FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

ABOUT CONVERSE COLLEGE?

Converse College, located in Spartanburg, SC and established in 1889, is a leader in liberal arts education for women. At the graduate level Converse offers coeducational graduate courses for both men and women. For more information go to: www.converse.edu

HOW IS CONVERSE COLLEGE ACCREDITED?

Converse College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, masters, and educational specialist degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Converse College.

WHAT ARE THE OTHER ACCREDITATION AGENCIES?

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional higher education accreditation bodies in the United States. The others are: the Middle States Association for Colleges and Schools, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

ARE THESE GRADUATE LEVEL COURSES?
Yes, all courses are 500 level or higher and offered by the Mathematics Department.
Each course awards 3 graduate semester credits.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO ENROLL IN THE COURSES?

The courses are designed for certified teachers or for those seeking certification or endorsements.
Any US citizen with an undergraduate degree is eligible to enroll in these courses. At this time, international students are not eligible.

WHAT IS THE COST AND WHAT FORMS OF PAYMENT DO YOU ACCEPT?

Each course costs $484 ($161.33 per credit hour).

There are three forms of payment available for the courses: a personal check, a credit card, or a school/district Purchase Order.

CAN I TAKE MORE THAN ONE COURSE AT A TIME?

Yes, courses may be taken concurrently.

HOW DO I REGISTER FOR THE COURSES?

On the Main Course Web Page, there is a link to each course and its registration page. Each course has its own registration form. They look identical except that the top of form has a unique course title.

If you are registering for more than one course, each needs its own registration form. A single payment for multiple course registrations is acceptable with the EXCEPTION of the Middle Math Content course. It has its own payment form.

Complete and print the form and then enclose your payment and either FAX or mail it to the address on the form.
There is NOT an online Registration procedure so your information is not submitted electronically.

ONCE I REGISTER WHAT IS NEXT?

You will soon receive a shipment containing your DVDs and the course information handout. On the instructions handout, there are the necessary directions to login to the course web site.

WHY DO THE COURSES HAVE THE WORD "REFRESHER" IN THEIR TITLE?

All of the courses are designed as a thorough refresher of the mathematical content that conforms to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards for middle and secondary education. They are taught by exemplary secondary mathematics teachers. They are NOT intended for those with limited or no background in Mathematics.

CAN I TAKE A COMPLETE MASTERS DEGREE AT CONVERSE COLLEGE ONLINE?

No. Converse College offers these courses in a distance learning format to be used by teachers to meet state or district recertification (content area) requirements.

It does not offer an online Masters degree, nor can these courses be applied to existing graduate programs at Converse College.

WILL THESE COURSES COUNT TOWARDS A MASTERS OR AN ADVANCED DEGREE AT ANOTHER COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY?

Many teachers taking these courses have received approval from their respective graduate institution to transfer hours to their degree program (anywhere from 3-9 credits.)

If you are currently in a graduate program in mathematics, let your advisor evaluate the course syllabus for our courses that are located on our web site.

It is the decision of each respective institution about which and how many courses to accept.

WILL MY STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OR DISTRICT APPROVE THESE COURSES FOR RECERTIFICATION CREDITS?

All of the courses are Mathematics content courses and because Converse is accredited by SACS, they enjoy a reciprocal status with other accreditation agencies.

It is always a good idea to check in advance with your State Department of Education or school district.

DO THE COURSES HAVE PRE-REQUISITES?

Some of the courses have pre-requisites. Please check the web page under the Catalog Description to see what they are.

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WHAT ARE THE BASIC REQUIRMENTS OF EACH COURSE?

Participating teachers view the DVDs, complete the practice problems and each quiz and final online.
In addition, the final exam is proctored by your local school administrator or an approved alternative.

DO I NEED A GRAPHING CALCULATOR FOR THESE COURSES?

Yes. Throughout the lessons, the instructors use the TI-83 plus calculator. Therefore, in order to follow along step by step, you will need to have a TI-83 or TI-84 calculator. You can use another graphing calculator model, but its steps may be different than the ones shown in the lessons.

WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED TO VIEW THE DVDS?

Any standard DVD Player will work.  It can be a DVD Player in your personal computer or one that is connected to a television.  
Note: a CD Player will not play the DVD discs.

DO I NEED A TEXTBOOK AND HOW DO I OBTAIN ONE?

The course DVDs supply the math content and instruction for each course. However, there is an optional text suggested on each syllabus.
If you desire to purchase it, click on the textbook link on the appropriate course web site.
In most cases, students use alternative texts that they have in the subject area.

HOW DO I RECEIVE ASSISTANCE WITH A MATHEMATICS CONTENT QUESTION?

Each course has its own mathematics instructor that is generally the same teacher on the DVDs. You are welcome to email the instructor with any content question at any time.
A prompt reply is always made.

HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO COMPLETE A COURSE?

From your enrollment date, you have up to nine months to complete a course. The Course Completion schedule is listed on the Course Web site and Registration form for each course.

HOW LONG DOES IT USUALLY TAKE TO FINISH A COURSE?

You can finish the course at any time. In some cases, students complete requirements in 4-6 weeks while other students take 6-9 months. Allowing time to stop and review course material, it takes at least 49 hours of total viewing time. In addition, time is needed to complete the practice problems, quizzes and final exam.

The time of completion involves two factors: the amount of time per day/week devoted to the material and your current math background in the subject.

In a self-paced learning environment, the factor of time is the most flexible and, therefore, is harder to judge for a given person.

HOW IS MY GRADE DETERMINED?

Your grade is based on the number of correct answers that are entered into the computer for the quizzes and the final exam.
Your grades are reported as an A; A-, B+; B, B-, C+, C-, or F. No other grades are issued.

You may find a grading scale on the course syllabus located on the course web site.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO RECEIVE MY GRADE?

Your grade is reported within a few days from the receipt of your End of Course packet. A Transcript of your grade may be requested soon thereafter. You do not have to wait until the end of a semester to receive a Transcript.

WHAT IS SHOWN ON THE TRANSCRIPT?

For each course, your Converse Transcript will show the Course Number, Title, Credits earned, the grade received and the Date that you ENROLLED in the course.
NOTE: The date you enrolled is entered when we receive your Registration form. We do not use the date that you finish a course on the Transcript.

HOW DO I OBTAIN A TRANSCRIPT?

The Converse CollegeTranscript request form is located on the course web site under the Transcript link.
Complete the form and submit it with a $5.00 fee.

NOTE: Transcripts are cumulative and will display ALL courses that have been completed. If you take two courses, for example, a single Transcript will show both of them.

CAN I RECEIVE A REFUND IF I FEEL THE COURSE IS INAPPROPRIATE FOR MY NEEDS?

Yes, a refund may be issued at anytime within 30 days from the date on your Registration form. A $25 processing fee per course will be deducted from the refund amount. Please contact Dr. Rachelson to process a refund.