Self-paced
Correspondence Courses
THE UNIVERISTY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
Student Handbook
This handbook provides you with suggestions
to help make your Self-paced Courses
experience the best it can be. We encourage
you to read it in its entirety before you begin,
and use it as a reference as you progress
through your course.
Self-paced Courses—Correspondence
Credit Programs for Part-time Students
fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/catalog
Self-paced Correspondence Courses Handbook
Welcome to Self-paced Courses!
Taking a correspondence course is not the same as attending classes
on campus, but we think you’ll find that it has its advantages. You
can develop skills such as self-discipline, reading for comprehension,
and clarity in writing that will help you in other learning experiences.
You’ll enjoy the flexibility of working at a time of your choosing and in
comfortable surroundings. And you’ll be able to take advantage of the
unique benefits of one-on-one instruction.
This handbook provides you with suggestions to help make your Selfpaced Courses experience the best it can be. We encourage you to read it
in its entirety before you begin, and use it as a reference as you progress
through your course.
About Self-paced Courses
Courses from eight campuses of the University of North Carolina system
are available for independent learners. When you take a course through
Self-paced Courses, your instruction is provided from the campus
offering the course. For example, if you are taking a North Carolina
State University course, your instructor will be a part of an academic
department of NCSU. Your final grade will be reported to the NCSU
records office and will be equivalent to courses taken on the NCSU
campus. Thus, the institution offering a course provides instruction,
maintains academic control, and grants credit, while the Self-paced
Courses office at the Friday Center handles the administration of your
enrollment.
About the William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education
The Friday Center is UNC-Chapel Hill’s center for continuing education,
serving the varied needs of adult learners through credit and noncredit
courses and the operation of a continuing education conference facility.
About Credit Programs for Part-time Students
Self-paced Courses is a distance education program offered by Credit
Programs for Part-time Students, a unit of the William and Ida Friday
Center for Continuing Education. Other programs include Carolina
Courses Online and Part-time Classroom Studies (on-campus courses).
For more information, visit fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/catalog
The offices for Credit Programs for Part-time Students are housed in
the Friday Center, which is a short distance from the UNC-Chapel
Hill campus. Office hours are Monday–Friday, 8 am–5 pm (except on
Tuesdays, when hours are 9 am–5 pm).
Website: fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp
Contact Information
•
•
•
Call: (800) 862-5669 or (919) 962-1134
Fax: (919) 962-5549
Email:
advisors: ceadvising@unc.edu
student services: stuserv@unc.edu
Contents
Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Purchase Materials
Create Study Schedule
Your Course Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Read the General Description
How to Proceed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Prepare Your First Assignment
Submit Your First Assignment
Review Your Graded Assignments
Use Available Resources
Maintain Your Momentum
Prepare for Your Final Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Take Pride in Your Accomplishment
What Else Do I Need to Know? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
The Honor Code
Getting Help for Special Needs
Grades and Transcripts
Renewing Your Course
Transferring to a Different Self-paced Course
Withdrawing from Your Course
Refunds
More Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Self-paced Correspondence Courses Handbook
Before You Begin
Purchase Materials
The required textbooks for each course are listed with the course
description. Friday Center Books & Gifts, operated by UNC Student Stores,
is located at the Friday Center and carries the correct editions of the
required textbooks. You can order your materials in person, by using the
order form in your course manual, or online at fridaycenterstore.unc.
edu. If you buy textbooks from outside sources, you are responsible for
purchasing the correct editions. You should buy your textbooks as soon
as possible after you enroll.
Create Study Space
Your course time begins on the day we process your enrollment (the
date your receipt is issued) and ends nine months from that day. The
minimum time for completing a course is twelve weeks from the receipt
of your first assignment.
Because there are no classes to attend, it’s up to you to establish a routine
that includes reading, studying, and submitting your assignments.
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For more information, visit fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/catalog
You should take time to evaluate your study habits before beginning
work. You may need to improve them in order to get the most from your
course.
First of all, think about how you will schedule your study. If you have not
been involved in academic pursuits for some time, your life is probably
fairly full of career, family, hobbies, or other activities. It may be helpful
for you to keep a record for a week or two of how you spend your time
before deciding where your study periods will fit.
