UMD OnlineWelcomeAs the Academic Director of Online Education, I congratulate you on your acceptance to UMass Dartmouth and welcome you to UMass Dartmouth Online. A university is a community of learners. In the past, the university community has been associated with buildings, physical places. Now, in the 21st century, we are excited to have you join our online virtual community of learners through our various degree and certificate programs. Within this online orientation, you will find the tools and information you need to know to be successful in your online journey. Jeannette E. Riley Professor, English & Women’s Studies Academic Director of Online Education

As an online student, you’ll engage in coursework through a variety of tools, such as: > live virtual classroom sessions > discussion boards > wikis and blogs > podcasts and videos

You’ll benefit from the same higher education opportunities as campus-based students. The same professors will teach your online courses, and you’ll receive the same UMass Dartmouth degree as your on-campus counterparts. You and your fellow online classmates will be able to balance work and family obligations with the pursuit of a higher education degree.

Not only will you have around-the-clock technical assistance, but also a multitude of resources to guide you as you proceed through your program.

The following orientation will introduce the basics of online learning including registering for courses, university policies, myCourses (our learning platform), library research and course textbooks, student support services, and more.

Let’s get started.

1. Registering for courses, activating Email, and getting your UMass Pass

EmailAfter processing your acceptance to UMass Dartmouth, your email account will be created. Activate your email immediately, as this will be your primary source of communication with the university. To activate your UMass Dartmouth email account, click here.

COINWhat is COIN (Corsairs Online INformation)? COIN is the system you will use for registering for courses, managing UMD tuition payment and financial aid accounts, viewing grades, changing address and updating personal information.

Your COIN User ID is made up of your 8-digit campus ID preceded by the letters “UMS” (all uppercase).

Example: UMS12345678

Your initial password will be derived from your last name and birth date, as follows: LaMMDDYYYY

“La” indicates the first 2 letters of your last name (the first letter capitalized and the second letter in lower-case); “MMDDYYYY” indicates the month (MM), day (DD), and year (YYYY) of your birth date.

To log in to COIN, follow this link: www.umassd.edu/coin When you sign in to COIN for the first time, you’ll be asked to create a new password and set up answers to security questions.

Click here “COIN Orientation” for a detailed overview of COIN.

This CITS COIN training video covers how to use the COIN system in detail. This detailed tutorial will show you how to access COIN, register for courses, make payments, find your advisor, and more.

UMass PassYour UMass Pass is your official University identification card, indicating your affiliation as a student at UMass Dartmouth. For students enrolled in online programs, the UMass Pass is your key to requesting interlibrary loan books, as well as using the library printing services if you are ever on campus.

Jeannette E. Riley

UMD OnlineAdditionally, the UMass Pass provides access to discounts available to college students across the country.

To receive a UMass Pass, you must submit an appropriate photo for consideration. To submit your photo, click here.

2. University policies

Students at UMass Dartmouth are expected to exercise self-discipline and maintain a high standard of honesty and moral conduct. All students are expected to act in a way that does not infringe upon the rights of others or upon the educational process.

For a full explanation of conduct policies and procedures, please review the Student Code of Conduct.

Student work is also guided by the UMass Dartmouth Student Academic Integrity Policy.

3. myCourses

myCourses is the learning management system that will provide the basic structure for your online course. If you are enrolled in a fully online course or a blended course, you will receive your login information and instruction packet via your UMassD Logon (email account). In order to access your myCourses account, your UMassD Logon (email account) must be activated.

To log into myCourses, click here.

4. myCourses online learning tools

Navigating myCoursesUMass Dartmouth’s myCourses system is the gateway to your online learning experience.

Getting Started in MyCourses covers logging in, browser settings, support and the basic system layout. To download a pdf for myCourses Student Guide, click here. For a web-based guide, click here.

WikisYour professors may choose to incorporate a wiki into your online learning. The UMass Dartmouth Wiki is a collaborative space for posting, editing and organizing information, click here.

BlogsA UMass Dartmouth blog can be used in your courses as a tool for journaling, discussion, collaboration, sharing and more. Blogs allow users to easily publish content to the web using a familiar text editing interface rather than more complicated HTML. To visit the UMass Dartmouth blog site, click here.

WimbaYour professors may choose to use Wimba, a live conferencing tool for your courses. With this tool, you can join in live conversations with your professors and classmates. For information, click here.

Need help with myCourses?Click here first for to read Frequently Asked Questions.Still need need help? Click here.

5. Library research

Wherever you have Internet access, you will be able to log in to the UMD Library using your UMass Dartmouth email user name and password. Once logged in, you will be able to use the entire library’s many databases and online journals. From on campus, you’ll also be able to access the online databases as well as the full collection of print books, journals, reference, and course reserves.

