Student Orientation to Self-Paced Courses
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Enrollment
Admission to TXST not Required
Enrollment in online self-paced courses does not require official admission to the university. Courses are open to all those who meet departmental and course prerequisites and Texas Success Initiative Program (TSIP) requirements.
Registering and Accessing Your Course
Students register for their online self-paced course in Texas State Self-Service; see instructions for registering on the Registering for Correspondence page.
Note: Payment is due immediately, via the Student Business Services portal, for Online Self-Paced courses. If payment is not received within 24 hours or enrollment, you will be dropped from the online self-paced class.
Once you register and pay, you will be given access to your self-paced course in Canvas. Once you have access to your course, a Welcome Email will be sent to your Bobcat Mail account. This Welcome Email highlights important information that you need to know about your online self-paced course. To access your Bobcat Mail, you will use your NetID and Password.
You will access your course through Canvas. On your Canvas homepage, click "Dashboard" or "Courses" on the left-side menu of the page to search for your online self-paced course.
Now you're ready to start your course!
Self-Paced Course Credit Hours and Hours of Enrollment
Since you are technically not admitted to Texas State when enrolled in an online self-paced course, and your enrollment is not term-based, your course is not considered when determining either the number of hours you're enrolled in each semester. Nor does your course affect your status as a full-time or part-time student, except in the semester in which you complete the course, when it is counted in your total semester load.
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Costs, Financial Assistance, and Student Loans
Costs
Visit the course cost page for current course costs.
Financial Aid
Online self-paced courses do not qualify for federal financial aid. However, we accept third-party billing to cover a percentage of the total cost. More information can be found at the Financial Assistance page.
Student Loan Deferment
Being enrolled in an online self-paced course does not qualify students for a student loan deferment. You must officially be enrolled in a university or college to obtain a student loan deferment on the basis of current enrollment at a university or college. For more information about the rules for student loan deferment, contact the financial aid office at your educational institution.
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Course Procedures
Beginning Your Course
Check out the self-paced course Online Orientation Video to help you get started in your course.
Course Material
Refer to the Course Materials Page for information on obtaining required course materials.
Contacting Your Instructor
Contact your instructor by e-mail, using the Canvas Mail Tool in your course.
Tutoring
A variety of free tutoring resources are available for students enrolled in Texas State online self-paced courses. Visit the Tutoring page for more information
Course Progress and Assignments
Generally speaking, you may not complete more than two modules or lessons per week. Some instructors, however, may require you to complete no more than one module or lesson per week or to receive a previous assignment's grade and feedback before submitting a subsequent assignment. To find out if your instructor has different requirements, consult the information in the Syllabus of your course. If the instructor doesn't specify any course pacing limits, then you may not complete more than two modules or lessons per week. Please note that it is of great benefit to you to complete one module or unit at a time and to wait to receive graded assignments, so that you can read comments from the instructor before advancing with subsequent assignments.
Grading
Instructors may take up to ten (10) working days to grade assignments and exams. Instructors often will return graded assignments more rapidly, but at certain times during the year, such as holidays and at the end of the semester, you can expect that the turn-around time on assignments may take longer.
Course Completion
You must complete all lessons or modules and submit all assigned work, including exams, to receive credit for the course. Letter grades of A, B, C, D, and F are used for final course grades.
Course Planning
Plan your course schedule effectively and begin completing coursework promptly after your enrollment. Instructors are given up to ten (10) working days to grade each assignment submission, so plan for this assignment grading time. Students who begin their courses promptly after enrollment are more likely to complete courses successfully.
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Course Credit
Course Credit
Students receive academic credit from Texas State University for completed self-paced courses. Course credit is applied to a student's transcript in the semester in which a course is completed.
Transferring Course Credit to Another School
Texas State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Therefore, credit earned at Texas State is accepted by most institutions of higher education. However, you should consult your school before enrolling in a correspondence self-paced course to ensure that, upon successful completion of the course, credit earned will transfer and apply to your degree.
Self-Paced Course Credit Hours and Hours of Enrollment
Since you are technically not admitted to Texas State when enrolled in an online self-paced course, and your enrollment is not term-based, your course is not considered when determining the number of hours you're enrolled in each semester. Nor does your course affect your status as a full-time or part-time student, except in the semester in which you complete the course, when it is counted in your total semester load.
Maximum Credit Hours Via Self-Paced Courses
At Texas State, students may apply up to 18 hours of credit from online self-paced study courses to a Texas State degree.
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Course Completion/Non-Completion and Final Grades
Previous Grades in the Same Course
Once the Texas State Registrar receives your online self-paced course grade, that grade replaces any previous grade earned for the course.
Course Counts Toward GPA
At Texas State, an online self-paced course counts toward your GPA. Policies vary among different schools, so if you are not a Texas State student, be sure to find out the policies from your school what the policy is regarding this at your school.
Uncompleted Courses
If you do not finish your online self-paced course before the course expiration date, you will receive an "NC" in place of a grade for your course. This will display on your transcript as "NC," signifying it was not completed. However, receiving an NC can be avoided by dropping your course. You are encouraged to stay organized and work hard to complete your course in the allotted time.
Dropping a Course
You may withdraw from a course at any time by accessing Texas State Self-Service. Please note that in order to receive a partial refund, you must withdraw from a class within the first 30 days. Refer to the Withdrawal Refund Schedule for refund amounts.
You may not drop a course after taking the final exam, or for courses that do not have a final exam, after submitting the final assignment. Please note that in order to receive a partial refund, you must drop a class within the first 30 days. Refer to the Withdrawal Refund Schedule for information on partial refund amounts.
If you drop a course before your six-month or nine-month enrollment period expires, no grade will be reported to the Registrar, the course will not appear on your transcript, and the course will not be included in attempted hours calculations.
Semester Your Course Grade Applies to
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Student Privacy
Privacy in Distance Education
Texas State has written policies and procedures for protecting the privacy of all students enrolled in all courses and programs, including distance education. These policies formally incorporate the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and applicable laws and regulations. University policies include:
Access to Student Records Pursuant to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974
Appropriate Use of Information Resources
Information Resources Identity and Access Management
Security of Texas State Information Resources
Texas State provides a notice regarding the privacy rights of students as well as information on how data is collected on its website. See complete explanations on the following:
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Academic Honesty
Academic Honesty Policies that Cover Online Self-Paced Courses
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Directions to OXP
Online and Extended Programs is located in Room 302 of Academic Services Building North, adjacent to Old Main. For our exact location, you may wish to consult the campus map.
Driving Directions from Interstate 35
From I-35, take Exit 206 to Aquarena Springs Drive/Loop 82. From northbound I-35, turn left onto Aquarena Springs Drive/Loop 82. From southbound I-35, turn right onto Aquarena Springs Drive/Loop 82. Bobcat Stadium and satellite parking lots will be on your left. You will then cross over the San Marcos River. Aquarena Springs Drive intersects with Sessom Drive. You will either continue onto University Drive (Aquarena Springs Drive becomes University Drive) or turn right onto Sessom Drive, depending on where you plan to park on campus.
On-Campus Visitors' Parking Options
Visitors' parking is available in the Edward Gary Garage on the corner of Edward Gary Street and University Drive or in the LBJ Student Center Parking Garage on the corner of Student Center Drive and Tomas Rivera Drive. Check with Parking Services for complete information on visitors' parking.