Even if you’ve been in school recently or will be attending classes while
you work on your correspondence course, it will help to decide on a
regularly scheduled time for your study. Since you won’t have the built-in
pacing of classes and instructor-set deadlines, you may find it hard to
make steady progress unless you establish a definite study schedule.
Try to schedule study time when you will be mentally fresh and able
to devote at least an hour to your work. After you have determined the
best time for your study, think about where you will study. You’ll find it
easier to focus on your work if you establish an environment for study.
For example, it may be difficult to concentrate at the kitchen table if
your family is cleaning up after dinner, even if that time is appropriate
for study. You’ll study best in a location that is quiet and free from
reminders of other responsibilities or activities. If a good study location
is not available in your home, consider going to a library occasionally for
periods of concentrated work.
Your Course Manual
Read the General Description
Every self-paced course is different, but all have similar formats. The
General Description at the beginning of the manual functions as a
syllabus—it has all the information you need to get started, and will
probably include the following:
•
•
•
•
•
course overview and objectives
required textbook(s) and other materials
grading and course policies
course requirements/assignments
Academic Policies/Honor Code
Read the General Description carefully. It contains information about the
scope and organization of the material as well as guidelines for studying
and preparing assignments. Your course has been organized to present
the material in a logical fashion, and your comprehension of the subject
will be aided if you are aware of that organization as you work on your
lessons. Return to your General Description whenever you have questions
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Self-paced Correspondence Courses Handbook
about the structure of your course or need contact information for help.
How to Proceed
Open your course manual to the first lesson. You will probably have
a reading assignment and a writing assignment. Be sure to read the
explanatory content provided on the lesson pages by your instructor.
When you begin a new lesson, read through all the instructions before
beginning your reading assignment. You will be asked to send a Personal
Information Sheet to your instructor with your first submission so that
your instructor can learn more about you.
Prepare Your First Assignment
Try to get an overview of the material you’ll be covering in the lesson
before you dig into the required readings. Refer to the title of your lesson,
the introduction or overview, the chapter and section headings in your
texts, and your course author’s notes to get an idea of the scope of your
lesson. Then tackle the reading material.
Be particularly attentive to the learning
objectives for your lesson. If you approach
the material with an inquisitive mind and try
to fit what you read into the outline of the
course, you’ll find it easier to retain what you
read.
Preparing your assignments for submission
is an important part of studying, as it provides the main channel of
communication between you and your instructor. Before you submit
an assignment for grading, you should be sure that it reflects your best
abilities.
Study the material until you feel comfortable with it, then begin to
prepare your written assignment. Pay careful attention to instructions,
and be sure you understand what a question is asking. You may wish to
prepare a brief outline of your responses to essay questions, or draft your
answer and check it over before preparing your final copy. Organization,
grammar, and writing style are important; if your skills in these areas
need improvement you may want to purchase a writing handbook. If you
are taking a course that requires you to work problems, show all your
work. You may get partial credit for problems if your instructor can see
where you made your mistakes.
If you have questions that make it difficult for you to complete your
written work, you may contact your instructor before submitting the
assignment for grading. Student Services staff can help you get in touch
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For more information, visit fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/catalog
with your instructor, whether it be through telephone, email, or in
writing.
The following procedural points are important for you to know:
•
Use white paper, 8½×11 inches, to prepare your assignments. Leave
a wide margin (about 2 inches) on the left side of each page for your
instructor’s comments.
•
Use word-processing software such as Microsoft Word, or type,
or write legibly in ink. You must take full responsibility for your
submission, including typographical errors, regardless of how it was
prepared.
•
Make a copy of your assignments so that you may submit a duplicate
in the event your work is lost in the mail.
•
Attach the matching submission sheet to the front of your
assignment. Print your name and mailing address in the box so
that we can return your assignments in a window envelope. Do not
write your assignment answers on the submission sheets. If you are
submitting more than one assignment in one envelope, keep each
submission (cover sheet and assignment) together.
•
If your course allows e-mail submission of assignments, follow the
special instructions for sending in your work.
•
If you have questions for your instructor, write them on your
submission sheet in the space provided. If you have questions for the
Student Services staff, write them on a separate piece of paper and
attach it to your submission.
•
If you mail your assignments to us, use white business envelopes.
Be sure to affix sufficient postage; mail with insufficient postage is
returned by the US Postal Service.
