Graduate School
Off campus and Online Graduate Degree Programs and Courses - 1L10
This policy applies only to already approved on campus programs that are to be offered off campus (including residence centers). This policy does not apply to any courses where some portion of classroom instruction is offered on campus.
Offering degree programs off campus requires approval by the University, the Illinois Board of Higher Education (if out-of-region), and by the Higher Learning Commission (if 50% or more of the program will be offered off-campus). In cases where the program will be delivered out-of-region and/or 50% or more of the program will be offered off-campus, the Form 91A and Reasonable and Moderate Extension (RME) form are to be used.
All proposals for off campus offerings of existing on campus graduate programs shall be submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School or designee, who in consultation with appropriate committees of the Graduate Council, shall review and make recommendations to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs or designee. Each extension to a new off campus site will require a separate proposal. Prior approval is required (1) whenever courses are offered off campus for the first time, (2) whenever the format of the course is changed, and (3) whenever the facilities or support services available to the student are changed.
Curriculum and Credit
The content of off campus graduate offerings shall be appropriate for advanced undergraduate or graduate level students. Only approved courses numbered 400 or above are acceptable for inclusion in a graduate degree program.
Courses delivered online and offered for graduate credit must meet guidelines for regular and substantive interaction and must be approved by the Course Review Committee of the Graduate Council. Programs requesting approval to deliver courses off campus and online must include:
- identification of support services for students at the sites, e.g., access to libraries, laboratories, computers, etc., and
- identification of the means for student accessibility to the faculty, including special provisions such as FAX, e-mail, telephone, and availability of faculty office hours for off campus students.
Additionally, off-campus courses must include information related to identification of sites, provisions for site monitoring and faculty visits to each site, as appropriate.
Students
Students shall meet Graduate School admission requirements per Policy 1E1 and approved academic unit admissions criteria that are identical to on campus criteria.
Instruction and Advisement
Instructors who teach in off campus and online graduate programs shall have academic qualifications equivalent to faculty who teach in on campus graduate programs, i.e., graduate faculty status at SIUE or temporary approval from the Dean of the Graduate School or designee (Policy 1C10). For program continuity, at least 75 percent of the faculty should be regular graduate faculty of SIUE.
Each student in off campus and online graduate programs must be assigned to an advisor and must be provided with regular opportunities to meet with the advisor.
Approved by Chancellor effective 3/15/24
This policy was issued on May 22, 2024, replacing the April 3, 2000 version.
Document Reference: 1L10
Origin: Graduate Council; OP 11/5/90; GR 22/23-11
