Lindenwood Online FAQs Blackboard FAQs for Students How do I log in to Blackboard? When logging in to Blackboard, please be sure you are entering only the first part of your Lionmail address, <example: jjs100>, as your username. Your password is your two-digit birth month, two-digit birth day, and the last four digits of your SSN. If you do not know your Lionmail account information click here. Why don t I see my courses in Blackboard? There are several reasons why you may not see your courses in Blackboard. If a course you are enrolled in is not listed in Blackboard, and it is not an online course, your instructor may have chosen not to use Blackboard. If you are missing a course and you have recently enrolled in it, your enrollment may not be yet be processed. Additionally, Blackboard courses taught during semester and quarter terms are available starting one week before the term start dates, and MBA courses are available two weeks prior to their start dates. Please be sure you are accessing your courses within the correct timeframe. Where can I go if I need help with Blackboard? Go to https://www.lindenwood.edu/bbsupport Blackboard Course Access FAQs When do I get access to my courses? You will have access to your course one week before the course start date. MBA students will have access 2 weeks before the course start date. How do I order my textbooks for courses? Textbooks can be purchased or rented from the Lindenwood Book-Xchange at http://www.lutextbooks.com/. Click on the textbook tab on the left side of the screen. Click on the appropriate term for the course (i.e. spring semester 2015), select the appropriate course prefix (i.e. REL for Religion), select the course number, and click Get Books! 1
Bachelor of Arts in Business FAQs Are there any expectations for a student to be on-campus? No. The online program is completely online including math and English placement assessments. How does the online curriculum differ from the on-ground curriculum? On a course by course basis, the curriculum and rigor is identical. program level, there are less online electives to choose from. At the Can I take some classes online and others on-ground? Yes. Students may take classes in either mode, depending on the course offerings, in the particular term of interest. What is the format term length? 8 week format - 1st half of a traditional semester and 2nd half of traditional semester, as well as an 8 week summer term Can an emphasis be earned? Students wishing to earn an emphasis, will need to take a portion of their emphasis courses on-campus, as not all electives are available online Regarding the 8 week format, what is considered part-time and fulltime status? 6 credit hours, during a traditional semester, is considered threshold for part-time status. 12 credit hours is the threshold, during traditional semester, to be considered full-time. What online electives are available for this program? A carefully selected variety of electives is available online, with the intent of providing a robust and well-rounded curriculum. 2
Master of Business Administration (MBA) FAQs Are there any expectations for a student to be on-campus? No. The online program is completely online. How does the online curriculum differ from the on-ground curriculum? On a course by course basis, the curriculum and rigor is identical. At the program level, there are less online electives to choose from. Can I take some classes online and others on-ground? Yes. Students may take classes in either mode, depending on course offerings, in the particular term of interest. What is the format term length? 9 week format 5 terms per year. Can an emphasis be earned? Students wishing to earn an emphasis, may need to take a portion of their emphasis courses on-campus, as not all electives are available online. What is considered part-time and full-time status? 4 credit hours, during a term, is considered threshold for part-time status. 6 credit hours is the threshold for full-time status. What online electives are available for this program? A carefully selected variety of electives is available online, with the intent of providing a robust and well-rounded curriculum. Master of Fine Arts in Writing FAQs Who is the contact person for questions about the MFA in Writing Program? Please contact the Program Director, Beth Mead, with any questions you have. Beth is the Advisor for all MFA students. If Beth does not have the specific information you need (regarding financial aid, etc.), she will give you the contact information for the correct person to contact. How do I apply to the MFA Program? Visit our Prospective Students page for details about the creative writing sample and statement of purpose, as well as quarterly deadlines for submitting these two documents to the Program Director. Students accepted into the MFA Program are given all details for full university admission (online application, transcripts, resume, ID photo, and for fully online students, a notarized driver s license copy for identification verification). The MFA Program does not require the GRE or letters of 3
