Program Policies
Completion of Course Work
Submitting Assignments
Blackboard
Students enrolled in Web-based courses (“B” or “W” as designated in course numbering system) may track their work in the Gradebook section of their individual Blackboard course. Some Web-based courses feature both online lesson submission and grading, and online exams.
You may follow your progress in print-based courses by the Blackboard Gradebook. It allows you to see when assignments have been received by our office, when they were graded and the grade you received. It also reports your course expiration date, allows you to schedule exams, print lesson wrappers (if taking a print-based course) and update your contact information.
Print Assignment Submission
All print courses and a few Web-based courses feature print assignment submission. The date your written work is received during normal customer service or testing center business hours at Extended Education & Outreach is the date that is recorded for all of your submissions. If Extended Education & Outreach is closed for weekends, holidays
(Memorial Day, July Fourth, Labor Day, Thanksgiving or Winter Break) or for other reasons, the first day Extended Education & Outreach reopens is recorded as the date of receipt. The fax machines and electronic mail addresses at Extended Education & Outreach accept incoming transmissions 24 hours a day, seven days a week; however, receipt of your
submissions will be recorded on the first business day following your submission. This date of receipt policy is important when minimum completion times and specific completion deadlines are involved.
You may submit written course work by using the lesson wrappers included in your course materials or by printing a lesson wrapper from the Gradebook site. After your assignment is received by our customer service unit you should anticipate an average of eight business days before a grade for that assignment is reported by the instructor. Graded assignments will be returned to you via U.S. mail by our customer service unit. We strongly discourage submission of written assignments via fax; however, if faxing an assignment we ask that a dark pen or typewriter/printer imprint be used. A good test to see if your assignment will fax well is to take a photocopy first. If the photocopy is not legible, your fax will also be difficult for the instructor to read.
Electronic Assignment Submission
Many Web-based courses feature electronic assignment submission via the Blackboard course management system and are designated by the 
icon.
Your assignments are time and date stamped electronically by the learning management system. Your assignment will be graded by the instructor for your course and returned to you via Blackboard as well. Your grade will then to be posted in the Gradebook section of your course.
If at any time you have questions regarding the submission of materials, please call the UNL Help Desk at (402) 472-2175 (Lincoln Students) or 1-866-472-3970. For hours and online support options click here.
Exams
Print Exams, Proctors and Testing Center Hours
When you have reached the point in the course where you are ready to take a print examination (this includes some Web-based courses), you must select a proctor and submit your Examination Request Form.
To qualify as a proctor, an individual must be active in the educational field as a teacher, a counselor or an administrator at any level (elementary, secondary or college). Test control officers or superior commissioned officers may serve as proctors for military personnel. Students overseas may use American embassy or consular officials or approved non-family members. Nebraska Extension Educators also qualify.
You have several options for requesting a print examination:
• Request online through the Online Gradebook feature
• Request online through the UNL Independent Study program Web site
• Mail the request form enclosed with your course materials
• Fax the request form enclosed with your course materials
An exam will be mailed to your proctor after you have submitted the exam request form. After you meet with the proctor and have taken the exam, the proctor will
return the exam to our customer service unit.
Online Exams (“B” courses only, Example: NURS 325 B05)
To serve as a proctor for an online course, an individual must also meet the minimum technical requirements. It is a good idea to have your proctor complete the browser test before you take an online exam on that proctor’s computer to ensure it meets the minimum technical requirements. Courses with online exams are designated by the 
icon.
The EDU testing system is used for examinations in courses with a “B” designation. Your proctor will receive password information to allow you access to your examination after your exam request has been submitted and approved (see above instructions). You should schedule your exam during the hours the EDU Help Desk is staffed if at all possible. This will ensure that you are able to receive help with your exam if you experience technical difficulties. The help desk hours are 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. CT, Monday through Thursday and 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT on Friday.
The EDU Help Desk is not open over the weekend, so please plan accordingly. If you need technical help with the EDU testing system, you can call the EDU Help Desk at (402) 472-9305 or e-mail them at edusupport@unl.edu.
Nebraska Students
Nebraska students living within a 35-mile radius of Lincoln or the Omaha Metro area must take their examinations at one of our approved test sites, whether it is a print or online exam.
