WELCOME KIT ACADEMIC YEAR 2023-2024 Welcome Kit TABLE OF CONTENTS WELCOME TO UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE 2 1.1 OUR STUDENTS 2 YOUR FIRST TERM 3 2.1 STUDY PREPARATION 3 2.2 COURSE REGISTRATION 4 2.3 UOPEOPLE ONLINE LEARNING PLATFORM 4 2.4 FOUNDATION EVALUATION 6 2.5 PAYMENTS 6 2.6 RESOURCES AND SERVICE 7 LIFE AT UOPEOPLE 8 3.1 STUDY PREPARATION 8 3.2 LEARNING METHODS 10 4 TO-DO LIST 11 5 STUDENT SUCCESS STORIES 12 5.1 EMPLOYED AT TOP COMPANIES 12 5.2 WHERE ARE THEY NOW? 12 ACADEMIC CALENDAR 14 1 2 3 6 The world’s greatest small liberal arts college, that happens to be online, tuition-free, and global. Dr. Dalton Conley Dean of Health Science UoPeople Henry Putnam University Professor in Sociology, Princeton University 1 Welcome Kit 1 WELCOME TO UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE In becoming a member of the UoPeople community, you are embarking on an educational journey with peers from over 200 countries and territories. Our students are incredibly diverse, and we know that each one of you deserves personalized attention and support. Studying online is not easy; it takes an incredible amount of dedication, focus, and hard work. Your success is our priority, and we are here to guide and support you in your educational journey. Shai Reshef UoPeople President 1.1 Our Students Students at University of the People come from all walks of life, many have families, and some are also working while they complete their studies. With so many students leading busy lives it’s important that our classes fit any schedule. One of the most unique aspects of learning at UoPeople is the ability to network with over 139,000 other students from all over the globe! You’re part of an impressive global student body - explore the facts below to learn more! Student Demographics 200+ 64% 77% Countries and Territories work while earning their degree have dependents 88% 90% 90% feel instructors are helpful and supportive believe they are taught career centric skills and knowledge are proud to study at UoPeople and enjoy their experience What Our Students Say 2 Welcome Kit 2 YOUR FIRST TERM 2.1 Study Preparation For a successful academic journey at UoPeople all you need is a reliable internet connection. Online learning comes with big benefits like 100% online flexibility. Since there are no live lectures and all coursework is completed online you have the ability to complete coursework when it best fits your schedule. Study from anywhere, anytime. Here at UoPeople we require all students to take a mandatory New Student Orientation before they can register for any other courses. This will ensure you know what to expect and how you can best prepare for future courses. If you’d like to learn more about our New Student Orientation, click here. Student Study Spaces Sumesh S. Computer Science Nepal Tita Y. M.Ed. Indonesia Noberto A. Health Science Belize Andrea S. MBA United States 3 Welcome Kit 2.2 Course Registration One of the most exciting times in your academic career is getting ready for your very first term! Don’t be nervous, we’ve made it simple – for your first term we will take care of your course registration for you. All you need to do is complete the UoPeople Orientation. This is a mandatory and vital first step in your academic journey. Once orientation is completed, you’ll receive info about your first set of courses. An email with all the details should arrive about a week before the term is scheduled to begin. You can expect to be registered for 1 - 2 courses based on availability and the required prerequisites for your program of choice. We’ve taken care of registration for you for this first term, but afterwards you’ll need to register for courses on your own for subsequent terms. We’ve got a step-by-step video that makes it simple to learn how to register—click here to watch. 2.3 UoPeople Online Learning Platform To prepare for a successful academic career at UoPeople we recommend that you familiarize yourself with resources that will be available to you. Online Campus (Moodle) Moodle, our Online Campus, is where you’ll find all course-related materials and resources. This includes your assignments, calendar, and materials that you can use to help you ace your coursework. You will receive your own login details (username and password) in an email from the Office of Student Services. If you encounter any technical issues and need support, please contact your program advisor. 4 Welcome Kit Student Portal The Student Portal is your hub for making a variety of important requests. It’s here so that you can manage all your courses, make payments, even contact your Program Advisor. You'll also be able to take care of important actions, like submitting transcripts and registering for future terms. Here’s a quick rundown of the main elements: New student view: Student view after orientation and registration is complete: Personal Message: Displays a weekly message to keep you up to date on various topics like upcoming registration and pending payments Enrollment Progress: Keeps you informed on your enrollment progress, providing essential details to help you stay on track. Checklist: Keeps you organized with a checklist of important tasks and activities, including updates on pending tasks, documents, and payments. Completed tasks move to the "Completed" tab, while the "Current" tab shows pending items. Academic Progress: Keeps you informed on your academic progress, providing essential details to help you stay on track. Your Courses: Stores information about your current and completed courses. 