COURSE HACKS

For Students

CHOOSING A COURSE

Course Descriptions ................ 10 Course Listing Example ............. 11

REGISTERING FOR A COURSE

Required Registration Information ........................ 12 Payment .......................... 12 Policies ........................... 12 Registration ....................... 12

STARTING A COURSE

Course Syllabus .................... 13 How a Course Works ............... 13 Purchasing Textbooks .............. 13 BYU Store ....................... 14 VitalSource ...................... 14 Amazon.com ................... 14 Library Loan ..................... 14

COURSE HACKS

Course Hacks ...................... 15

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

System Requirements .............. 16 Tablets, Smartphones, and Chromebooks ..................... 17 Required Skills ..................... 17 Contacting Instructors .............. 17 Customer Support ................. 17

TUTORING

Tutoring .......................... 18

ASSIGNMENTS & QUIZZES

Assignments ...................... 19 Mastery Checks .................... 19 Self-Checks ..................... 19 Quizzes ......................... 19

EXAMS

Taking an Exam .................... 20 Online Proctor (Examity) ............ 20 Local Proctor ...................... 20 Paper Exams ...................... 21 Grading ........................... 21 Exam Retakes ..................... 21 Completion Deadlines .............. 21

TESTING CENTERS

Utah Valley ........................ 22 Northern Utah ..................... 22

EXAM PROCTORING

Policies ........................... 23

COMPLETING A COURSE

Length of Course ................... 24 Deadlines ......................... 24 Notice of Course Completion ........ 24 Ordering Official Transcripts ......... 24

Choosing a Course

We recommend that you go online and review the full description and pertinent information for each course you may want to take. Then carefully consider the following: J After reviewing the course syllabus and policies, are you confident that the course content will meet your needs? J After reviewing the course notes, are there any special requirements you will need to meet to successfully complete the course? J Are there any deadlines or assignment submission requirements unique to this course that would prevent you from completing it on time? (Quizzes are graded quickly, but instructor-graded assignments may take up to 10 business days to be graded.) Be sure to allow enough time to complete the course if you are in a hurry. J Are there additional materials or textbooks you will need to purchase for the course?

J If the course has unique computer requirements, are these available to you? J Will your school accept BYU Independent Study’s transfer credit? Our courses are fully accredited, making them easily transferable to most educational institutions; however, counselors or academic advisors may want to review the learning objectives and syllabus to be satisfied that our courses can be accepted for credit. Always confirm with your counselor or academic advisor that our course credit will be accepted by your school.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

It is important to understand all the information in the course description before you register for a course. Remember that the most up-to-date course information is always available on our website, is.byu.edu.

Description: This section includes a brief overview of topics covered in the course. Additional description may appear in Notes, especially for university courses.

Note: Some courses have specific requirements or restrictions that students should understand before and during their enrollment.

Prerequisite: Instructors will expect students to have taken certain courses (or equivalents) before enrolling.

Instructor: Our courses are taught by certified instructors who love teaching and want each student to succeed.

Credits: Our course credits are comparable to those a student would earn from a university, high school, or middle school semesterlength course.

Tuition: The cost of course tuition is determined by the course type and number of credit hours; however, a few courses have the cost of supplementary material built into the tuition fee.

Course Outline: Units contained within the course are listed to give an overview of topics and exams.

Syllabus: Each course in our online catalog contains a link to the course syllabus, which lists specific required resources, abilities, and expectations for the course.

Textbooks: Some courses require textbooks to be purchased. It is important that students buy the specific edition of the textbook indicated. Optional books may also be listed.

Ask your academic advisor about potential transfer credits from BYU Independent Study.

Course Listing Example

AP U.S. History, Part 1

APHIST 061 Description: This Advanced Placement course explores the history of the United States from 1491 to 1877. Topics include European explorations and migrations, the American colonies, the American Revolution and creation of the U.S. Constitution, the Jeffersonian and Jacksonian eras and antebellum culture and reforms, the Civil War and Reconstruction, and the conquest of the Far West. This course will also prepare you for the AP United States History exam by helping you practice skills associated with the exam, such as writing essays and answering questions on core topics. This course is the first of a two-part series on AP U.S. History Note: Your AP instructor will send you a join code that allows you to join your course section on the AP website. This account provides access to AP Classroom and the exam. The AP exam fee is not included in the course tuition. Required Text: See online catalog. Credits: 0.5 Tuition: $289