The External Degree Independent Study Program started in 1973 and was one of the first of its kind in the nation. The program, modeled after traditional correspondence learning, is a paper/email based program specifically designed to make learning as flexible as possible. Using texts, study guides, and other course materials, you will learn by completing specific lessons and assignments. Coursework and communication are delivered via mail or email and you work at your own pace with your instructors using email, mail, or fax. The program features open enrollment so you may enroll in a course at any time and take up to six-months to complete your course.
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External Degree Program Open Enrollment
You may be admitted to the program and enroll in a course at any time during the year. We recommend that you enroll in one or two courses initially. You may enroll in a course prior to finalization of evaluation if you choose. If you will be degree seeking through Upper Iowa University, this action is cautioned and should only be done after consulting an academic advisor.
Who May Enroll in UIU External Degree Independent Study courses?
- Individuals interested in flexible course schedules, nontraditional instruction and personal and professional enrichment.
- New, returning and currently enrolled UIU students.
- High school students in good academic standing.
External Degree courses are available for open enrollment anytime throughout the year.
Admission to UIU is not required to enroll in independent study courses. Enrollment in an External Degree Program course(s) does not constitute admission to UIU.
Programs, Majors and Courses
The programs, majors and courses available through the External Degree Program are available on the UIU web page at www.uiu.edu/externaldegree under the External Degree Program section or by contacting:
Upper Iowa University
External Degree Program
PO Box 1861
Fayette, IA 52142-1861Telephone: 563-425-5252
888-877-3742 (daytime or after-hours voice mail)
Fax: 563-425-5353
E-mail: extdegree@uiu.edu
www.external.uiu.edu
External Degree Program Registration
- A learner interested in registering for an External Degree Program course may do so by any of the following methods.
Telephone: Call 888-877-3742 to register: Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. CST.
Online: Register through myUIU.
Mail: List your full name, ED Student number, complete address and contact information, course number and title on a piece of paper. Your registration should include your preferred version of the syllabus – printed or PDF. Enclose with payment and mail to: External Degree Program, Upper Iowa University, PO Box 1861, Fayette, IA 52142.
Fax: Fax the information listed above in the €œMail€ section to the External Degree Program Office at 563-425-5353. Include the name on the credit card to be used for tuition payment, the credit card type (MasterCard or VISA), the credit card number, three digit security code on back of card and expiration month and year.
E-mail: Send a message to extdegree@uiu.edu including your full name, ED Student number, address, course number and title, as well as payment information.
- Payment is due at the time of registration either by check or credit card. Payment information is best given over the phone as e-mail is not a secure environment.
Financial Aid: If you are applying for financial aid, course materials will be sent only after financial aid is awarded and all loan applications are filed and verified. Contact the External Degree Program Office for more details.
Military Or Employee Tuition Assistance: Active-duty Army personnel must register through the GoArmyEd portal and select the Upper Iowa University External Degree Program. All other military personnel using military tuition assistance should see their education office for details.
- Auditing External Degree Program Courses
By advance permission of the External Degree Program Director/Academic Advisor, you may enroll for courses on an audit basis. As an auditor, you will not be required to take examinations, and you will earn no college credit. A special tuition fee of $85 per semester credit is charged (see "Cost to Attend"). Note: Financial aid is not available for auditors.
External Degree Program Refund Policy and Course Withdrawal
Withdrawing from classes is an expensive decision and may change the amount of, or eligibility to receive, financial aid. External Degree Program staff members are available to discuss this decision with you. A grade of W (withdrawal) is recorded for any course from which a learner withdraws.
Upon receiving a request for withdrawal, using the number of lessons submitted as compared to the total due, a refund of tuition is made according to the guidelines listed below.
| On or before the first day of the enrollment period* | 100% |
| After the first lesson through 10% of the enrollment period | 90% |
| After the first 10% through the first 25% of the enrollment period | 50% |
| After the first 25% through the first 50% of the enrollment period | 25% |
| After the first 50% of the enrollment period | 0% |
* An enrollment period is defined as the number of lessons to be submitted during a six-month period of time, as determined by the University, during which semester credits are earned toward graduation. The refund/repayments shall be calculated using the percentages noted above as determined using the number of lessons completed and the number of lessons yet to be submitted.
