Learning Options

Working full time, raising a family, and making ends meet — these are essential responsibilities that demand much of your energy and attention. As critical as they are, though, they can prove a barrier to your continuing education. Amberton’s courses are designed to remove many of these barriers. Each session offered during the year is ten (10) weeks in length which allows you to complete your courses and degree quicker.  Courses can be offered in three (3) different learning formats – in-person classes, online classes and hybrid classes.

In-person courses will meet once each week, at either the Garland Campus or the Frisco Center, during the ten-week session.  Online classes will be completed online via the University course management system and many include livestreaming meetings with your classmates and instructor.  Hybrid courses are a combination of in-class meetings and online activities.  Hybrid courses only meet in person for a portion of the ten-week session.

Amberton University caters exclusively to the working adult and recognizes the many and varied obstacles that must be managed in order to pursue advanced educational training.  From over fifty years of catering exclusively to adults, the University has learned:

• Adult students should not be placed in “locked” groups or programs that do not allow the drop-in/drop-out needs of working adults.
• Class options are required that allow the working adult to respond to the unique time constraints placed upon him/her because of family, personal, and business demands.
• Admission, registration, and all student services must honor the time constraints of working adults and must be packaged in a well-organized, efficient academic atmosphere.
• Adult, working students are commuter students; the University must provide ample close-in, secured parking; current research resources; comfortable facilities; and relevant academic offerings.
• Most working adults do not need added debt.  For this reason, Amberton University encourages students to enroll in one course per session and “pay as they go.” If loans are necessary to meet financial needs, students are encouraged to borrow wisely and use good judgment.

The unique learning options of Amberton University include the following:

• Ten-week sessions offered four times annually, allow greater options for attendance.
• Offering courses as either lecture classes, online classes or hybrid classes allows students to mix learning options, as needed.
• Course and program offerings are provided (1) in the evening during the week, (2) on weekends during the day, and/or (3) through online learning in a “mix-as-needed” option for students.
• Costs for classes are the lowest of any private university in the region.

Distance learning helps to break down barriers that prevent adult students from pursuing their educational goals by providing an easier way for you to maintain your busy schedule while still taking full advantage of the opportunity to educate yourself further.
The ability to set your own pace allows for immense freedom in learning. While you will get the best results by blocking out set periods to focus on your coursework just as you would with a lecture class, you can pick and choose when you want to spend that time. With no need to travel, you can pursue your degree from the comfort of home, your favorite coffee shop, or wherever you happen to be with some quiet space and spare time.  You are still able to interact with other students and your instructor through online discussions and web conferences. There’s no need to reduce your availability at work or hustle through traffic to make it to class on time — “on time” is what you decide.

While the trend in most educational institutions is to segregate distance-learning programs from programs offered through the traditional lecture method, Amberton University combines both formats giving the student the advantage to choose the delivery method that best suits his/her needs. At Amberton University, students have the option to select from a variety of courses and programs offered through distance learning. Whether the student is minutes away from the campus or miles away in another state, distance-learning courses can be completed on-line without any on-campus requirement.

Amberton’s distance learning courses are identical to classroom courses in terms of learning outcomes and expectations. Both full-time and part-time professors who teach lecture courses also teach distance learning courses. At Amberton University, in terms of competencies, lecture courses and distance learning courses are one-and-the-same. Because of this synchronicity, students who are in close proximity to the campuses may take both campus-based lecture courses and distance learning courses in any degree program.

Admission to the University and expectations of performance are the same for all students regardless of the student’s location or course selection. All students who attend Amberton University are expected to possess a certain degree of computer literacy. However, a student choosing to take a distance learning course must have the following skills and technical capabilities:

• Access to the Internet
• An Amberton e-mail address (assigned at enrollment)
• Working knowledge in Internet browser settings and configuration, E-mail and file attachments, Uploading and downloading files
• Use of word processing software
• Ability to conduct on-line research

Students enrolled in courses through Amberton’s distance learning option access course information through The Student Portal. Through a link located on the University’s web site, students can access courses offered via the Internet. Discussion of degree programs and courses offered through distance learning, along with information on the University’s Course Management System, may be found on the University’s web site. Amberton University is a part of a national consortium that sets standards for distance learning courses and degree programs. All of Amberton’s distance learning degree programs and courses comply with the “Principles of Good Practice” for distance learning programs. For a list of Distance Learning offerings, see the current Schedule of Classes and the Course Guide.