You may submit up to one-fifth of the total number of assignments at
one time. Additional assignments may not be submitted until these
have been graded and returned or until two weeks have elapsed.
Once you have submitted an assignment, you may begin the initial
preparation for the next one if you desire. We recommend that you
wait for feedback from your instructor before proceeding too far. These
rules are designed to ensure that you have the benefit of the instructor’s
guidance as you work on your course, and that you allow sufficient time
to review and revise your work.
Your assignments provide a good opportunity for you to demonstrate
to your instructor your interest in learning. Let your instructor know if
you would like additional information or suggestions for further reading.
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Self-paced Correspondence Courses Handbook
Respond to his or her comments on your previous assignments. If you’re
willing to wait a bit longer for your graded assignments, you could
request that additional comments be included on your work. Although
you probably won’t be carrying on a dialogue in person, you may
participate in a rewarding written dialogue with your instructor if you’re
willing to take the initiative.
Submit Your First Assignment
The Student Services staff receives
incoming assignments. Each active student
has a computerized record, maintained by
the Student Services staff, on which the
receipt of assignments is entered. After
your assignment is logged in, it is mailed
to your instructor. Your instructor then evaluates the assignments, assigns
a grade, and returns the assignments to the Friday Center.
Your record is updated with the grade and date your assignment is
returned. Your assignment is then mailed back to you.
Generally, this process takes at least two weeks from the time you mail
the assignment until it is returned to you. Occasionally there might be
a delay in some step of the process. We monitor this process as closely
as we can, but we also rely on you to let us know if you think there is
an unnecessary delay. Please do not hesitate to call the Student Services
office if you haven’t received a graded assignment in a reasonable length
of time. At certain times of the year, instructors may not be available for
rapid grading of assignments and exams. This is particularly true during
winter holidays, near the end of terms, and in the summer months.
Review Your Graded Assignments
Your graded assignments are useful tools. Through them your instructor
gives you feedback on your strengths and weaknesses and provides
suggestions for improvement. (If you feel that you are not receiving
adequate assistance, send a message directly to your instructor or contact
the Student Services staff.)
Read over each graded assignment carefully. Pay particular attention to
comments regarding your treatment of the material, both in content and
form. If general comments are included, remember them in preparing
subsequent assignments. If you did poorly on specific questions, refer
back to your texts to see how you made your mistakes. You might find it
helpful to rewrite your answers for future reference.
Occasionally you might be asked to rework an assignment and submit
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For more information, visit fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/catalog
it again prior to grading. If so, instructions will be provided for the
resubmission procedure. You will be charged the actual cost of grading
the reworked assignment. Once you receive a grade on an assignment it
should be regarded as final. You may not revise a graded assignment and
resubmit it for a better grade.
All graded assignments should be kept and used as aids in preparing for
your final examination.
Use Available Resources
In addition to the required texts, some courses suggest that you read
supplementary materials on an optional basis. You may also wish to
read more widely in the subject to improve your own understanding, or
you may need to use a variety of resources to help you prepare required
papers or projects. If you have Internet access, many online resources are
available.
If you are currently a degree candidate at a college or university, you
may wish to use your own university library. If you are not a degree
candidate but reside near a
university library, you can
inquire about “community
borrower” privileges that
may be available to you.
Local public libraries
may be able to help
you obtain resources
through interlibrary loan
arrangements; in North
Carolina, such requests
would be made to the State
Library of North Carolina.
Librarians are generally quite helpful to people pursuing further
education and in need of assistance with materials, so don’t hesitate to
ask them for help.
If you have difficulty gaining access to a library, contact Credit Programs
for Part-time Students for advice and assistance.
Maintain Your Momentum
If you are not able to keep to your schedule, don’t give up! After all, one
of the advantages of Self-paced Courses is its flexibility. Just keep in mind
that regularly scheduled study is the ideal, and make it your goal.
The abilities to read with comprehension and retain what you read are
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Self-paced Correspondence Courses Handbook
necessary for real learning to take place. You will develop these skills
through practice. Concentrate on your reading and take frequent breaks
to organize the material in your mind. At the end of a study session,
think back over the whole of what you’ve read, trying to remember the
important points. If note taking is helpful to you, provide time in each
study session for writing.
