Off-Campus Degree Program; Distance Learning Opportunities; and Part-time Study

The School offers degree programs at both Northern Kentucky University and the University of Louisville. The School does not offer all of its courses at those locations, but the School’s goal is to offer enough courses through several delivery means ([i] onsite at those locations, [ii] by video at those locations, [iii] via the Internet) to enable a student to complete the degree program at Northern Kentucky or Louisville.

The School offers certain Distance Learning (DL) courses that typically require little student presence on the main campus. Distance Learning courses utilize a variety of delivery methods, including face-to-face instruction in a location away from the main campus by regular or part-time LIS faculty, or through a number of instructional technologies including the Internet, interactive TV, compressed video, or videotape. It should be noted that courses taught via any of these delivery methods often require some class meetings in Lexington or at a remote site, and that while they can offer increased flexibility, it is the responsibility of the student to explore the requirements of each individual class.

The School supports Part-Time studies in a variety of ways; in addition to the availability of DL courses via instructional technologies that allow for flexible curricular engagement, some courses are scheduled in late afternoon, evening, and occasionally on Saturday in order to provide working students, for whom part-time study is essential, better access to the School’s master’s-degree program.

New 3 year Schedule of Distance Learning Classes for 2005-2008 Now available

In an effort to assist distance learning students plan their program activities, a three year plan for the next cycle of distance learning courses has been prepared. Distance learning methods include Internet delivery, interactive television, and video taped classes. Note that all formats usually require some face-to-face meetings, often on the Lexington campus . Also note that this list is a guide, and is subject to change if unforeseen circumstances arise; it is also possible that additional courses not currently planned may be added during this period.

Northern Kentucky University Program

For many years the School has operated a distance learning program at Northern Kentucky University, whose success has been due in part to the fact that residents of four Ohio counties (Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, and Warren) who are enrolled in the School's master's program pay in-state tuition for courses in the program that the students take at NKU. The availability of distance learning instructional technologies (Internet, interactive TV) led the School to request permission to offer a distance learning degree program at NKU, and the UK Graduate School approved the request. As a result, a student is no longer required to take a specified number of courses in Lexington (although some courses taught via the Internet may require some class meetings in Lexington, and certain elective courses will be only offered on the Lexington campus). The School has developed a new three-year program of courses, by semester, to be available at NKU through a combination of onsite instruction and distance learning instructional technologies. The list of courses does not comprise all of the School's courses.

Gaining Library Experience at NKU

The W. Frank Steely Library at Northern Kentucky University offers various possibilities for students who are enrolled in the UK library and information science master's program to gain experience while working in an academic library setting. These include paid Graduate Library Assistantships, a Library Fellowship, and opportunities for practicums and projects. Information is available on the Library's website, library.nku.edu.

If you have any questions regarding in-state tuition for Ohio residents, please contact:

Dennis Carrigan, Assistant Director, SLIS
Email: carrigan@uky.edu
Phone: 859-257-3316
-- or --
Dr. Peg Griffin, Director of Graduate Programs, NKU
Email: griffinp@nku.edu
Phone: 859-572-6364

Louisville Program

In response to a request by the University of Louisville, Louisville Free Public Library, and Jefferson County Schools, the UK School of Library and Information Science has offered a degree program there since 1999. Their interest, coupled with the availability of distance learning instructional technologies (Internet, interactive TV) led the School to request permission to offer a distance learning degree program at Louisville, and the UK Graduate School approved the request. As a result, a distance-learning student is no longer required to take a specified number of courses in Lexington (although some courses taught via the Internet may require some class meetings in Lexington, and certain elective courses will be only offered on the Lexington campus). A course guide is available to assist Louisville area students in their program planning.

Gaining Library Experience at U of L

University of Louisville Libraries offers various possibilities for students who are enrolled in the UK library and information science master's program to gain experience while working in an academic library setting. These include a Minority Internship, and opportunities for practicums and projects. For information about the Minority Internship, phone the office of the Dean of Libraries, (502) 852-6745.

