cope successfully with distance learning. The following publications, available from our textbook supplier, may be helpful in this regard.

  • Harbrace College Handbook by John C. Hodges (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich)
  • The Good Study Guide by Andrew Northedge (Open Court)
  • College Reading and Study Skills by Nancy V. Wood (Holt, Rinehart and Winston)
  • Study Skills for Today's College Student by Jerold W. Apps (McGraw-Hill)

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MENTORS

You are assigned a mentor for each course you take with Thomas Edison State College. To learn about your mentor and read a letter of introduction, go to the Syllabus area of your course Web site, and then click Mentor's Letter. The letter includes the hours during the week when your mentor is available to discuss your coursework with you. You can print the letter to keep it close at hand.

You will submit all individual assignments to your mentor. He or she, in turn, will send comments on your work directly to you. Your mentor is also responsible for grading all exams in a given course and for evaluating your online participation. If you have difficulty understanding any aspect of the coursework—or if you have questions about exams—your mentor is there to help you. For instructions on contacting your mentor, see the section Contacting Your Mentor.

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TIME SCHEDULE

Online courses at Thomas Edison State College follow a 12-week format with only one (final) examination. Online "e-mail" courses follow a 16-week format and require you to take two exams, a midterm and a final. Regarding time schedules, bear in mind that

  • Assignments (including online discussions and group projects) are due at regular intervals and specified times.
  • The final exam in all courses is scheduled during the final week of the semester.

To complete your work within these time limitations:

  • Develop a regular schedule.
  • Allow sufficient time for your studies.
  • Adopt the philosophy: Do not put off until tomorrow what can be done today.

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NOTE TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Thomas Edison State College is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for students with verified disabilities who are qualified for admission. If you would like to discuss or request accommodation for Thomas Edison State College coursework, please contact the Office of Students with Disabilities at (609) 943-3045 (voice) or (609) 341-3109 (TTY). It is your responsibility to disclose and verify any disability to the Office of Students with Disabilities when requesting accommodation. All such disclosures will be kept strictly confidential.

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QUICK JUMPS

Use the following links to go directly to the principal sections of the Handbook: