| Additional information can be found in the Online Student Handbook.
Getting Started:
Throughout the Semester:
Is online learning for me?
Peru State College understands that many students have responsibilities outside of the classroom;
however, that should never inhibit them from getting their education. Peru State College’s online
program allows students to pursue a bachelor’s or master’s degree, all while continuing their fast paced
life.
Peru State College is committed to the success of our online students. Online learning is a mode of
improving our educational opportunities. The following criteria are recommended for successful
completion of online courses:
- Approximately 12 to 15 hours a week to devote to your online course(s) (depending on your
course load)
- Comfort with using the Internet and basic computer software
- Comfort with expressing your thoughts and ideas in writing
- The ability to work, to some extent, independently
- Access to a reliable computer (bought after 2005) with the following:
- CPU of 1.5 GHZ or greater
- RAM of 1 GB or greater
- Operating system of XP or greater, or OS 10.4 or greater
- Internet Explorer 7.0 or 8.0 or Firefox 3.0 or greater
- Java Installed
- Microsoft Office – Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access (2007 or 2010 is recommended)
- Access to a reliable Internet source (broadband Internet is recommended)
Online courses allow for students to take 8-week courses back-to-back in one semester; therefore, they are able to take the same number of credits, if not more, than a campus student - all while never stepping foot into a classroom!
If you do not feel very "technically savy," that is alright; the Distance Education Department offers technical support 24 hours a day and seven days a week. In addition, we offer tutorials and orientations to assist students with taking courses online.
To read more about the educational platform we utilize to deliver courses, click here.
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How is an online course different than a traditional classroom course?
All online courses are offered via the Internet and do not require you to visit campus, like face-to-face
courses do. The courses are alike in that the content in an online course is the same.
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Can I look at a Blackboard online course, before enrolling?
To introduce Blackboard, we have created a demonstration course for prospective students. To
review the demonstration course, go to the Blackboard website:
http://perustatecollege.blackboard.com/. Log in using the username and password, both, as: peru
(all lowercase).
Once logged in, you may “surf” the course. It will give you an idea of what a typical Blackboard
course at Peru State College would look like. If you have any questions or concerns about the
demonstration course, please feel free to direct them to the Distance Education Office at 1-888-258-
5558 or by email at DistanceEducation@peru.edu. We would be happy to walk you through any
processes.
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Is a proctored exam required?
Peru State College does not require proctored exams.
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How do I apply for admission to Peru State College?
The first step in applying to attend Peru State College is to speak with a representative from the Admissions Office. You may reach the Admissions Office by email at admissions@peru.edu or by phone at 402-872-2212. You may also go to our free application for Admission by clicking on ‘Apply Now’ on the left.
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What is the tuition cost of an Online Course?
The cost for undergraduate online tuition is $200.00 per credit hour. The cost for graduate online tuition is $250.00 per credit hour. There are no added fees. You will, however, have to pay for books for your courses.
Visit www.peru.edu/businessoffice for current information on tuition and fees and the withdrawal refund schedule. Select “billing Information” and the correct option for your status.
For textbook information, you may visit the College Bookstore.
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Is there a schedule of courses to review?
You can review Peru State College's courses by visiting the Schedule of Classes.
If you are not a current student, you may use the 'General Public View'.
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How do I enroll in a Peru State College online course?
You can log into your MyPSC account to enroll yourself or if you are having trouble, you may contact the Student Records office at studentrecords@peru.edu or at 402-872-2226.
A step-by-step registration process is outlined in this list of Policies.
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What is Joint Enrollment?
Joint Enrollment is available to students through the Nebraska State College System. Taking courses
at a 'sister-institution' such as Chadron State College or Wayne State College would support an
undergraduate or graduate degree at Peru State College. The credit would transfer seamlessly, as
long as it supports your degree program.
More information about the Joint Enrollment process and the appropriate paperwork can be found at the Nebraska State College System's website: http://www.nscs.edu/JointEnrollment/jointenrollment.htm.
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Is there a deadline for enrolling in an online course?
