ADEP - Accelerated Degree Evening Program

• Attendance 

• Academic Advisement

• Prior Learning Assessment

• Email/Banner Web

• Honors Program

EXTENDED STUDIES - Accelerated Degree Evening Program

The Accelerated Degree Evening Program (ADEP) meets the lifelong learning needs of today's busy adults by offering courses in an accelerated eight-week term format. Classes meet one night per week from 5:30 – 9:30 p.m. Full-time students take two classes per term. Courses are offered for six terms a year, conveniently located at campus sites in Duluth, St. Paul, St. Cloud, Brainerd and Rochester. Students can enroll at the start of any eight-week term.

Each campus site offers complete assistance with degree planning, financial aid and registration. Undergraduate college credits can be requested for prior learning and life experience that may reduce the time to complete the degree.

Program Policies and Procedures

Attendance Policy

It is imperative to your success in an accelerated program that classroom attendance is a top priority. ADEP staff will review classroom attendance each class night and assist instructors by documenting all absences.  Review your instructor’s attendance policy and communicate all instances of absences directly to your course instructor per syllabus instructions. Note: all absences impact grade assessment.

Communications

CSS email is the official means of The Accelerated Degree Evening Program and CSS offices for information exchange with students. It is your responsibility to check your CSS email account at least twice per week.

Students are strongly encouraged to contact the Accelerated Degree Evening Program office during regular hours via email or by phone. In-person or phone consultation with other campus departments, such as Financial Aid, the Business Office or the Registrar’s Office, must be processed between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

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Academic Advisement

What is Academic Advisement? 

The academic advisor promotes student growth and development, assists in assessing student interests and abilities, examines educational goals, and develops short and long-term strategies to meet the student’s objectives. Your advisor will provide information on general education and major requirements, clarify policies and procedures, discuss education and career options, monitor academic progress and direct you to other resources as necessary. Individual meetings provide the opportunity for personalized and thoughtful discussions; however, scheduled phone appointments as well as email communications are also alternative forms of advising meetings. 

Advisor responsibilities:

• Provide information regarding the College of St. Scholastica’s departmental requirements,  policies, and procedures
• Be available for student appointments
• Be respectful and supportive
• Keep accurate records
• Use CSS student e-mail account as the official means of communication and  information exchange

Student responsibilities:

• Prepare in advance of advising meeting, including a printed transcript or degree audit, (available via Banner Web), a draft plan of course options per term and a list of pertinent questions.
• Understand and use your CSS email account for communication and information exchange, checking for messages at least twice each week
• Read and become familiar with the CSS online catalog, available on the college’s web site
• Be familiar with degree program requirements
• Keep scheduled appointments
• Follow through on advisor recommendations
• Register for courses on-line
• Accept ultimate responsibility for course plan decisions
• Utilize all Accelerated Degree Evening Program and campus resources
• Seek answers to questions by contacting the Accelerated Degree Evening Program office staff

On-Line Registration:

Each student is responsible for personally registering on-line for courses. Registration opens during the fourth week of each term for the upcoming term and closes the eighth or last week of the term. Please note:  You will be issued an alternate PIN number to enable you to complete each term registration in a secure on-line environment.

Please register in a timely manner. Failure to do so may result in delayed course progress due to closed/cancelled courses.

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Prior Learning Assessment

Portfolio Assessment

The college classroom is not the only place college-level learning may occur. The College of St. Scholastica recognizes college-level learning acquired outside the classroom as equivalent to courses offered on campus. Students begin the process by participating in an on-line workshop that helps them decide if this program will be useful for them. In the workshop, students identify their college-level learning experiences. The workshop facilitator guides students through the process of documenting their equivalent learning in a portfolio that will be reviewed by faculty members. Students save both time and money using the portfolio assessment workshop.

To initiate this process, make an appointment with your academic advisor.

Credit By Examination (CLEP)

The College Board and the Educational Testing Service provides a national program of examinations, called the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) that is used to evaluate college level education.

The College's policy on CLEP exams is further defined by the requirements of each academic department. Before registering for CLEP exams, students are advised to review departmental conditions and restrictions and to discuss their plans with their academic advisor. Note that credit cannot be granted for both a course passed by examination and a regular classroom course that duplicates the subject matter. No credit can be given for an examination if an advanced course in that area has already been taken.

The general examinations of the CLEP program cover an entire freshman year in humanities, mathematics, social sciences, history, and natural sciences. A student who takes one or more of these examinations and receives a score of 50 or above will receive eight credits for each examination.

The subject examinations are available in a wide variety of subjects.  Please see your academic advisor to view a complete listing.  A student who takes one or more of these examinations and receives a score of 50 or above will receive the same course credit as students who take that course on campus.

