Do I have to be admitted to a degree program to enroll in distance classes?
No. Distance students can apply to be a nondegree graduate student and upon admissions enroll in a distance optics class. Up to six units can be completed in nondegree status and applied toward the Professional Graduate Certificate program once admitted. Up to 15 units can be completed in nondegree status and applied toward an M.S. or Ph.D. degree program once admitted.
How do I apply to be a nondegree graduate student?
Apply to the University of Arizona Graduate College. It is a quick and easy process; no additional documents such as transcripts or letters of recommendation are required. You will receive an e-mail from Graduate College Admissions once your nondegree admissions is completed.
How do I complete application to a degree program?
Degree program application requirements and instructions are available on our Admissions and Applications Web page.
How do I enroll in a distance class?
Once you receive notification of admissions, you will enroll for an optics distance class through the University of Arizona Outreach College. Registration and payment is directly through their department.
Is distance education a separate degree?
No. Students admitted to a College of Optical Sciences degree program can take distance courses or on-campus courses, whichever best fit their lifestyle. You will be awarded the same degree as all other graduate students admitted to the Graduate Certificate, M.S. or Ph.D. programs. Can I apply for admissions to your graduate program after the application deadline?Our application deadline for fall admissions consideration is Dec. 1 for international students and Jan. 1 for domestic U.S. citizens who request funding. Otherwise, the application deadline is Jan. 15. We strive to be flexible about these deadlines and will often consider applications which arrive late. It is to your advantage to submit your application on time; however, we will accept late applications for consideration. Graduate Certificate and M.S. applications for students enrolling for distance classes are accepted after the deadlines. Typically, we can accept applications for fall admissions consideration as late as July 1. I am an international applicant. Is the TOEFL required to take distance classes?International students applying to the Professional Graduate Certificate in Optical Sciences program are exempt from the TOEFL requirement. If you complete the certificate and wish to apply to the M.S. or Ph.D. program on campus or by distance, you will then need to meet the TOEFL requirement. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) can be submitted in lieu of the TOEFL. If the TOEFL, TOEFL iBT or IELTS is not offered in your country, you will need to travel to another country where one of these tests is offered. How much does it cost to take a distance optics class?Distance optics class tuition and fees are listed at the University of Arizona Outreach College website, on page 2 of the registration form. Students from participating WRGP states qualify for in-state tuition rates. What optics courses are offered by distance learning?Approximately 12 optics classes are offered by distance each fall and spring semester. You can view that list on the graduate class schedule. Classes being offered by distance are indicated with DL. I haven't completed the prerequisites listed on the syllabus. Can I still enroll in the course?Yes, the prerequisites — while strongly recommended — are not required and nothing in the system prevents you from enrolling. You may have industry or previous course work to satisfy the prerequisite. You can always communicate with the professor about your experience and background. Does a distance class require as much time as its on-campus counterpart?As in any course, the amount of time actually invested depends on the student and varies on a course-by-course basis. The same faculty teach both distance and on-campus classes; the courses are designed to teach the same material and require the same amount of student commitments. There may be some additional time for homework submissions and completion of exams. Am I required to visit or be on campus?We often have distance students visit OSC and tour our building, but it is not required. The Graduate Certificate program requirements can be completed entirely by distance with no campus visit. Depending on lab experience, it may be possible to complete the M.S. degree entirely by distance with only one trip to campus to complete your final oral exam. The UA Graduate College requires that all admitted international students enroll in student health insurance. As a distance international student, am I exempt from this requirement?No. All admitted international students must maintain student health insurance. International students completing distance must submit a waiver form to Campus Health waiving the requirement. This must be done each fall and spring semester in which the student enrolls for a distance class. Students who fail to submit this form will automatically be assessed student health insurance charges on their bursar account. In addition, student must prove they will not be in the U.S. during this time. Does distance learning mean I will not interact with other students or faculty?No. Students talk to and develop rapport with instructors and even fellow classmates through e-mail, D2L discussion boards, chatrooms and telephone calls. You will also communicate with your teaching assistant. Some courses have live recitation sessions that encourage your participation. You will also be given the choice to share your e-mail address with other distance students that are taking the same course. How are distance classes delivered?You can take the courses electronically via streamed video and view the lectures on the Web, or for an additional charge you can take them via DVD. The lectures are posted to the Web immediately after they are taught and will be available to view anytime throughout the entire semester. If you take the course via DVD, they are shipped to you once per week on the last day the course is taught each week. The Web lectures are password-protected. You will be given a password before the semester begins to access the lectures. How long do distance classes last?Distance classes run the full length of the semester, same as on campus classes. Additional time is sometimes granted for coordinating of final exams and submissions of all course material. If the syllabus includes a presentation, how do distance students meet this requirement?It depends on the course. Sometimes distance students give the presentation to peers, who return an evaluation form to the professor. Some use Windows Live and give their presentation as a PowerPoint. In certain circumstances a distance student is assigned to a group of on-campus students and will be responsible for research instead of giving a presentation. What academic advising is available for students taking distance classes?Through e-mail and telephone communication, distance students will communicate with the graduate student academic advisor. Student reference manuals, including requirements, links to policy and forms, are available online. I registered through the UA Outreach College for the optics distance class. Now what do I do?When all of your registration paperwork has been processed, the Outreach College will send you an e-mail verifying your registration. About a week before the semester begins we receive your registration information from the Outreach College. At that time you will be sent an e-mail welcoming you to the distance learning program. The e-mail will include all the information you need to complete your course. Do I need to purchase textbooks?You are responsible for purchasing any textbooks and class notes the professor requires for the course. The professor will let you know where to purchase notes should that be a requirement. Textbooks can be purchased through a variety of sources, including the UA Bookstore. Are there special software/hardware requirements to take optics distance classes? Do I need to download a special program?Some courses do require special software, but you will be given access and will not have to purchase software. How do I submit assignments/homework?After your registration is complete and before classes begin, you will receive an e-mail with detailed information about homework submission. How do I complete exams?Students need to choose a proctor for exams. Exams will be mailed to the proctor with all instructions included. The exam proctor could be an HR person, a supervisor or a local librarian, but the proctor may not be a co-worker or subordinate. How long does it take to complete a master's degree by distance?The M.S. degree program is limited to six years. It takes approximately two years to obtain a master's degree if you take classes full-time. If you take one course a semester, it is going to take longer. If you have previous graduate level course approved to count toward your M.S. degree, the actual start date begins with the semester of approved transfer courses. If you near the six-year time limit, you can submit a petition for an extension of time to complete your degree. Speak with the graduate academic advisor for more information and details. Given the distance, how do remote students find a faculty advisor or know which faculty to contact?Distance students are encouraged to review the faculty areas of research expertise and propose a topic to a particular faculty member. Can the Ph.D. program be completed by distance?While some level of on-campus residency is required, it is possible to complete some of the course units toward a Ph.D. by distance. |