University of Minnesota Online and Distance Learning (UMN)
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Online and Distance Learning
The University of Minnesota's (U of M) Online and Distance Learning (ODL) offers university credit courses via the Internet and by mail. In a recent year, the department received approximately 5,600 enrollments from 4,100 students throughout the US and abroad. The program offers approximately 150 courses--most are at the undergraduate level--that are fully accredited each year by our academic departments at the university. ODL is a program within the College of Continuing Education (CCE), the division of U of M that serves adult and part-time learners.Degrees
Advanced college students can complete an individualized degree all (or partially) online with our Bachelor Degree in Multidisciplinary Studies. Visit the (will open in new window) Multidisciplinary Studies Program Web site for details.A fully online certificate is available in Applied Business. The Applied Business courses are at the upper undergraduate level.
Courses
The program offers courses in such varied subjects as applied business, child psychology, ecology, English literature and writing courses, foreign languages, management, math and physics.Instructors
ODL has approximately 110 faculty members. Approximately 40 percent are UM professors, 30 percent are graduate student teaching assistants and 30 percent are adjunct faculty members, lecturers or others. All instructors hold advanced degrees and are approved by their academic departments.Application Process
Students interested in the Bachelor in Multidisciplinary Studies or the certificate in Applied Business may contact cceinfo@umn.edu or 800-234-6564 for program admission and application process information. No application is needed to register in individual ODL courses and there are no admission requirements.Tuition and Fees
Students who are not admitted to UM certificate or degree programs qualify for instate tuition rates, regardless of location. Tuition for 2010-2011 is $376.70 per undergraduate credit and $1003.67 per graduate credit. In all cases, there are fees in addition to tuition.Financial Aid
Financial aid is available for students officially admitted to the Bachelor in Multidisciplinary Studies and the certificate in Applied Business. Financial aid for individual courses is limited. Eligibility requirements vary, but most aid programs place restrictions on some types of ODL enrollment and require admission to an U of M, Twin Cities degree program or eligible certificate program. Non-admitted students who live in Minnesota may be eligible for College of Continuing Education grants or scholarships, which have more flexible eligibility criteria. Employer assistance may also be an option for some students.Programs Offered
• Bachelor degree completion with an individualized degree in Multidisciplinary Studies• Certificate in Applied Business
• Approximately 150 university courses offered. See Web site for details.
Highlights
• 150+ fully accredited courses, most at the undergraduate level• Online courses; Printed course packets by mail; Media-assisted courses with CDs, DVDs, and tapes.
• All professors and adjunct faculty members hold advanced degrees and are approved by academic departments
• Academic advising is available
• Library services for distance learners
• Special services available for students with disabilities
Program Delivery and Student Support
About 70 percent of our courses are online and fully interactive. Most of the online courses are one semester (14 weeks in length), some run for nine months. About 30 percent of ODL courses are delivered as self-paced printed packets for home study, with nine month terms, and provide assignment exchange via e-mail and postal mail with faculty members. All students who register for college credit with ODL receive an email account.The Continuing Education Information Center helps students find information about specific courses, and assists students with registration, financial aid, and academic advising. The U of M libraries fully support distance learners with reference services, research assistance and home delivery of materials. The university also has online writing assistance and mentoring services available.
ODL also accommodates students with disabilities and will coordinate services that remove academic or physical barriers to education. ODL will offer students more time to write exams, or provide alternate exam services, a separate testing room, and record rather than use written comments from an instructor.
University Statistics
Year Founded: 1851Total Enrollment: 66,000
Undergraduate Enrollment: 41,000
Graduate Enrollment: 15,000
Distance Education Enrollment: 5,600
Background of the University
The University of Minnesota, with its five component campuses, is one of the most comprehensive universities in the US. It is both a land-grant university with a strong tradition of education and public service and a major research institution. It was founded as a preparatory school in 1851 and was reorganized as a university in 1869, benefiting from the Morrill (or Land-Grant) Act of 1862.The U of M has campuses in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul), Duluth, Morris, Rochester, and Crookston, Minnesota. The Twin Cities campus, home of the College of Continuing Education, is a classic Big Ten campus with comprehensive academic programs offering unlimited opportunities for students and faculty.