• Lincoln-area students
In Lincoln, this site is
Extended Education & Outreach
900 N. 22nd Street, Room 102 (22nd and Vine Streets
The testing center hours are (all are Central Time):
Monday: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Tuesday-Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m. to noon
• Omaha-area students (see below):
| College | Hours | Fee | Contact |
| UNO Testing Center 6001 Dodge St, EAB 113, Omaha, NE 68182 |
Summer: M-F 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Fall and Spring: M-F 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. |
$20 per test | 402-554-4800 |
| Bellevue University Test Center/Learning Center Bldg 1000 Galvin Road South Bellevue, NE 68005 |
Academic Year: |
$20 per test | 402-597-7426 |
| Other Testing Locations in Nebraska | |||
| UNK | M, T, W, F - 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., |
$40.00 per test payable by check or cash |
308-865-8054 |
| Chadron State College | M-F 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. | No Fee | 800-600-4099 |
| Central Community College Columbus | Academic Year: M-F 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Must call for appointment. |
No Fee | 402-564-7132 |
| Central Community College Grand Island | Academic Year: M-F 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Must call for appointment. |
No Fee | 308-398-4222 |
| Central Community College Hastings | Academic Year: M-F 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Must call for appointment. |
No Fee | 402-463-9811 |
| Mid-Plains Community College - McCook |
M-Th 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. F 7:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Must call for appointment. |
No Fee | 308-345-8102 |
| Mid-Plains Community College - North Platte |
Summer: M-Th 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., F 8:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Fall and Spring M-Th 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. F 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. |
$15 fee | 308-535-3600 |
| Northeast Community College- Norfolk |
M-W 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Th 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. F 8:00 - 1:00 p.m. |
$15 fee | 402-844-7281 |
| Western Nebraska Community College 1601 E 27th St. Scottsbluff, NE 69361 |
Academic Year M-Th 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. F 8:00 - 3:00 p.m. No weekend hours Must call for an appointment. |
No Fee | 308-635-6070 |
| UNMC College of Nursing 4501 Ave I Scottsbluff, NE 69361 |
For Nursing Students Only | Becky Kreman 308-632-0424 |
|
Out-of-State and International Students
All out-of-state and international students are encouraged to use a local testing center, but may request proctor approval if the proctor meets all guidelines.
Please note: We will not send course examinations to your proctor via fax or e-mail or to a home address, and your proctor may not send course examinations to Extended Education & Outreach via fax or e-mail.
Course Completion Deadlines
The minimum completion time for UNL Independent Study courses is five weeks (35 days) from the date your first written work is received at the Extended Education & Outreach to the date that your last written work is received at the office of Extended Education & Outreach. Not all courses may be completed in five weeks.
You have one year from the date of enrollment to complete a UNL Independent Study course. Our office will notify you approximately 90 days before your enrollment expires.
Date of Receipt
The date your written work is received during normal records office or testing center business hours at the Extended Education & Outreach is the date that is recorded for all of your submissions. If Extended Education & Outreach is closed for weekends, holidays (Memorial Day, July Fourth, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, or Winter Break), or for other reasons, the first day the office of Extended Education & Outreach reopens is recorded as the date of receipt.
Deadlines
If you have a personal deadline (such as graduation from a college other than UNL, admission to a program, or other special needs), we will attempt to work with you. However, you must tell us about your special needs when you register. You should allow three weeks AFTER course completion for grades to be posted and credits to be transferred. You may not complete a course in less than five weeks after the submission of your first assignment or exam (per the course syllabus). Please call (402) 472-2175 or e-mail unlextended@unl.edu with questions.
To request a transcript, click here.
Graduating Seniors
All UNL Independent Study coursework must be finished three weeks prior to the anticipated graduation date, and may not be finished in less than five weeks from the date of the first assignment or exam submission (per the course syllabus).
UNL Graduation Dates for 2006-2007
December 16, 2006
May 5, 2007
August 18, 2007
If you have questions concerning course completion before graduation, contact us at (402) 472-2175.
Extending Your Course Enrollment
You may extend your course enrollment for 90 days by making a written or in-person request. This request may be made up to 90 days after the expiration of your original enrollment. There is a $65 fee to extend each course enrollment. The 90-day extension will be calculated from the date the extension fee is paid.