To improve conditions we believe associated with student success, students will need to add or drop
8-week courses before the start date. Courses will be available the weekend before the start date
for those registered. The 16-week courses add/drop period is one week after the course has started,
by Sunday of Week 1, by midnight.
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Once I have registered for a course, what happens?
After you have registered for an online course, you will be assigned a College-issued email account,
known as an ‘Acornmail account.’ You will then be sent an email with your new Acornmail login and
Blackboard login information. Once you have your Acornmail access information, it is very important
to check it often. Your online courses will be available the Friday before the start date of the course.
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Where can I purchase my textbooks for my course?
You can purchase your textbooks by calling the College Bookstore at 1-402-872-2248 or fax a
request to 402-872-2254. You may also visit the Bookstore’s online website to purchase the required text. Once at their site, please follow the
instructions below.
- Under 'Buy Textbooks,’ select a term from the drop-down.
- Once the correct term appears in the drop-down window, click 'Go.'
- Scroll to the bottom of the page, to 'Search by Course.'
- You now need to select, by clicking, your course's department (i.e. ART, BUS, EDUC, etc.).
- Once the 'Department' is highlighted, course numbers will appear. Again, click on the
appropriate number.
- Once you click on the course number, your will have options appear under 'Section.' Choose
the correct section, by clicking on it.
- You now have the option to purchase your books through the Bookstore website. Otherwise, you can copy the information and buy them at your local bookstore.
You may also contact the Dean’s office assistant or course instructor to make sure you are getting
the correct edition and to find out if there are any supplemental materials or unusual course
requirements/costs.
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When can I access my course?
Blackboard courses become available the Friday before the course start date. Students have the
weekend to review the coursework. For 8-week courses, students have three days to review the
coursework and the opportunity to drop the course before the course start date, by Sunday at
midnight.
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What type of equipment do I need to take an online course?
Students need a reliable computer (bought after 2005) with the following:
- CPU of 1.5 GHZ or greater
- RAM of 1 GB or greater
- Operating system of XP or greater, or OS 10.4 or greater
- Internet Explorer 7.0 or 8.0 or Firefox 3.0 or greater
- Java Installed
- Microsoft Office – Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access (2007 or 2010 is recommended)
Students also need access to a reliable Internet source (broadband Internet is recommended).
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What if I cannot get into my course with the User Name and Password?
Be sure you are using the correct login information for Blackboard. The Username is your student ID
number, all eight digits, no spaces or dashes. The password is your month and day of birth, MMDD;
for example, if your birthday is July 1st, your password would be 0701.
If you are still having technical issues accessing your Blackboard account, you can email the Distance
Education Office at BBTechSupport@peru.edu or you may call 1-888-258-5558. On the weekends or
in the evenings call 1-402-274-8530 for assistance.
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What if I cannot log into my Acornmail?
Make sure you are using the correct login information. Acornmail login information is different than
Blackboard login information. The username for Acornmail is: student’s first name, period, student’s
last name, and the first five digits of their NUID number (ex: John.Doe12345).
For the password and additional login information, contact Computer Services at 1-402- 872-2270 or
at ComputerServices@peru.edu. When emailing Computer Services, please provide your NUID and
personal email account.
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I have entered my course, now what?
Once you have entered your course you will see a ‘Welcome Announcement.’ The announcement
will introduce you to the online instructor and outline the time frame for the course assignments.
The Assignment button will contain the course syllabus. This button will also provide weekly
assignments. You will submit all assignments, papers, projects and exams in Blackboard. You will
have set assignment deadline dates, but do not have to be online at a specific time and day.
If you are a new student, you will also see an ‘Orientation’ listed under you courses. It is mandatory
to complete the Orientation. It will assist you with online learning and coursework.
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What if I do not log into my course?
Students are now required to not only log into their courses, but also complete a graded item by the end of Week 1. A graded item is anything that is worth points toward their final grade in the course [e.g. assignment, quiz/exam, discussion board post (excluding discussion board introduction)].
If you do not log into the course and complete a graded item by the deadline, you will be removed as a 'No-Show'. Being removed as a 'No-Show' may impact your Financial Aid or your eligibility to participate in collegiate activities.