Challenge Exams

A degree-seeking undergraduate student may "challenge” certain courses within their degree programs. This request is granted at the discretion of the department chair.  See your advisor for details.

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Technology 

As a student in Graduate and Extended Studies, a portion of your coursework may include an on-line component.  In order to be successful in this type of academic environment, students should be self-directed learners and comfortable using a computer.  We will provide instructions for using the on-line learning tool, WebCT. Individuals who meet the following requirements prior to the start of the course or program usually feel comfortable with WebCT after a brief introductory period.  These requirements are intended to ensure the success of your course participation. If you have any questions, please contact your campus office.

All students should be familiar with MS Applications (Word, Excel) and will be required to learn CSS BannerWeb and WebCT functions.

BannerWeb is a secure site that allows you to check your grades, run your transcript, review your schedule, confirm your financial aid status, and view a hold, if any on your account.  

Accessing BannerWeb For Students

You can access the information on the web by going to the CSS home page at http://www.css.edu/. Click on the link titled BannerWeb located at the top-right of the page and login using your student ID and your six-digit birthday. For example: 022280 is for a February 22, 1980 birthday.

Notes:

• If you login incorrectly five times, your account will be disabled. If you are unable to login, or have other questions regarding BannerWeb, please contact the Computer Support Help Desk at 218.723.5911 or email help_desk@css.edu .
• If you are idle for more than five minutes, the system will automatically log you out and you will need to log back in.
• Be sure to exit BannerWeb and close the browser window when you are done. Closing the window will prevent other users from viewing your personal information.

GroupWise E-mail

You will be assigned a CSS e-mail address. Please check this e-mail at least twice a week as any secured information from the Accelerated Degree Evening Program offices as well as the business office, financial aid office and other offices will be sent to this address. 

Accessing Your E-mail Account

You can access the information on the web by going to the CSS home page at http://www.css.edu/. At the bottom of the page, click on Current Student. Next, click on “GroupWise Web Access” in the left column. You can choose either of the WebAccess options. Your login information is listed on a separate handout in your orientation packet.

If you would like to link this address to another address you check more frequently, see the following page titled “How to Forward Your CSS E-mail”.  Note: If you chose to forward your email, be aware that you must communicate back to us only from your CSS account to ensure identity of your CSS student status.

How to Forward Your CSS E-Mail 

In order to ensure that you receive your CSS e-mail in a timely manner, you may wish to have your mail automatically forwarded to an account which you check regularly. The steps to forward your mail are as follows: 

 1.  Double click the GroupWise Web mail icon on your desktop.

 2.  This will take you to the CSS GroupWise Webpage. Click on one of the WEB ACCESS links. It doesn’t matter which one.

 3.  Enter your User ID and Password

EXAMPLE:  Name: Joe Anderson             

ID#: B00099999 

USER ID = janderso ( first letter of first name & up to first 7 letters of last name)PASSWORD = B00099999 (first letter must be capitalized) 

 4.  This will bring you to your CSS email account. On the top of the page are 3 icons. Click the middle button, OPTIONS

 5.  Click on the RULES tab on the top of the page.

 6.  From the Drop-down window select FORWARD and then click the CREATE button.

 7.  In the RULE NAME field, type FORWARD (First Name)

 8.  Leave DEFINE OPTIONAL CONDITIONS empty.

 9.  Enter your forwarding email address in the To: field, then enter CSS MAIL in the Subject : field

10.  Click the SAVE button. You will then receive the following message: You have not defined a rule condition. If a condition is not defined, this rule will apply to ALL new messages received. To continue, save this rule with or without a condition. Ignore this warning and click the SAVE button again on the bottom of the page.

11.  Your new rule should now be checked meaning that it is in effect on all future emails received to your CSS account. Click the CLOSE button.

FYI: Any mail forwarded will also continue to reside in the CSS account. You should try to clean it out periodically. This will prevent the account from getting too full and going over the limit causing it to quit forwarding. 

12.  You can close out the Web access page.

13.  To turn off the rule, deselect the check in the box, then SAVE and CLOSE.

WebCT

The webct login page is located from our homepage > current students > webct.  Once on the site, accept the "security certificate"

Then enter your Student ID Number (first letter needs to be capitalized) and then your password which is your six digit birth date. For example: 020166 for February 1, 1966.

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HONORS PROGRAM:  DISTINCTION/HIGH DISTINCTION

A student whose cumulative grade point average is 3.75 or above one month before commencement graduates with highest honors. A student whose cumulative grade point average is between 3.50 and 3.75 graduates with honors. A minimum of 48 St. Scholastica credits with grade points is required to graduate with honors or with highest honors. A Dean's List of students achieving a 3.75 grade point average is published every two terms.   

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