5 Welcome Kit 2.4 Foundation Evaluation Part of your admissions process at UoPeople is our Foundation Evaluation. During this evaluation you’ll submit documentation that will show us that you’ve completed a high school level education. What documentation is required? Diploma or transcript Please be aware other specific documentation may be needed depending on your program of study. For more information on the required documents, go to the ‘Foundation Evaluation’ space which can be found on the left-hand side menu, under Admissions. How to Submit Your Documents You can submit your documentation in the UoPeople Portal by using the ‘Foundation Evaluation’ space. Click here to read our Foundation Evaluation Manual for further instructions on submitting your documents. Need help? Email your Program Advisor with any questions you might have and they can assist you through the process. 2.5 Payments As you know, UoPeople is tuition-free – this means there are no fees for instruction, course materials, or campus costs. However, to keep our mission of making higher education affordable and accessible for all, we do ask for minimal Course Assessment Fees to be paid at the end of each course. For a quick estimate of how much your degree will cost, use our Cost Calculator. If you have trouble affording our minimal assessment fees, please contact your Program Advisor. 6 Welcome Kit Submitting Payment Submitting payment is simple! You can access the UoPeople Student Portal and go to the ‘Payments’ section to pay any balances, view upcoming payments and take a look at your payment history. We have several payment options for you to choose from. Online options include: debit/credit cards, or PayPal. We also have an offline Western Union option if needed. 2.6 Resources and Services Attending university is extremely fulfilling, but coursework can sometimes be challenging. We have a variety of resources readily available to help provide the support and assistance you need to tackle your studies with confidence. Program Advisors (PA) Every student at UoPeople is assigned a Program Advisor. Once you are assigned you will be notified through your email. A Program Advisor will be with you every step of the way from your first day at UoPeople up until graduation. They will be happy to answer any of your questions, discuss course selection and offer any administrative support that you may need. You can chat with your Program Advisor by email or sending a message by using our chatbot, “Michelle". In all emails you receive from UoPeople, including from your Program Advisor you will never be asked for sensitive information. Please report any suspicious emails to your Program Advisor. Chatbot “Michelle” Have you met our UoPeople chatbot “Michelle”? You can find our chatbot on our website just waiting for you to ask any questions that you may have so it can provide support. You can also use “Michelle” on the Student Portal, UoPeople Online Campus (Moodle), and to connect with your Program Advisor. You can access “Michelle” through our WhatsApp bot (+1 (626) 264-8880), Facebook and the official UoPeople website. Self-Service Forms Need transcripts, disability accommodation requests, or confirmation of enrolment? Head on over to the ‘Self-Service Form’ section in the UoPeople Student Portal. It’s here that you will find any essential documents you may need. Viva Engage Viva Engage is a social network just for the UoPeople community to collaborate and communicate. It is a social platform, which invites all university members to take an active part in listening and contributing to our online global village. 7 Welcome Kit Library and Information Resource Network (LIRN) Our LIRN is located inside the ‘UoPeople Library’ under the ‘Resources’ section in UoPeople Online Campus (Moodle). In the LIRN you will discover a wide range of academic journals and other open education resources through JSTOR. Learning Resource Center (LRC) The Learning Resource Center is located under the ‘Resources’ section in UoPeople Online Campus (Moodle). 3 LIFE AT UOPEOPLE 3.1 Learning Methods Each course at UoPeople is accompanied by a Learning Guide in UoPeople Online Campus (Moodle). that will help you to better understand your weekly assignments and stay on track by completing coursework on time. Your participation for these weekly assignments are taken in consideration when measuring course attendance. Each Learning Week begins on a Thursday and ends on Wednesday. So, make sure you look at your weekly tasks and plan them accordingly. We recommend you spend about 15 hours per week on each course for study time and to complete your assignments. 