Frequently Asked Questions (Distance Education)
These are some helpful answers to some commonly asked questions. If you
have other questions, send them to Delores
Winfough (delores@cis.ksu.edu).
Where can I find the forms I need?
Many commonly required forms for distance education can be found
here.
Will there be an exit exam?
No. Students are required to complete a significant terminal project as
part of the curriculum. There is no thesis option.
What are the basic computer requirements?
Listservs, e-mail, message boards, and chat rooms are used for many MSE
distance education courses. Most courses post video/audio for lectures, as
well as assignments, resources, etc., on the web. Therefore, students must have access to a computer, the Internet, and e-mail.
As all MSE courses will be taken over the web, a modern computer in good
working order is essential for completing the degree. At a minimum,
your computer should be:
- Pentium® 4 at 2.0 GHz or higher
- 512 Megabytes of RAM or higher
- 40 GB hard drive or larger
- Windows® XP
- Broadband internet connection (DSL or cable modem) or 56k modem
- Sound card and speakers
- DVD-ROM drive
See the student handbook
Technology
Requirements for specific information on minimum and recommended systems.
What is a K-State eid?
All MSE students are required to have a K-State eid. eID is short
for "electronic ID". It's the name for your central computer ID that serves
as your primary "electronic identity" at K-State. The concept is "one eID,
one password" for each K-State student, faculty, staff, alumnus, and guest.
There's a limit of one eID per person.
More importantly, your eID gives you access to a lot of K-State resources
-- including e-mail, a personal webpage, access to the Digital Library, free
antivirus software, and more. Students can use it to access KATS (their
student information) and vote online. The FAQ for K-State eids is located at
http://eid.k-state.edu/faq.html.
With your eID, you also manage your eProfile -- to change your password,
turn e-mail forwarding on, set spam-filtering options, and so forth. To get
your eid, go to http://eid.k-state.edu/.
Will My Distance Degree be Different than an On-Campus
Degree?
All distance courses offered in this program are exactly the same as the
courses offered on campus. Many web-based lectures are recorded during
on-campus classes and made available on-line immediately after each lecture
is completed. Other lectures are pre-recorded and are generally viewed
by both on and off campus students.
A distance web course will be accessible and utilized by both distance
and on-campus students. Frequently, instructors combine their on- and
off-campus students via e-mail or the Internet to work on projects together
or to 'chat' via a discussion room or message board.
Your transcript and diploma will look the same as an on-campus student's
with no reference to whether the degree was completed on or off campus.
When are courses offered?
Courses offered in this degree program will be taught via the Internet
and courses run concurrently with the on-campus class.
Students are encouraged to enroll early, but no later than two weeks
before the beginning of the semester. Students who enroll on or after the
first day of class will experience delays in receiving course information
and materials. Late fees will apply--see information below.
How do I register?
Prior enrollment or admission to K-State is not required of students who
are not pursuing a degree. The Division of Continuing Education cannot
enroll students who have been dismissed or denied admission.
Registration for the K-State courses may be completed in one of the
following ways:
- Register online by going to
http://eis.dce.ksu.edu/CreditReg/CourseSearch/search.html.
- MAIL the Student Registration Form (found at the web address
above) to: Distance Education Registration, Division of Continuing
Education, Kansas State University, 131 College Court Building,
Manhattan, KS 66506-6015.
- FAX your registration to 785-532-5637.
- For registration questions or assistance, CALL the Division of
Continuing Education at 1-800-432-8222 or 785-532-5566 (in
Manhattan), 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Central Time, Monday through Friday.
Can I use the K-State library?
Each student enrolled in on-line courses is eligible for assistance
provided by the Library Services Facilitator. The Library Services
Facilitator will check out books, photocopy articles, search indexes and
provide other library assistance at a cost to relieve students of the burden
of traveling to the KSU campus library.
For more information, visit the web-site at:
http://www.lib.k-state.edu/services/distance/, call the Library Services
Facilitator Office at: 785-532-7262, 24-hrs a day, 7 days a week or
toll-free at 1-800-622-2578 between 8:00 a.m. - noon, and 1 - 5 p.m. Central
time, Monday - Friday, or e-mail at:
libserv@dce.ksu.edu.
In addition, Hale Library on the K-State campus also provides services to
students living outside of Manhattan. Check the library web site for
additional information:
www.lib.ksu.edu.
What is the copyright policy for online material?
All Kansas State University course materials, syllabi, and web lectures
are copyrighted. You may duplicate the course materials only for your own
use, and you must erase any duplicated material as soon as you complete the
course requirements.
You may not make any CDs, tapes, or course materials available to other
people, unless you have explicit written permission from the K-State
Department of Computer Science and the Division of Continuing Education to
share them with certain individuals.
Students are prohibited from selling (or being paid for taking) notes
during the course to or by any person or commercial firm without the express
written permission of the professor teaching the course.
Is there a Student Handbook?
The Division of Continuing Education has a list of resources, which lists
information about registration, scholarships, policies, and library
services, etc., is available at
http://www.dce.ksu.edu/students/services/resources.shtml.
What are my student responsibilities?
Students enrolled in the MSE program should check
with their advisors before registering for a course to ensure that the
course meets degree requirements.
Students should consult the K-State Graduate Catalog for specific
information concerning graduate student responsibilities. Additional
information is available from the Graduate School, 102 Fairchild Hall,
Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, 785-532-6191, or online at
http://www.ksu.edu/grad/.
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