Questions may be sent to Dennis Carrigan, Assistant Director, at: carrigan@uky.edu

DL FAQ

1. Does "distance learning" = "Internet"?
   No, it does not. Distance learning means courses offered "at a distance" primarily to accommodate students in locations outside of Lexington. We offer DL courses using a variety of delivery modes, including:
   - Face-to-face instruction at an off-campus location;
   - Compressed video (interactive TV);
   - Video tapes that can be viewed at a remote site;
   - Internet delivery.
2. If a course is offered via the Internet, can I assume there will be no face-to-face requirements?
   No - most (if not all) Internet delivered courses will require some face-to-face meetings either on the Lexington campus and/or an off-campus site.
3. OK, so if I'm taking a NKU or Louisville section of an Internet course, can I assume that any face-to-face requirement will take place at those sites?
   No, you should not assume that. Many NKU or Louisville designated sections will be taught by Lexington campus faculty who may require visits to Lexington for the meetings, since their students live in multiple areas around the region. Courses taught by local part-time instructors will likely meet in their local areas, as well.
4. If that is the case, why does the school bother with sections designated for NKU or Louisville?
   The main reason is that qualifying Ohio residents can get in-state tuition when they are enrolled in a section with the NKU designation. In addition, the School is trying to plan sections aimed primarily at the students in those geographic areas.
5. Is there a way to tell if the instructor for a NKU or Louisville course is a Lexington based instructor or local to that site?
   We do have a list of full-time and part-time faculty on our website (see http://www.uky.edu/CommInfoStudies/SLIS/faculty.htm). We will also begin to add a notation regarding this on the class schedules as they are published.
6. I'm a Lexington campus student - can I register for DL courses with Louisville or NKU section numbers?
   Generally these courses are restricted to students in each of those degree programs and they will always have priority access to them. Requests by Lexington campus students are dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
7. Should I expect that all LIS courses will be offered in a DL format?
   No. While the School plans to make it possible, within the next 3 year period, to accrue 36 hours that will satisfy the degree requirements, not all classes will be offered as DL. Students who plan to engage the program only via DL options must accept that they may not get some courses they deem of importance and that they may need to take some DL courses of marginal interest to their career plans to achieve a 36 hour program.
8. How do I know what to plan on in the way of DL courses?
   We have developed a course planning guide that shows our intended DL courses for different locations during the 2005-08 period. Note that this is subject to change; courses may not be delivered as scheduled if unforeseen circumstances arise and conversely, additional courses could be added to this list.
9. Will every DL course be offered every semester?
   No (see course planning guide). Since some courses are offered on a rotating schedule at different locations, DL students need to pay particular attention to the timing of the courses they need and their related prerequisites.
10. I notice that the DL course planning guide does not list either the 4 week or 8 week summer sessions during the 2005-08 period. Why is that?
    It is because the School can not plan summer DL offerings that far in advance. It also reflects the likelihood that those offerings will be very limited.
11. Why are DL offerings so limited in the summer terms?
    
    All the School's summer offerings are limited, and this is especially true for DL courses. This is for a number of reasons, including:
    1.  The full-time teaching faculty in the School are on nine month appointments, and summer teaching is therefore optional. Some FT faculty do teach summer courses, however, research, service, administrative and personal activities limit the number who will teach during the summer.
    2. Similarly many part-time faculty are not available to teach during the summer.
    3. The limited number of summer courses that can be delivered must also address the needs of the large number of Lexington-area students. In particular a large number of teachers pursue school media certificiation on the Lexington campus during the summer. These students expect that there will be sufficient courses available on the Lexington campus to allow them to retain full-time status. Much of this is a zero sum game; with the full-time faculty, a decision to offer a DL course at another site means that course will not be available on the Lexington campus for those students.
    
12. Who will keep me informed about the meeting requirements of my DL classes?
    While we will try to make as much information available as we can by postings on our web site, it is always the responsibility of the student to explore the requirements of all classes they register for.