IS/ES Component
Because of the delivery format, UNL Independent Study courses do not meet the Integrative Studies (IS) component of UNL's Comprehensive Education Program, but several courses do meet UNL's Essential Studies (ES) requirement. To see a list of the College Independent Study courses that meet Essential Studies (ES) requirements, please click here.
Technical Requirements
Minimum Technical Requirements for Web-based courses
For Students and Proctors of EDU Exams
| Operating Systems | Windows 98, 2000, and XP, or Macintosh OS 10.1 or higher |
| Processor | 400 Mhz or higher |
| Hard Drive Space | 300 MB free disk space |
| Memory | 64 MB of RAM |
| Browser | Netscape 7.0 or higher (older versions of Netscape may not operate properly) Using other browsers, non-compatible browsers or disabling browser features, such as JavaScript, cookies and SSL, will reduce site functionality. If your browser has a pop-up blocker, make sure it is either disabled or set to accept pop-ups from *unl.edu while accessing your course. Ensure that JavaScript is enabled on your browser and that Java support is enabled. AOL users: Your course should interact with America Online, however, you may experience some difficulties. If you do encounter any difficulties, we recommend you connect to the Internet via AOL but use Internet Explorer or Netscape to log on to your CIS course. |
| Modem | 56 kps (or faster) or DSL or cable modem |
| Browser Test | Click here for your browser test. |
| Other Software | Word Processor (i.e. Microsoft Word) |
Payment
Refunds
Tuition – If you cancel your enrollment or drop a course, we will refund tuition upon receipt of a written request up to 30 days from the date of enrollment. An additional $15 will be deducted for each assignment or test that has been submitted.
Fees – Not refundable, including $60 Distance Education Fee and fees that are applicable to the course dropped.
Materials – For orders placed as part of an enrollment, we will refund 100 percent of the purchase price of materials to the original purchaser up to 30 days after their purchase, if the materials have not been used by the student, are in good condition, and are determined to be acceptable for future use. To qualify for a refund, science kits, mathematics kits, art kits, CDs and disks must be returned – unopened with seal intact – in their original packaging.
Please return materials for inspection to:
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Extended Education & Outreach
Shipping and Receiving
900 N. 22nd Street
Lincoln, NE 68588-8103
Please note: Materials shipped to Extended Education & Outreach that do not meet refund requirements will not be returned to the sender.
Electronic Check Re-Presentation Policy
In the event that your check is returned unpaid for insufficient or uncollected funds, we may re-present your check electronically. In the ordinary course of business, your check will not be provided to you with your bank statement.
Financial Aid
Financial Aid
To be eligible for financial aid (grants, scholarships, loans, student employment) through the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, students must be formally admitted to the University and enrolled in an on-campus, resident degree program. Upon admission to the University, interested students should contact the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, 16 Canfield Administration Building, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588-0411, phone (402) 472-2030 or toll-free (800) 472-8800. Students not admitted to UNL should discuss their needs with the financial aid offices of the schools in which they are enrolled.
Admitted UNL degree candidates may enroll in term-based (“X” section) Independent Study courses via the NRoll or eNRoll system. Please consult the online class schedule or the printed Schedule of Classes to determine which Independent Study courses are available in this format. These courses do apply toward full-time enrollment status for financial aid purposes.
Special Note about Financial Aid: Students who receive financial aid must be taking 12 credit hours of in-class instruction other than Independent Study in order to fulfill financial aid requirements for full-time status.
Federal financial aid is not typically available for distance education courses where enrollment is accepted at any time of the year and a student can take up to 12 months to complete a course. This flexibility takes these courses out of a traditional semester timeframe on which the awarding of financial aid is normally based. Call (402) 472-2175 for more information.
Transcripts
Transcripts
The Extended Education & Outreach Office maintains a record of your enrollment while you are completing your course work. When you complete the course, your grades will be entered into the university's permanent student record system.
For an official transcript of your work with UNL, click here.
If you have completed one of the real estate courses offered by the University of Nebraska at Omaha, you should apply to UNO for a transcript. Transcripts for the nursing courses offered by the University of Nebraska Medical Center are processed through UNL.