The library’s website has many resources including course and subject guides, tutorials, live chat with librarians, and more. For library welcome videos, tutorials and guides, click the links below: > Welcome to the UMass Dartmouth Library > How to find a book in the UMD library > Library instruction tutorials > Course and Subject guides

For library help for off-campus students, click here.

Professor McGuire oversees a graduate certificate program in environmental policy. Thanks to online technology, students are able to access the program from around the globe and share a variety of experiences. Recently, online students discussed water distribution issues and found value in the global perspective fellow classmates from Florida to Indonesia provided.

Chad J. McGuireAssistant ProfessorPublic Policy

“My educational experience with UMass Dartmouth Online has been wonderful. As an older student, returning to the classroom was a bit intimidating. I didn’t know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised to find professors who truly cared about my learning experience and I have made life long friends in the classes I have taken these past two years.”

Denise SchultzBA Women’s Studies Online Graduate

UMD Online6. Student Support Services

The UMass Dartmouth website contains a multitude of support services for students. From technology to textbook purchasing, financial aid help to counseling, answers to your online learning questions are at your fingertips.

CITS and Technology SupportComputer Information Technology Services (CITS) provides access to essential resources including email, COIN, computer purchase recommendations and more, and offers help when you need it.

Academic AdvisingYour advisor will be listed in COIN. If you do not see an advisor assigned when you log in to COIN, contact the Admissions Coordinators. Admissions coordinators are available during the day or evening to assist students applying, transferring and registering for courses.

To schedule an appointment in Dartmouth or Fall River, please call 508.999.9202 or email continuinged@umassd.edu.

Financial AidTo receive Financial Aid, students must complete the FAFSA (free application for federal student aid). For information about student loans, scholarships, grants, waivers, and more, click here.

RegistrarThe Registrar’s Office creates the schedule of courses, handles course registration records and academic transcripts, and monitors academic policies. For more information, click here.

Purchase textbooks at the Campus StoreAll textbooks (both new and used) can be purchased at the University’s online store. A cost-saving alternative to printed textbooks, digital textbooks can also be purchased online. To get started, click here.

Center for Access and SuccessThe Center for Access and Success works with faculty, staff and students to ensure equity for all students. For additional information about what the Center for Access and Success offers for online students, click here.

The Counseling CenterWhile the Counseling Center cannot offer counseling to Online students who live outside the state of Massachusetts or are not physically present on campus for face to face meetings, the Center’s website does provide helpful resources and references for students including online screening tools, tips and links. Click here.

7. Looking for a Job?

As you near the end of your program, you may be job hunting. Be sure to take advantage of The University’s resources for job seekers. Find help with job searching, resume building, choosing a major and more.

CareerLinkCareerLink is a comprehensive career services on-line manager that provides students and employers easy access to career services. Students can build and post resumes, and search for jobs and internships. Employers can post jobs, bundle resumes for open positions, schedule on-campus recruiting, and more.

Login to create resumes and cover letters using CareerLink tools, click here.

8. Your Degree

To earn a UMass Dartmouth undergraduate degree, a student must meet the following UMass Dartmouth requirements:

1. Be admitted to degree status as a UMass Dartmouth undergraduate studentUMass Dartmouth offers the undergraduate degrees of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, and Bachelor of Science. (See the Graduate Catalogue for graduate offerings.) Each degree requires being accepted into and fulfilling the requirements of a major. Students are admitted to degree status through the Office of Admissions or through the official degree admission procedures of the Division of Continuing Education. Non-degree students, sometimes called “special students,” are not eligible for a UMass Dartmouth degree.

2. Meet the residency requirement: 45 of your degree credits must be taken through UMass DartmouthNo more than 60 credits can be credited toward the degree from any combination of post-secondary two-year institutions, advanced

“Online courses work well for the self-directed learner who is by nature well organized. Online students need to manage their time and deadlines, which will lead to a more successful learning experience.”

Catherine CurranAssociate Professor, Marketing

“I have been teaching through UMass Dartmouth online for a decade. At the time we began, there were few high quality online teaching programs. UMass Dartmouth has always been noteworthy for the quality, integrity, and creativity of our online offerings. I value being able to contribute to the excellent education offered at UMass Dartmouth online.”

Susan KrumholzProfessor, Crime & Justice Studies

UMD Onlineplacement or CLEP credits. Credits that may be applied to the degree include advanced placement, CLEP credits and transfer credits.At least 30 credits of advanced and specialized courses must be completed (UMass Dartmouth courses numbered 300 or higher, excluding courses numbered 900—Contract Learning).

