Online Student Requirements

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Earning an online degree or taking online education courses is a positive experience for most students. You’ll be most successful if you’re knowledgeable about online learning before taking a course. We’ve provided a list of online education requirements and suggestions for you to consider before finalizing your decision to earn your online degree or enroll in our accredited online education courses. Be sure to check out our other online education resources listed below for more helpful information related to online learning.

 While online courses can offer more flexibility in scheduling, they require more self-discipline and independence than on-campus courses. Some students can find this uncomfortable and not suitable for their learning style. They may miss face-to-face interaction with an instructor and peers, which helps to keep them on track. In the online environment. You have to be able to start and to work on tasks on your own, without someone keeping you focused, and you have to be self-disciplined in order to follow the class schedule and meet deadlines. 

Technical malfunctions may not be accepted as an automatic excuse for late work. Part of success online and as a professional, is to be prepared. So even if you have your own personal computer with internet access, accidents or issues can come up so that you either lose Internet access or your computer breaks down.

Please check the Skills Requirements and Technical Requirements links for additional considerations you may want to take into account.

Online classes take as much time as regular on-campus classes. You need to set aside sufficient time for study. Plan to spend at least as much time working on the assignments and studying as you would with a traditional course. Note that some students report spending even more time for online classes than for traditional ones. Time that you need to devote to a 3-credit course will be approximately 12 hours a week.

Online Authentication of Student

• SmerterID: SmarterID is a user authentication system that uses facial recognition technology to validate a student’s identity and document attendance. It can be used inside of SmarterProctoring or as as standalone application.

Benefits of SmarterID

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  Prevents Cheating: Provides deterrent and helps prevent cheating on project-based learning and exams
• Standardization: Standardizes identity practices for online students
• Identification: Empowers faculty to identify suspicious behavior
• Attendance Verification: Meets federal aid regulations by verifying attendanceAcademic Integrity: Keeps promise of academic integrity
• Security: Grants security to the students

Computers Suggestions

• Be comfortable with computers and with using technology. (email, web, basic skills, search engines)
• Have regular access to a computer with Internet (highspeed).
• Be comfortable with installing and opening applications on your computer.
• Able to create, save, and work with files easily. (PDF's, video, audio, MS Word, Power Point, etc)
• Have a webcam!
• Your computer should meet the following requirements. click here.

Internet

• Be familiar with using an Internet browser (i.e., Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.)
• Use the Internet regularly for accessing email, news, social media, etc..
• Do you have an email address? If so, can you send and receive messages as well as send (and open) attachments.

Online Learner Qualities

• Be self-motivated and able to compete tasks on time without direct supervision.
• Be able to communicate well grammatically through writing.
• Be a critical thinker (i.e., enjoys researching information and communicating ideas).
• Work well with others.

If this is you, online learning may be for you! You may want to give some additional thought before enrolling in your first online course. Being an online student at GSU requires participating in online activities 5 to 7 days a week as well as keeping up with coursework and completing assignments on time.