Your written work is designed to help you collect and synthesize what
you’ve learned from a particular lesson. It gives you the opportunity to
practice using what you’ve learned through essay questions, problems, or
other learning activities.
Prepare for Your Final Exam
Once all assignments have been submitted for grading, you may take the
final examination. A few courses assign a final project or paper instead
of a final exam, which will be indicated in the course manual. The
instructions below apply to the majority of Self-paced Courses, which
require a supervised final exam.
You must submit an application to take your final exam. The application
is included at the end of your course manual. Plan to read it before
beginning your course so that you can become familiar with the
procedure for scheduling exams.
To review for your exam, you should study your graded assignments,
any notes you have taken, the discussion material found in your course
manual, and your assigned texts. The General Description section in
your manual includes information about what your exam will cover. If
you have developed good study habits and used them throughout your
course, preparing for your exam should not be difficult.
Use the guidelines below to choose the best time and location for your
exams:
• All assignments must be submitted before
the exam is taken, but it is not necessary to have
received all graded assignments back from your
instructor.
• You should begin making your exam
arrangements well in advance of the time you
would like to take the exam.
• Your exam must be supervised at an approved
exam center (an accredited college, university,
technical institute, community or junior college,
or, for persons in the military, the facility’s
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For more information, visit fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/catalog
education center).
•
Under extenuating circumstances, students are allowed to take
exams at locations other than approved centers; if you feel that you
have special needs, contact the Student Services office for more
information.
•
Special supervision arrangements can be made for students with
disabilities or chronic illnesses, as well as for incarcerated students.
If you do not know where approved schools are located or which
schools in your area are accredited, contact your state department of
public instruction. Most states have directories of their postsecondary
institutions. If there are a number of possible choices in your area, you
may want to get in touch with
several of them before making
definite plans to ask about their
policies regarding supervising
fees, scheduling, and facilities.
If you live in the Chapel Hill
area, you may, for a small fee,
have your exam supervised at
the Friday Center. Call 919-9621134 or 800-862-5669 between
8:15 am and 4:45 pm weekdays
to make arrangements. At
NC State University, exams
are supervised at the office of
Credit Programs & Summer
Sessions in the McKimmon
Center, 919-515-2138.
You’ll need to identify the
specific person who will be
supervising your exam and
have that person sign your
exam application form. If
the school you select has a
guidance and/or testing center,
it should be your first contact. If there is no guidance/testing center, call
the registrar’s office. Explain that you are taking a correspondence course
through the University of North Carolina and that you need someone to
supervise your final exam. If you will need special facilities (such as a
place you can speak into a cassette recorder), be sure to indicate your
needs before you make the final arrangements.
When you have located a supervisor and selected a date for your exam,
complete the exam application and mail or fax it to Self-paced Courses.
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Self-paced Correspondence Courses Handbook
The Friday Center
We will mail your exam directly to your supervisor and notify you by
letter of the date we send it. You should check with your supervisor
before going to the exam center to make sure it has arrived.
If you have difficulty making your exam arrangements, contact the
Student Services office for assistance.
It is your responsibility to take your examination at the scheduled time or
to contact the examination supervisor if you need to reschedule the exam.
Adequate preparation will make your exam much easier, but the way
you approach your exam will have a lot to do with your success. Try to
remain calm and confident. Your exam will probably be challenging, but
it offers you the opportunity to use your skills and knowledge to your
best ability.
The first few minutes of your time should be spent reading over the
entire exam, noting the instructions and the types of questions you’ll be
working with. Estimate how much time you’ll need for each section if
you aren’t given specific suggestions for time usage, and plan your exam
time accordingly. If your exam has multiple choice or other objective
types of questions, you may want to answer them first so that you’ll be
sure to have enough time for short-answer or essay questions.
In answering multiple-choice questions, you may find it helpful to read
through the entire set of questions, answering those that you know
but not stopping for those that you’re unsure about. Then go back and
spend extra time on the questions you couldn’t immediately answer.
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For more information, visit fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/catalog
Try to eliminate obviously incorrect choices, and then decide between
the answers that remain. Try not to spend too much time on any one
question.
Use your time wisely in answering essay questions. Some students find
it helpful to outline their answers before writing them in finished form.
If you don’t choose to outline, you should at least think through your
answer and the way you plan to organize it before you begin to write so
that your writing will be logical and complete.
