Questions
Current Students Ask
Do I need to meet with my advisor every semester? Once you become familiar with the degree checksheet, you do not need to meet every semester with your advisor. Common questions can be answered via email, but you should make an effort to meet at least once per year to discuss any issues and upcoming matters of importance.
What if I miss a course in the sequence with my cohort? It is important that students make every effort to keep pace with their cohort. Occasionally, circumstances dictate that a course is missed – while this is not a total disaster, it puts a damper on finishing the sequence with the rest of your cohort classmates. If this does happen, there are a few options; one is to wait for the course to be offered again at your preferred location – but this could require waiting a few years for another cohort to begin. Another option is to see if there is another location nearby (or a reasonable distance) that offers the same course in a different semester. While this is not optimum, it does provide the opportunity to complete the course sequence. There are other options, especially if the course is offered in an on-line format, but in any case, you should contact your advisor if these circumstances arise.
When I try to register in MyFSU, I get an error message,
what do I do about this? This situation can occur when there is a listed prerequisite for a course, or special permission is required in order to register for any given course. For prerequisites, you may have taken the required course at a community college, but the system often finds it difficult to match these requirements with the Ferris system. In any case, you should contact your primary regional office to outline steps you need to take in order to get enrolled in your desired course(s).
When I look in the schedule for courses in MyFSU, ITM
does not show up as an option. How do I know what classes are being offered? Courses in the ITM program fall under one of a few headings. The bulk of classes will be listed under the heading: Applied Science. You will also take classes under the headings Manufacturing Engineering, Management, Environmental Health and Safety Management and English. If you expect your course is to be delivered on the Internet, leave the location option at “All.”
What about my textbooks? Should I contact the instructor
for them to give me the information? The following link gives you
an opportunity to purchase your textbooks via the Internet. You will enter
your location (note if this is an Internet course) and the course number
and you can add it to your “cart” for purchase. Link
for online purchase of textbooks.
What if I need to drop a course? How do I go about doing
this? Schedule adjustments involving the adding of a class are only allowed during the first four days of a semester. During the first four days of a semester, students may drop and add on computer through the Ferris Web page using MyFSU. Beyond the first four days of the semester, students may withdraw from a course through the last date for a "W" grade for the semester as indicated in the "Registration and Academic Guide" for the semester located on the main MyFSU Page. Students must complete the appropriate form at their dean's office or UCEL regional office. You should consult your instructor and faculty advisor to determine the appropriateness of this action.
How can the regional office help me? What areas can the
regional office help me with? What services do they provide? Visit
the UCEL webpage for a number of options where they can be of assistance.
For students in Grand Rapids or Muskegon, the Grand Rapids office can assist
with the same items. UCEL
link for student information and services.
Do I really need to sit through some of these courses
if I already had one like it at the community college or do this everyday
in my job? Unfortunately, there is not an easy answer to this question. In short – no, students do not receive life-experience credit, because it violates many of the policies for program accreditation. There are options, however, to short-cut the number of courses required if you have substantial experience in any given field. What is required is to formalize the knowledge any student has in a process that can be documented and tracked. This can be in the form of a standardized examination, or the equivalent of a final examination by the instructor to measure the student’s knowledge. Occasionally, there are specific policies in place for certain courses that require submission of a substantial portfolio to represent the body of knowledge in the subject. In any case, students are required to pay a fee for this service when they wish to investigate and take a proficiency examination. You should contact your advisor to explore options about this.
My advisor told me about a “CLEP” test. What is this and why should
I care about it? CLEP stands for College Level Examination Proficiency, and it represents a series of standardized tests in a number of subjects. These tests are developed and administered by the same organization that gives the SAT tests to high school students. Passing an examination of this nature is the same as passing certain courses in your degree plan. There are common subjects offered as a CLEP exam, such as English composition, and mathematics, as well as other topics like business management, psychology, and some sciences. These tests are offered on a regular basis at community college sites for 2-3 hours, depending on the subject, and the fee is generally less than $100. Taking an exam of this nature will allow you to bypass taking certain courses where you have expertise in a topic, but not the specific course required in your degree plan.
What if I do not have the prerequisite course listed
(such as math) and without out this I may miss this course in the regular
sequence? How do I go about resolving this? Students need to complete the prerequisite requirements for any given course. This will mean either the listed course, or passing a CLEP examination for the course equivalent. This may mean it is possible you will miss a course in the sequence. Your advisor generally will give students warning for important prerequisites for upcoming courses.
Are any classes held on-line? How many (or which) classes
can I expect to take on-line? Currently, there are a number of options
for on-line courses. Typically, the following courses are offered in an on-line
format: EHSM 330, MGMT 370, and ENGL 311 or 325. In addition, a number of
courses are offered in a blended format where students will meet in a face-to-face
environment, supplemented with on-line delivery.
When are tuition payments due? Tuition payments are due generally 10 days prior to the start of classes for any given semester.
How do I go about paying my bill? You can perform this on MyFSU, or there are other options. You can contact your primary regional office for payment options.
What if there is a discrepancy on my bill – do
I have to pay it? How do I go about resolving the issues? You need to contact the office to discuss the discrepancy. Depending on the situation, you may need to submit supporting documentation if the issue is to be resolved. Be aware that in some cases, the matter cannot be resolved in your favor.
What happens if I forget to pay or don’t pay my bill? If a tuition bill is not paid prior to the start of the semester, you will be automatically dropped from the course. If installment payments are unpaid during the course of the semester, a hold will be placed on your account so that you will not be able to receive your final grade or register for courses in subsequent semesters. A hold also prevents students from receiving transcripts or their degree.
What if my employer is paying for the course, but I do
not get reimbursed until I receive a specific grade after it is over? You can contact your primary regional office for payment options. A formal letter from your employer may be required as well as other documentation in these cases.
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