8 Welcome Kit These are a few of the course requirements you can look forward to completing: Learning Journal Reading/ Written Assignments Quizzes Discussion Forum final Exams 9 Welcome Kit 3.2 UoPeople Ambassador Program Are you ready to tell the world about UoPeople? Join the UoPeople Ambassador Program! We’re always looking for students like you to help us get the word out about our mission to make education affordable and accessible for all. Ambassadors earn points by completing challenges, posting about their experiences with the university, or helping prospective students learn about our programs. Each challenge you complete scores you points that go toward earning exciting rewards. Apply to be an Ambassador, click here today. You might even be featured on the UoPeople homepage! 10 Welcome Kit 4 TO-DO LIST New Student To-Do List: Verify your login details for the UoPeople Online Campus Verify your login details for the UoPeople Student Portal Read the ‘welcome’ email sent to your inbox, it has the subject line: “Welcome to UoPeople! Important information about Orientation” Attend and complete New Student Orientation on the Online Campus (Moodle) Complete any open items on the Student Portal Home Page Checklist Familiarize yourself with how to contact your Program Advisor Explore the Student Portal and locate forms, courses, and other vital information Prepare a study space and check your internet connection Connect with your peers on Viva Engage, find out who is in your area or share the same interests as you Get ready for an amazing academic adventure! 11 Welcome Kit 5 STUDENT SUCCESS STORIES 5.1 Employed at Top Companies We are so proud of our UoPeople graduates! They are proof that UoPeople prepares students with the tools needed to be successful upon graduation. UoPeople grads report working at leading companies worldwide. Including: 5.2 Where Are They now? Meet Mieko As a hardworking mom in Japan, she ran her own business with an ambition to expand to the global market. After moving to the United States, she decided to pursue an associate’s degree at UoPeople. Because UoPeople offers a flexible online schedule she was able to run her business, and take care of her son – all while earning her associate’s degree in Business Administration. Mieko then leveraged the valuable partnerships UoPeople has with top universities. She transferred to our then partner, the University of California at Berkeley where she graduated with a 4.0 GPA! Mieko M. Business Administration Graduate United States Her story doesn’t end there – Mieko is currently pursuing her master’s degree at MIT. In 2020, she founded a shop called Crane and Turtle in Boston, to introduce sustainable and practical Japan-made household items to Americans. Mieko is a wonderful example of what you can accomplish with hard work and ambition, and the support of UoPeople! 12 Welcome Kit Greetings from Abdullah This is Abdullah O., life was difficult for him growing up in war torn Syria. He had lost hope for the future and recognized that he was at a disadvantage without an education. He knew that in order to make his dreams come true he would need a degree. Then, he happened to see an ad on social media for University of the People. It seemed too good to be true, but Abdullah applied anyway. Abdullah O. Computer Science Syria Abdullah was accepted into the Computer Science Bachelor’s degree program with a full scholarship. Living in Syria he still had issues with losing power or elements beyond his control, but supportive instructors worked with him to help him overcome these challenges. But Abdullah wasn’t content, he pushed himself to achieve one of his greatest dreams- attending prestigious Columbia University and pursuing a career as a theoretical physicist. This year Abdullah was accepted to Columbia University and continues building the future of his dreams. Say Hello to Sarah By the age of 13, Sarah and her family were homeless. She eventually dropped out of high school and had two children. Life was extremely difficult for her. Sarah earned an undergraduate degree at another online university, but knew she wanted an advanced degree. Sarah then made a decision that would forever change her life. She completed her application and was accepted into University of the People! Sarah loved learning about other cultures and gaining the specialized skills that employers were looking for. She completed her MBA and quickly found a job at Amazon. Sarah M. MBA Graduate United States Sarah loves her job at Amazon where she can fully utilize her skillset to make a change in the world. She now owns her own home and has her own car. Life has completely changed for Sarah who had to overcome so much. 13 Welcome Kit 6 ACADEMIC CALENDAR Academic Calendar 2023 – 2024 You can also refer to the calendar on our website. 1. University of the People reserves the right to make changes to this calendar at any time. 2. Exact registration dates are set according to class standing group and program. Class standing is determined by the number of credits earned. 3. Course availability during late registration is limited. For proctored courses, students must complete all required steps to arrange for a proctor during the registration period. 4. Grades may be published earlier; students are advised to check for updates in the Student Portal. We wish you all the best on your UoPeople journey! disclaimer In the event of any conflict between the terms of this manual and the UoPeople Catalog , then the language of the UoPeople Catalog shall take precedence and be the guiding document. 14