Learners who withdraw from a course prior to submitting the first lesson or who are administratively withdrawn for non-submission of lessons will be charged an administrative fee of $81.
You may appeal the refund calculation if you feel there are extreme circumstances that warrant an exception to the published policy. Make your request in writing, documenting the extreme circumstances, and submit it to the External Degree Program
Director. A response to the appeal will be made within two weeks.
External Degree Program Administrative Withdrawal
A grade of AW (administrative withdrawal) is recorded for any course from which a learner is administratively withdrawn. At least one complete unit must be submitted to the instructor within the first 60 days of the enrollment period or the learner will be administratively withdrawn from the course.
Financial Aid Information Specific to External Degree Program Learners
For general guidelines please review the financial aid section found on page 16 of this catalog. This page includes important differences in the financial aid process for the External Degree Program. To be eligible for federal financial aid funds through the External Degree Program, you must be enrolled at half-time status. To be considered enrolled at half-time status, you must be enrolled in a minimum of six semester credits within the same enrollment period.
All required External Degree Program coursework must be completed and submitted by August 15 of the academic year in which the Federal Pell Grant is awarded for full disbursement.
A Loan Request form and Master Promissory Note (MPN) will be included in your financial aid award packet. The school will process your loan based on the information from these forms. External Degree Program coursework will not be released to you until the loan request form and the MPN are received and approved by the Financial Aid Office.
Stafford loans remain in deferral while the learner is enrolled at half time status. When courses are extended beyond the initial six-month enrollment period the learner will not be considered half time.
Refunds (cash overpayments) for loan funds exceeding tuition and fees will be processed when appropriate coursework is completed and graded within the initial six-month enrollment period. For more information, contact the External Degree Program Office.
How Your Financial Aid Will Be Applied
Once the Financial Aid Office has received all required correct information for your file and a copy of the registration card, you will receive a Financial Aid Award Letter. You will need to be re-awarded for each new set of classes using financial aid.
Center, Fayette Campus and Online Learners:
Upper Iowa University offers a variety of different programs including Online, Fayette Campus, Center, and Independent Study (Correspondence). The U.S. Department of Education has a policy allowing learners to move between programs within a college during the same enrollment period. However, financial aid will only be awarded to learners based on their main program of choice. The Financial Aid Office will assist each learner on a case-by-case basis to review the best options for their needs as requested. Federal Pell Grant and Stafford Loan eligibility will be applied to the learner's program of choice, and then applied to any other types of classes at UIU.
If you have any questions regarding financial aid or billing, please contact the External Degree Program Office at 888-877-3742 or extdegree@uiu.edu.
External Degree Program Guidelines
Course syllabi are available as printed or PDF versions. Printed versions will be sent by U.S. mail and PDF files will be sent by e-mail as an attachment. In most cases you should expect to receive course materials within five to 10 days from the day your registration and tuition payment are received by the External Degree Program Office.
Course Syllabus Replacement Fee: $20.
An External Degree Program learner may purchase a replacement copy of a printed or PDF course syllabus. The students must be actively enrolled in the External Degree course for which the replacement is sought. Replacement fees are not refundable.
Some instructors list supplementary reading for their course. These books may often be found at your local public or university library or obtained through interlibrary loan. If books cannot be located from any of these sources, they may be available at Upper Iowa University's library. If the books are available for circulation, they may be obtained by sending a written request (including author, title, and publication date of the book) to Henderson-Wilder Library, PO Box 1858, Upper Iowa University, Fayette, IA 52142, or fax your request to 563-425-5271. Books from Upper Iowa University's library circulate for one month. Periodicals and journals are not available for circulation, but you may obtain photocopies. Note: Required texts are not available from Upper Iowa University's library.
Postage for External Degree Program
Print versions of course materials will be sent by first-class mail. Learners pay the postage on assignments and non-proctored examinations submitted for grading. The External Degree Program Office will return graded assignments and exam results by first-class mail.
If you have a civilian overseas mailing address, your course materials will be sent to you by airmail. To cover all costs associated with overseas mailing there is an additional fee of $20 per course.
Individual Guidance and Instruction
Independent study, such as the External Degree Program, involves extensive reading and writing assignments.