Try to allow some time at the end of the exam period for checking
over your work. You may notice spelling errors, incomplete sentences,
or important thoughts that have been omitted. Check over objective
questions to be sure that you read them correctly and marked the answer
you intended.
Your supervisor will mail your completed exam to the Friday Center. If
you take the exam at a site other than Chapel Hill, you’ll need to provide
an envelope addressed to us and affixed with sufficient postage. In
approximately 2-3 weeks, you should receive a grade report indicating
your grade on the final exam and your final course grade. We will not
release the actual exam to you, but you will receive any comments your
instructor makes about your performance.
Your grade will automatically be reported to the records office of the
UNC campus from which your course originated. If you wish to have
a transcript sent to another school or agency, complete the transcript
request form included in your grade report and return it to us.
Take Pride in Your Accomplishment
Completing a course through Self-paced
Courses is not easy. It requires a great deal
of self-discipline and work. Once you’ve
completed your course, you should be
able to take on other difficult educational
endeavors with more confidence. The
skills you’ve developed will be valuable
resources as you work toward your goals.
Self-paced Courses is proud to offer this
experience to you, and wishes you the
best of luck!
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Self-paced Correspondence Courses Handbook
What Else Do I Need to Know?
The Honor Code
As a Self-paced Courses student, you are responsible for obeying and
supporting an honor system that prohibits lying, cheating, or stealing in
relation to the academic practices of the University of North Carolina. An
especially serious Honor Code violation is plagiarism. You are expected to
do your own work in all aspects of your course.
Getting Help for Special Needs
Students with documented learning disabilities or attention deficit/
hyperactivity disorder can receive services through the Academic Success
Program for Students with LD and ADHD. (Visit learningcenter.unc.edu
for more information.) Students with documented disabilities can receive
services through the Department of Accessibility Resources & Service.
(Visit accessibility.unc.edu for more information.) Students must selfidentify through Accessibility Resources in order to receive services or
accommodation from either of these offices. Accessibility Resources
works closely with programs, offices, and departments throughout the
University with the goal of creating an accessible environment.
The office is located in Suite 2126 of the Student Academic Services
Building (SASB), 450 Ridge Road, and is open from 8 am to 5 pm Monday
through Friday. The staff can be contacted by telephone at 919-962-8300
(V) or 711 (NC-RELAY) or by email at accessibility@unc.edu. For more
information, visit accessibility.unc.edu.
Grades and Transcripts
Your grade will be reported to the records office of the UNC campus from
which your course originated. If you wish to have a transcript sent to
another school or agency, complete the transcript request form included
in your grade report and return it to us, or contact Student Services.
Renewing Your Course
You may renew your course for four additional months by paying a
renewal fee. Self-paced Courses will notify you when your course time is
about to expire. If unusual circumstances have kept you from completing
the course, you may contact the Self-paced Courses office to request a
second renewal of four months.
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For more information, visit fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/catalog
Transferring to a Different Self-paced Course
You may transfer to a different course if you request to do so within thirty
days of enrollment. A transfer fee will be charged.
Withdrawing from Your Course
If you wish to withdraw from a course, complete a withdrawal form,
which is included at the back of your course manual. Policies on
withdrawal depend on whether you are a UNC-Chapel Hill degree-seeking
student. If you are not a UNC-Chapel Hill degree-seeking student, you may
withdraw at any time prior to taking the final exam. There is no academic
penalty for withdrawing prior to taking the final exam for a course.
UNC-Chapel Hill degree-seeking students may not withdraw from a course
if they have completed at least one-half of the assignments for the course.
If you do not complete your course within the maximum permissible
time and have not received permission to withdraw from the course, you
will receive a failing grade. There is no academic penalty if you withdraw
before completing one-half of the assignments.
Refunds
Partial refunds of tuition will be granted providing that your request to
withdraw is made within 30 days of your enrollment date. No refunds
will be made after that period. Failure to submit assignments does not
entitle you to a refund. A nonrefundable fee of $25 per credit hour will be
deducted from your refund. Full refunds may be granted in instances in
which Friday Center Books & Gifts is unable to supply a required textbook.
More Information
You can find procedural information, rules and regulations, forms, contact
information, and a complete listing of all our courses on our website,
fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/catalog.
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