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What if I have forgotten how to do something in my online course?
A testing course has been created for current students. The course assists students with Blackboard
processes and troubleshooting technical issues. You may enter to course by going to the Blackboard
website: http://perustatecollege.blackboard.com/. Log in using the username and password, both,
as: bobcat (all lowercase).
Once logged in, you may review the processes or test an aspect of Blackboard. If you have any
questions or concerns about Blackboard, please feel free to direct them to the Distance Education
Office at 1-888-258-5558 or at DistanceEducation@peru.edu. We would be happy to walk
you through any processes.
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What if I have a technical issue?
The Distance Education Office will assist with common technical issues. All current or common
issues noted by the Distance Education Office, are listed on the Peru State College website at:
http://www.peru.edu/distanceeducation/techsupport.htm.
Many technical issues are related with the user’s browser and browser settings. The Distance
Education Office can assist you with troubleshooting and finding a solution to these types of issues.
When working with the Distance Education Staff members, you can provide them with the
following, helpful information:
- course you are having issues with (ex: BUS 335-39A, EDUC 601-49X)
- information about your computer, operating system, and browser
- the error message you are receiving, if applicable
If you are emailing Distance Education, a screenshot or screen clipping of the error message is
helpful.
If the error is taking place while you are in Blackboard, the staff may ask you the following
questions:
- Is this problem intermittent or does it always occur?
- When was the first time you had this problem?
- Have you made any software changes updates since you were last able to use this
function/feature?
- Were you able to perform this feature in Blackboard last semester?
- Does this feature/task work in your other online classes?
The Distance Education Staff members will attempt to provide minimal computer support. However,
if it is out of their scope of technical support, students would then need to contact a computer
service located near them.
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How do I contact my online instructor?
You may contact your online instructor through the Blackboard’s internal email system. You can
email your instructor by going to the Communication link in your course, clicking email and choosing
your instructor’s name. Occasionally, you will also find the instructor’s phone number in the syllabus
and on the Staff Information page; both are in your Blackboard course.
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Do you have an online Library & how do I access EBSCO and other research data?
Yes, we have an excellent Online Library. All you will need is your college email information to log into the Peru State College Library. Peru offers 24/7 access to online library services to cater to every student's needs.
To login to EBSCO or other research data, go to the library web page, http://www.peru.edu/library/, and click on Databases. Under Research Databases click the link, if you are on an off campus computer. Enter your Acornmail username and password into the correct fields.
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How will I know what I need to take?
The courses you need to take are determined by your educational goals. Academic advisors will be
assigned to you and you can review your progress in MyPSC. If you are unable to reach your advisor,
please contact the Distance Education Office at DistanceEducation@peru.edu or call 1-888-258-
5558 to find out what is available.
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How do I get my final grade?
You can check your official grades on MyPSC. If you have any questions about your grades please feel free to contact the Student Records Office at 402-872-2226. If you have a question about your grades posted in Blackboard, contact your instructor.
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What can I do if I decide to drop or withdraw from an online course?
Students may drop a semester-long course during the first week of the term without financial
penalty. Students may drop an eight-week course before the course start date (Sunday by midnight)
without financial penalty.
Students who wish to withdraw from a course after the add/drop week must notify their advisor
and course instructors and officially withdraw through MyPSC. Before withdrawing, students should
check with the Financial Aid Office for any funding consequences. Students withdrawing after the
last day to drop/add courses receive a “W.” After one week past the mid-point of the term students
who initiate a withdrawal receive an “F” for the course. Students withdrawing from a portion of
their classes, but not all classes, will receive no proration of charges and/or aid.
*When you enroll in an online course, you will receive an email from the Distance Education Coordinator. The email will contain valuable information, including the drop/add dates. The email will also contain the college withdrawal policy and dates. There is a link to the College Catalog in each course- the drop/add and withdrawal dates can be found there as well, along with other College policies.
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What if I need tutorial assistance online?
For students who are unable to come to campus for tutorial assistance, Distance Tutoring is conducted via phone and/or email correspondence. To request a tutor, fill out the Distance Tutoring Request Form and you will be contacted.
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