Success in an independent study program is largely determined by your self-discipline, motivation and amount of time devoted to study. You should carefully consider your commitment to work, home, family, social and community activities in deciding how much time you will have available for study.
Another key to your success is the individual guidance and instruction you will receive. Each of your lessons will be evaluated by your course instructor and returned with comments regarding your individual assignment. You may also submit comments and questions with your assignments. In essence, a dialogue is created that parallels classroom instruction.
Advising and support are provided by the External Degree Program staff. Please express concerns or ask questions as needed.
Submit your work in the following manner:
- Complete a lesson cover sheet for every group of assignments submitted. Lesson cover sheets are included in your course syllabus. If you have lessons for more than one course, be sure there is a cover sheet for each course and group of assignments. Be sure to complete all information requested on the cover sheet. Staple the lesson cover sheet to the lesson being submitted. Do not staple cover sheets together. Only the lesson listed on the top cover sheet will be recorded. Do not attach examination request forms to lesson packets.
- Submit all of the work required for each lesson at one time. Partially completed lessons will be returned to the learner ungraded.
- It is your responsibility to make and retain a copy of each completed lesson prior to submitting the lesson for grading. This will protect you in case of possible loss of work in the mail.
- Include your full return address and provide sufficient postage. Lessons should be mailed according to lesson submission guidelines in each syllabus.
Graded lessons should be returned to you within three weeks from the date you submitted them. If lessons are delayed, please call the External Degree Program Office. After the lesson has been returned, review it carefully and make any inquiry about the lesson immediately.
Every effort is made to ensure prompt return of your assignments. Delays in return of assignments and examination results may be expected around scheduled holidays and breaks.
As a general rule, allow two to three weeks for assignments to be graded and returned. This can vary depending upon the instructor's schedule and vacations.
If you must complete a course in a short time, you should make sure the instructor is aware of this and is available to correct lessons. You are responsible for completing assignments and exams early enough to ensure the grade is available when needed. The final exam must be completed and in the External Degree Program Office at least two weeks before the grade is needed. This is especially important if you plan to graduate.
The course materials you will receive at the beginning of the course will explain what exams are required, when to request the exams and what material will be covered. You will need to make arrangements to complete your examinations under the supervision of a qualified proctor (someone to administer the exam). You must bring a photo I.D. with you to the exam.
Approved exam proctors are:
- school principals
- superintendents
- guidance counselors
- full-time school or public librarians
- testing centers at an accredited community college/college/university
- embassy officials
- military education officers or test control officers
- company education directors, directors of training and development or human resource directors (learner must be employed by the company).
- professional exam center
- UIU Center Staff
Teachers, employers, relatives, close friends, and other UIU learners cannot serve as proctors. Exams will not be sent to residential locations.
Communications Concerning Your Studies
Please inform us immediately should any unusual problem arise during your enrollment, or should any excessive delay occur in the return of your assignments.
Upper Iowa University
External Degree Program
PO Box 1861
Fayette, IA 52142-1861Telephone: 563-425-5252
888-877-3742 (daytime or after-hours voice mail)
Fax: 563-425-5353
E-mail: extdegree@uiu.edu
You have six months from the date of your enrollment to complete an independent study course. You should begin work on the course immediately upon enrollment and begin submitting lessons for grading and evaluation on a regular basis. If no course work has been submitted within the first 60 days, an administrative withdrawal will be processed. A steady work flow will assure your successful completion of the course in the least amount of time. After your original six-month enrollment period has passed, you no longer have the option to withdraw from a course. You must finish the course or you will be issued a final grade based on the work submitted as compared to the total required.
Learners who have made satisfactory progress toward course completion and have requested an extension will receive a grade of I (incomplete) at the end of the initial six-month enrollment period. An I grade posted to your official record will be replaced with a final letter grade; however, the incomplete will remain on your official transcript as a notation. You may receive one six-month extension for a fee of $50.00. The External Degree Program Office must receive the written request or phone call with payment and fee within 30 days before your course expires. It is your responsibility to be aware of the course expiration date, and to obtain the extension before the course expires. You do not have the option to withdraw from a course after the initial six-month enrollment period has been completed. At 12 months from your original begin date a final course grade will be issued (A-F) based on work completed in relation to the total course requirements. Note: Learners are considered less than half time during extension periods and are not eligible for student loan deferment.