recommendation. The creative writing sample and statement of purpose are the basis for MFA Program acceptance. How many students are accepted into the MFA Program each year? The MFA Program has a rolling admissions policy and is not limited to a specific number of acceptances each year. Each applicant is considered individually, and every creative writing sample is reviewed on its own merit. We are looking for students who clearly demonstrate strong writing skills, an understanding of the craft of creative writing, and a willingness to continue growing as a writer. How many classes should I take each quarter? On-campus students enroll in one 9-credit cluster each quarter. To accelerate their degree program further, on-campus students may also take one 3-credit online class along with a cluster. The 3-credit Thesis may be taken along with the final cluster. Fully online students may enroll in one, two, or three 3-credit online classes per quarter. (In some cases, students may seek approval to enroll in four 3-credit online classes per quarter.) Each online class requires students to participate on Blackboard a minimum of three times per week, so it is up to students to determine how many classes will work best with their schedule. See the FAQ about full-time/part-time enrollment for information about financial aid/loan eligibility. How many credit hours is considered full-time? Part-time? In our accelerated quarter system, enrollment in 9 credit hours is considered full-time. Enrollment in 6 credit hours is considered part-time. At least 6 credit hours must be taken each quarter in order to be eligible for financial aid or student loans. How long does it take to complete the MFA in Writing? Degree completion will depend upon the number of credit hours students enroll in each quarter. The MFA is a 48-hour degree program, including the final Thesis (which is taken in the final quarter of enrollment, either along with coursework or by itself), and degree completion can take from one to five years. Below are some possible completion scenarios: - An on-campus student who takes one 9-credit cluster per quarter, and then enrolls in the Thesis along with the final cluster, will complete the degree in one year and three months. - A fully online student who takes three 3-credit classes per quarter for four quarters, and then takes two online classes in the fifth quarter, and takes the Thesis along with the final class in the sixth quarter, will complete the degree in one and a half years. 4
- A fully online student who takes two 3-credit classes per quarter, and then enrolls in the Thesis along with the final class, will complete the degree in two years. What grants does the MFA Program offer? Do you offer Teaching Assistantships or scholarships? The MFA in Writing Program offers a grant of $60 off per credit hours for teachers who currently teach at the elementary, middle school, or high school level. Eligible students must notify Beth every quarter (when registering for classes) that they qualify for the grant, and they must provide the name of the school where they teach. Lindenwood University offers a 50% tuition grant for students age 60 or over. This grant is processed through the Admissions Department. The MFA Program does not offer Teaching Assistantships or MFA-specific scholarships. For information about any other grants or scholarships that Lindenwood University may offer, contact Admissions at 636-949-4933 or Financial Aid at 636-949-4923. How do I drop a class? What is the charge for withdrawing? Contact Beth Mead, who is the Advisor for all MFA students. Beth will need your last date of attendance (for online students, this is the last date you accessed Blackboard), and then she will fill out the paperwork to withdraw you from class. The drop policy, as well as fees that are charged based on your date of withdrawal, is detailed in the catalog. If a student who drops a class has never attended a class meeting (or if an online student has never posted in that class on Blackboard), there is no charge for dropping. Students must contact Beth Mead to process withdrawal paperwork. How do I view my grades/schedule/transcripts/account ledger/student email? Student grades are not mailed out. Grades, along with other student information, including class schedule, unofficial transcripts, and account ledger, can be viewed through your student portal. Student email is accessed through a student s Lionmail account. New students will have access to their student portal and Lionmail after they have registered for classes. What if I don t see my question listed here? Contact Beth Mead, the MFA Program Director, at bmead@lindenwood.edu or 636-949-4524. 5
Master of Arts in Leadership FAQs How does the MA in Leadership differ from an MBA? The Leadership program is focused primarily on leadership theory and strategy, though there are some classes that are common between the MBA and Leadership core curriculum. The Leadership program is 36 credit hours in duration, aside from any required foundation courses; whereas, the MBA program is 39 credit hours. There is no emphasis area to be earned in the MA Leadership program, however, the student may choose from a variety of electives.. Are there any expectations for a student to be on-campus? No. The online program is completely online. How does the online curriculum differ from the on-ground curriculum? On a course by course basis, the curriculum and rigor is identical. program level, there are less online electives to choose from. At the Can I take some classes online and others on-ground? Yes. Students may take classes in either mode, depending on course offerings, in particular term of interest. What is the format term length? 9 week format 5 terms per year. What is considered part-time and full-time status? 4 credit hours, during a term, is considered threshold for part-time status. 6 credit hours is the threshold for full-time status. What online electives are available for this program? A carefully selected variety of electives is available online, with the intent of providing a robust and well-rounded curriculum. Master of Arts in in Nonprofit Administration (NPA) FAQs Do I need previous experience in the nonprofit sector? No previous experience is required! Our students come from varied backgrounds, with and without previous experience in the nonprofit sector. The faculty provides individualized mentoring and academic advising that allows our students to tailor the program to specific learning goals and objectives. 6