It is expected that students will earn most of their advanced and specialized course credits at UMass Dartmouth. Students may be granted permission by the appropriate chairperson and college dean to earn some of these requirements at another institution, so long as UMass Dartmouth major and minor requirements are met to their satisfaction thereby.

3. Satisfy the general education requirements of UMass DartmouthThis category refers to a series of common requirements that all UMass Dartmouth students must meet. To read the explanations in the General Education Requirement section, click here.

4. Satisfy the distribution requirements of the college and the academic majorUMass Dartmouth requires students to complete distribution requirements according to the degree sought and the program and College. These distribution requirements vary among colleges and majors and with year of graduation. They are described in the college and department section of the University catalogue available online.

5. Complete a UMass Dartmouth academic majorIn order to graduate from UMass Dartmouth, a student must successfully meet all the requirements for a specified major within a recognized department or an approved interdepartmental major. Specific requirements for each major are included in each department’s section of this catalogue. A UMass Dartmouth major must consist of at least 30 credits in appropriate courses carrying departmental approval; some majors require additional credits.

Students admitted to a major may remain in it until graduation or until they change to another major, unless they are dismissed from the major because they did not meet a requirement for progression. Requirements for progression in each major are stated in the appropriate sections of the General Catalogue.

6. Have a grade point average of at least 2.000 in all courses taken in the majorAll work required in the student’s major field of concentration must be satisfactorily completed. The cumulative grade point average for courses taken in the major shall be set by the department at not less than 2.000.

7. Have at least 30 course credits in advanced and specialized coursesAt least 30 course credits in advanced and specialized courses (courses numbered 300 or higher, excluding courses numbered 900-Contract learning) must be satisfactorily completed at or under the sponsorship of UMass Dartmouth.

8. Have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.000A cumulative grade point average of not less than 2.000 for all credits submitted.

9. Complete 120 credits of courses

The requirement to complete 120 credits of courses is a minimum. Some programs require a greater number of credits for the degree.

To earn a UMass Dartmouth graduate degree, a student must meet the following UMass Dartmouth requirements:

Progress toward DegreeGraduate students are expected to make satisfactory progress toward completion of their degrees. No set standards for academic probation warnings are established at the university level, but we draw students’ attention to the dismissal conditions stated below. The individual graduate programs may establish formal check-points and minimum performance levels, and they are encouraged to monitor the progress of their graduate students.

Requirements for ProgressionEach graduate program may impose requirements for progression, which may include (but are not limited to) the following: maintenance of a minimum GPA; satisfaction of requirements for progress in completing initial or core courses; the passing of one or more mid-point reviews; the meeting of stated requirements for professional practice.

Professor Gardner teaches courses in gender and ethics, feminist history, and feminist theory for the Women’s Studies online program.

Catherine GardnerAssociate Professor, Philosophy & Women’s StudiesDirector, Women’s Studies Program

“With one year left of courses, I had been looking for a way to finish my degree with an online degree program. The online Liberal Arts program felt like it was tailored just for me. I transferred all of my credits without any problems and knew exactly which courses I needed to take to finish my degree.

What I like most about the online classes is the pace at which a student can work to meet an assignment deadline.”

Andrew PiaseckiBA Liberal Arts Online Student

Grade AverageTo receive a graduate degree a student must have at least an academic average of B (GPA = 3.0) in all formal course work that counts toward the degree. Excluded from this calculation are courses that are not applicable toward the student’s degree, for example, an undergraduate course taken for personal interest or to make up deficiencies. Only courses in which the student receives a grade of C (not C-) or better may be accepted toward fulfilling degree requirements. However, grades below C will be averaged into the student’s record.

To read specific degree requirements for each online Graduate program in the UMass Dartmouth Online Portal, click here.

9. Your Online Journey BeginsNow that you have learned about UMass Dartmouth and the services provided for your online experience, we wish you well in pursuing your degree with us. If at any time you have questions, please contact your Program Director or email us at continuinged@umassd.edu.

Good luck!

“I am an international student currently residing in Nigeria and I have just completed the Women’s Studies Online Undergraduate Certificate. I was drawn to the online program because of the ease and ability for me to earn this degree without having to leave Nigeria. I appreciated how easy it was to get the work done at my own pace. Granted, there were deadlines and expectations, but for me, being able to sign onto the discussion boards at anytime before the due dates to post or respond to posts was an added advantage. I could interact with other students more easily and frequently than in face-to-face courses.”

I had my doubts (about online learning) in the past, but I am now a believer!

Tari SikokiWomen’s Studies Undergraduate Certificate Graduate

The first fully online UMD undergraduate degree recipientsEstelle Peyton; second from left; Denise Schultz, third from left; Nancy Walkden, fifth from left.