1. Review the Materials

Take time to review all help files and course materials available. Your instructor should provide some helpful tools to guide you through the course. These tools normally include a course syllabus, bibliography, description of assignments, grading and evaluation criteria, as well as others. Online courses provide these same tools plus many more.

2. Practice Before Hand

Spend some time navigating through your class and making sure you can access all of the links and resources. Practice posting to the course’s discussion forum and ask a fellow classmate to join you in the chat room for a practice session.

3. Manage Your Time

Manage your time. It’s very easy to spend far too little time or far too much time on the class. Set designated blocks of time to work on assignments. The rule of thumb for classroom courses is that students can expect to spend four hours outside of the class working on content for every hour spent in the classroom. The same is often true of online classes as the competencies are the same for both the classroom and online.

4. Communicating Online

Effective communication is critical to success. When communicating online in a text-based environment, it pays to remember that you will not have all of those non-verbal cues that you get in an on-ground classroom–neither will your instructor or fellow students. Keeping this in mind, communications should be clearly stated and the same courtesies and respect used in a classroom setting should be used online. In addition, you will be responsible for initiating more contact with your instructor and classmates and staying current on all assignments.

Years before the Internet was popular and the term “distance learning” was born, the University provided “conference courses” to the working adult who had responsibilities that prevented predictable scheduling of time. It was a natural and easy move for Amberton University to employ web-based technologies to make online available to those students who have the need, for organizational skills, self-discipline, and talent for independent study and research.

Amberton’s distance-learning courses are identical to classroom courses in terms of learning outcomes, and both full-time and part-time professors who teach regular classroom courses also teach online courses. At Amberton University, in terms of competencies, classroom courses, and online courses are identical.

Admission to the University, costs, and expectations of performance are the same for all students regardless of the student’s location or course selection. The University requires a certain degree of computer literacy of all students. However, a student choosing to take an online course must have the following skills and technical capabilities:

• Access to the Internet
• An e-mail address
• General knowledge in:
  • Internet browser settings and configuration
  • E-mail and file attachments
  • Uploading and downloading files
• Use of a word processing package
• Ability to conduct online research

Principles of Good Practice

All of Amberton’s distance learning degree programs and courses comply with the following “Principles of Good Practice.”

Curriculum and Instruction

• Each program or course of study results in learning appropriate to the rigor and breadth of the degree or certificate awarded.
• A degree or certificate program or course offered electronically is coherent and complete.
• The course or program provides for appropriate interaction between faculty and students and among students.
• Qualified faculty provide appropriate supervision of the program or course that is offered electronically.
• Academic standards for all programs or courses offered electronically are the same as those for other courses or programs delivered at the institution where they originate.
• Student learning in programs or courses delivered electronically is comparable to student learning in programs or courses offered at the campus where they originate.

Institutional Context and Commitment

Role and Mission

• The program or course is consistent with the institution’s role and mission.
• Review and approval processes ensure the appropriateness of the technology being used to meet program or course objectives.

Students and Student Services

• The program or course provides students with clear, complete, and timely information on the curriculum, course and degree requirements, nature of faculty/student interaction, prerequisite technology competencies and skills, technical equipment requirements, availability of academic support services, financial aid resources, and costs and payment policies.
• Enrolled students have reasonable and adequate access to student services and resources appropriate to support their learning.
• The University has admission/acceptance criteria to assess whether the student has the background, knowledge, and technical skills required for undertaking the course or program.
• Advertising, recruiting, and admissions materials clearly and accurately represent the program and the services available.

Faculty Support

• The program or course provides faculty support services specifically related to teaching via an electronic system.
• The University ensures appropriate training for faculty who teach using technology.
• The program or course provides faculty with adequate equipment, software, and communications for interaction with students, institutions, and other faculty.

Resources for Learning

• The program or course ensures that appropriate learning resources are available to students.
• The program or course evaluates the adequacy of access to learning resources and the cost to students for access to those resources. It also documents the use of electronic resources.

Commitment to Support

• Policies for faculty evaluation include appropriate recognition of teaching and scholarly activities related to programs or courses offered electronically.
• The University demonstrates a commitment to ongoing support, both financial and technical, and to the continuation of the program or course for a period sufficient for students to complete a degree or certificate.

Evaluation and Assessment

• The University evaluates program and course effectiveness, including assessments of student learning, student retention, and student and faculty satisfaction.
• At the completion of the program or course, the institution provides for assessment and documentation of student achievement in each course.
• Program or course announcements and electronic catalog entries provide appropriate information.

Amberton’s online access platform for distance learning courses is through Moodle.