Distance Learning Program
The distance education programs at the University of St. Francis (USF) are delivered online and through faculty-directed instruction.

Online courses use computer and information technologies to link faculty members and students from around the world into interactive classes. The online courses are designed for working professionals at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. USF uses the WebCT program to deliver its online courses. Online courses are not "timebound;" students work on the course at a time and place convenient to their schedule. Like any class, however, students read texts, participate in class discussions, write papers, and take exams through the USF online program. Student interaction is an important component of USF online courses.

For the bachelor's degree completion program in health arts, faculty-directed instruction (FDI) courses are available. FDI courses are home-based correspondence courses that encompass the same course requirements as traditional classes. Course content, syllabi, textbooks, and assignments are the same as for on-site classes. Students are provided with a comprehensive and rigorous course outline that includes a schedule for completion of assignments, "lectures" and comments from the instructor, study guide questions, directions for projects and assignments, and examination materials. Students submit assignments to their instructor via mail, e-mail, and/or fax. Instructors telephone students periodically throughout the course to provide more in-depth interaction.

The same high-quality faculty members who teach on-site courses at USF also teach the distance education courses. Besides being experts in the content area of the course, faculty members have experience and training to provide students with an excellent distance learning experience.

Programs of Study
The new world of health care challenges the knowledge and flexibility of today's nurses. USF offers an RN-B.S.N. Fast Track degree in nursing. Registered nursing students prepare for these challenges through course work and clinical experiences developed to meet the individual needs of each RN student. After completion of prerequisites, the nursing course work may be completed in about 11&Mac218;2 years. The entire RN-B.S.N. Fast Track program is available online in eight-week modules, except for clinical experiences, which are set up at health-care agencies in the RN nursing student's locale. Highly qualified and dedicated faculty members in the College of Nursing and Allied Health teach all online course work.

The Bachelor of Science in health arts program is a degree-completion program for licensed health-care professionals. The program gives adult workers access to higher education and allows them to work toward the completion of their bachelor's degree while providing college credit for prior learning experiences.

The Master of Science (M.S.) in health services administration program prepares health-care professionals for management in the dynamic health-care field. This high-quality program of challenging content meets the ever-changing demands of the profession. The program is designed for students who have knowledge and experiences in specific areas of health care and are seeking a broader understanding of the field. While the program is offered in a convenient format, the content is rigorous. The curriculum includes both the theories of management and their practical applications in the health-care field. The graduate program emphasizes administration rather than a concentration with a specialty.

Students in the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) program have the convenience of completing their M.B.A. anytime, anyplace, through their laptop, home, or office computers and an Internet connection. This program provides a flexible, viable alternative for professionals with busy personal, work, and travel schedules. Students interact with faculty members who are specially trained to offer a challenging, exciting, and meaningful online course experience.

The Master of Science in management program is appropriate for professionals who want to remain in their specialty field (such as social work, research and development, engineering, or nursing), but who want to step into a managerial role or enhance their managerial role and abilities. The M.S. in management student gains an understanding of the social, managerial, economic, environmental, and organizational concepts that comprise the public and business fields. The program is designed for business professionals looking for a flexible, convenient path toward degree completion.

The Master of Science in training and development program helps meet the growing need for professionals' continuing education and training programs in business and industry, higher education, continuing professional education, governmental and community agencies, community education, religious organizations, gerontology programs, and health-care delivery systems. The curriculum includes areas of adult learning theory, needs analysis, instructional design, evaluation, program planning, management, marketing, and finance. The curriculum includes both theory and application.

The goal of the University of St. Francis is to provide its online students with a wide array of academic support services equivalent to those available to on-campus students. A full range of library support services are available to USF distance students, including remote access to the online catalog and online databases, access to online database tutorials and subject guides, toll-free telephone and e-mail access to reference librarians, and assistance locating local libraries, interlibrary loan services, and periodic e-mail updates.

The University offers an Academic Resource Center with evening hours for distance students, providing assistance with all aspects of the writing process, such as paper formatting, source citation, grammar questions, and topic selection. Services are available via toll-free telephone and by e-mail. Career counseling, assistance with creating resumes and cover letters, and job-seeking assistance are provided online through the Career Resource Center. USF also provides an online bookstore, from which students can order books, clothing items, gifts, and other general merchandise items. Through the Student Information Center, students receive general information on financial aid, access the University's online catalog and class schedule, request transcripts, and access their individual accounts.

Applying for Distance Education
In order to register for an online class for the first time, students must complete the online permit request form and the class registration. The permit is a questionnaire about the computer and browser the student is planning to use for his or her online class. In order to be successful in an online course, the student's computer must meet or exceed certain hardware and software requirements. The student completes this questionnaire only once, before the first online class. Registration for class includes an e-mail address. New students to the University register with their admissions counselor; continuing students enrolling in an online class for the first time register through their academic program.

Students may begin the admission process and register for their first class while completing the admission requirements to a specific program and college during the first month of enrollment. However, all admission requirements must be satisfied for eligibility for financial assistance.

Credit for graduate work completed at another nationally accredited institution may be accepted toward a graduate degree. Up to a total of 8 semester hours may be transferred with certain provisions. The student must complete a petition for transfer of credit; the course(s) must be appropriate to the student's degree program and not be in conflict with credit limitations; the petition must be approved by the academic adviser and the program administrators; and the student must have earned a grade of B or higher in the course.

Credit is considered for transfer only after the above conditions have been met and the student's official transcript has been sent directly to the Off-Campus Admissions Office by the appropriate institution(s). In addition to the requirements listed, the course work should have been completed within seven years of applying to USF to be considered for credit. Transfer credits are not included in the computation of the student's GPA. Petition for transfer of credit must be processed, approved, and recorded before a student is considered eligible for candidacy and comprehensive examination.

Students applying for the M.B.A. program must also request an official copy of the transcript(s) from all colleges and universities they have attended.

Costs
Tuition and fees vary by program. For tuition rates of particular courses or programs of interest, applicants should visit the web site.

Financial Aid
About 95 percent of USF students receive some form of financial aid, with the average award being more than 80 percent of tuition expenses. Applicants should complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

For Additional Information

University of St. Francis
500 Wilcox Street
Joliet, Illinois 60435

800-735-7500
E-mail: admissions@stfrancis.edu
http://admissions.stfrancis.edu

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