Frequently Asked Questions

These are some helpful answers to some commonly asked questions. If you have other questions, send them to Susan Cregg (scregg@ksu.edu).

Where can I find the forms I need?

Many commonly required forms for distance education can be found here.

Will there be an exit exam?

No. Students are required to complete a significant terminal project as part of the curriculum. There is no thesis option.

What are the basic computer requirements?

Listservs, e-mail, message boards, and chat rooms are used for many MSE distance education courses. Most courses post video/audio for lectures, as well as assignments, resources, etc., on the web. Therefore, students must have access to a computer, the Internet, and e-mail.

As all MSE courses will be taken over the web, a modern computer in good working order is essential for completing the degree. Check the minimum system requirements.

What is a K-State eid?

All MSE students are required to have a K-State eid. eID is short for "electronic ID". It's the name for your central computer ID that serves as your primary "electronic identity" at K-State. The concept is "one eID, one password" for each K-State student, faculty, staff, alumnus, and guest. There's a limit of one eID per person.

More importantly, your eID gives you access to a lot of K-State resources -- including e-mail, a personal webpage, access to the Digital Library, free antivirus software, and more. Students can use it to access KATS (their student information) and vote online. The FAQ for K-State eids is located at http://eid.k-state.edu/faq.html.

With your eID, you also manage your eProfile -- to change your password, turn e-mail forwarding on, set spam-filtering options, and so forth. To get your eid, go to http://eid.k-state.edu/.

Is a Distance Degree different from an On-Campus Degree?

All distance courses offered in this program are exactly the same as the courses offered on campus. Many web-based lectures are recorded during on-campus classes and made available on-line immediately after each lecture is completed. Other lectures are pre-recorded and are generally viewed by both on and off campus students.

A distance web course will be accessible and utilized by both distance and on-campus students. Frequently, instructors combine their on- and off-campus students via e-mail or the Internet to work on projects together or to 'chat' via a discussion room or message board.

Your transcript and diploma will look the same as an on-campus student's with no reference to whether the degree was completed on or off campus.

When are courses offered?

Courses offered in this degree program will be taught via the Internet and courses run concurrently with the on-campus class.

Students are encouraged to enroll early, but no later than two weeks before the beginning of the semester. Students who enroll on or after the first day of class will experience delays in receiving course information and materials. Late fees will apply--see information below.

How do I register/enroll?

Prior enrollment or admission to K-State is not required of students who are not pursuing a degree. However, the Division of Continuing Education cannot enroll students who have been dismissed or denied admission.

If you are a "non degree seeking student" (you have not been admitted to the MSE program), you should contact Susan Cregg (scregg@ksu.edu) directly to gain permission to enroll.

If you are already enrolled at K-State, you should gain permission to enroll via the following procedure.

  1. Get "Instructor Permission" from CIS to enroll in the course(s) you would like to take by completing the following steps.
    • Complete student portion of the appropriate advising form at http://www.cis.ksu.edu/programs/grad/forms.
       
    • E-mail the completed form to your advisor/major professor. (Your advisor/major professor will complete the form and e-mail it to Susan Cregg, scregg@ksu.edu).
       
    • Susan will then give you permissions to enroll in the appropriate courses.
       
  2. Register for your courses at http://eis.dce.ksu.edu/CreditReg/CourseSearch/search.html.

Distance students also follow the same guidelines for filing their program of study as on-campus students. The POS should be filed before the end of the second semester for full-time students or upon completion of 9 credit hours for part-time students. Course permissions will not be given if the student has not met this requirement. Please let Susan Cregg (scregg@ksu.edu) know if you have any questions about filing your POS or the enrollment procedures.

For registration questions or assistance, CALL the Division of Continuing Education at 1-800-432-8222 or 785-532-5566 (in Manhattan), 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Central Time, Monday through Friday.

When do I have to file my Plan of Study (POS)?

The POS should be filed before the end of the second semester for full-time students or upon completion of 9 credit hours for part-time students. This applies to both on campus and off campus students. Course permissions will not be given if the student has not met this requirement. Please let Susan Cregg (scregg@ksu.edu) know if you have any questions about filing your POS or the enrollment procedures.

Can I use the K-State library?

Each student enrolled in on-line courses is eligible for assistance provided by the Library Services Facilitator. The Library Services Facilitator will check out books, photocopy articles, search indexes and provide other library assistance at a cost to relieve students of the burden of traveling to the KSU campus library.

For more information, visit the web-site at: http://www.lib.k-state.edu/services/distance/, call the Library Services Facilitator Office at: 785-532-7262, 24-hrs a day, 7 days a week or toll-free at 1-800-622-2578 between 8:00 a.m. - noon, and 1 - 5 p.m. Central time, Monday - Friday, or e-mail at: libserv@dce.ksu.edu.

In addition, Hale Library on the K-State campus also provides services to students living outside of Manhattan. Check the library web site for additional information: www.lib.ksu.edu.

What is the copyright policy for online material?

All Kansas State University course materials, syllabi, and web lectures are copyrighted. You may duplicate the course materials only for your own use, and you must erase any duplicated material as soon as you complete the course requirements.

You may not make any CDs, tapes, or course materials available to other people, unless you have explicit written permission from the K-State Department of Computer Science and the Division of Continuing Education to share them with certain individuals.

Students are prohibited from selling (or being paid for taking) notes during the course to or by any person or commercial firm without the express written permission of the professor teaching the course.

Is there a Student Handbook?

The Division of Continuing Education has a list of resources, which lists information about registration, scholarships, policies, and library services, etc., is available at http://www.dce.k-state.edu/students/services/.

What are my student responsibilities?

Students enrolled in the MSE program should check with their advisors before registering for a course to ensure that the course meets degree requirements.

Students should consult the K-State Graduate Catalog for specific information concerning graduate student responsibilities. Additional information is available from the Graduate School, 102 Fairchild Hall, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, 785-532-6191, or online at http://www.ksu.edu/grad/.