How many credits do I need in order to complete this degree? 37 Credit Hours are required to complete the degree. This includes 25 core-curriculum credits, along with 12 credits of electives. How are semesters divided up? Semesters are divided up between a Fall, Spring, and Summer schedule. As mentioned above this program requires 37 credit hours, consisting of 8 possible Fall and Spring courses, 4 possible Summer courses, and a capstone research project. Students are allowed to join the program during any one of the 3 semesters. How long will it take me to complete the degree program? The degree program spans two years with two online classes being taken in the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters required to complete it in this timeframe. Is an Internship required? No internship is required to complete the degree program. Is there a place where I can find more information about the program and the classes offered? Yes! All information can be found here http://www.lindenwood.edu/humanservices/npa/gradonline.html or can be answered by contacting the department chair Dr. Julie Turner at 636-949- 4652 or through email at jturner@lindenwood.edu Is this a degree or certificate program? This is a fully accredited and nationally recognized degree program, and upon completion students will receive a diploma stating that they have successfully earned a master s degree in Nonprofit Administration What are the benefits of a degree in Nonprofit Administration? There are over 1.5 million nonprofits in the United States and these workers make up over 10% of the total workforce. Nonprofit job are represented in the community through schools, churches, social service organizations, and more. Lindenwood University s Master of Nonprofit Administration degree is specifically designed to assist professionals both in and out of the nonprofit field to become leaders within the ever changing and dynamic nonprofit sector. Do you have any social media sites that I can follow the program on? Yes. You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn 7
Who can I contact to receive additional information about the program, or to help answer any questions that I may have? All questions can be directed to Dr. Julie Turner, PhD, Associate Professor and Chair of Nonprofit Administration. She can be reached through phone at 636-949-4652 or through email at jturner@lindenwood.edu Master of Arts in Public Administration (MPA) FAQs What can I do with a Masters in Public Administration? The MPA career paths are vast, but can be reduced to three main subsections: government, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector. In government positions, an MPA graduate may work in federal, state, or local government agencies creating policy, overseeing agencies, or analyzing efficiencies. Those who work with nonprofit organizations may work in social welfare organizations, the chamber of commerce, or at universities and other large organizations. In the private sector, many MPA graduates hold consulting positions or work in the areas of human resources or law, assisting these companies in many aspects that require a solid understanding of policy making and management strategies. How long does it take to complete the MPA program? The MPA program is a year-round fifteen month online graduate program. The fifteen month duration is based on a student course load of two courses per consecutive term. How frequently do students receive and turn in coursework? Courses are developed on a per week basis. Each week, students are assigned reading notes, article assignments, discussion boards, and writing projects or papers to submit for assessment and grading. Students receive and turn in course assignments at least once a week Does the MPA program recognize previous graduate level coursework taken at other higher education institutions as transferrable credit for MPA coursework? Yes, the MPA program will accept previous graduate level coursework from other Public Administration, Business Administration, and Nonprofit Administration programs taken at other higher education institutions. Transcripts, course descriptions, and grades are assessed to determine if previous coursework is acceptable. Any previous coursework will be taken as credit towards the elective courses required for completing the MPA program. Students can transfer up to 9 credit hours of coursework. 8
Can students study other emphasis areas for credit towards completing the MPA program? Yes, the MPA program offers students the option to study coursework out of the Lindenwood University s Business Administration (MBA) and Nonprofit Administration (NPA) programs. Any courses taken out of these disciplines will be used to fulfill elective requirements. Can I focus on an area of specialization? Yes, MPA students who would like to specialize in a specific area of interest can structure their coursework to reflect a desired area of specialization. Students are to consult with their advisors to develop a specific plan. Additional information on this page http://www.lindenwood.edu/online/tips.html 9