Dear student;
Welcome to our online language course. As you begin this journey, I want to assure you that I am standing by you every step of the way. I am available to you from 9am to 9pm EST, Monday through Friday (call/text/email/etc.). I know this course is called an “independent study”, but I do not want you to think of yourself as independent; I am here to assist. Any time you need help, just ask. The first thing I can help you with is learning how to navigate the software we use to administer these courses. I suggest that we setup a time for me to give you a guided tour of the course. I can do this via video-conference. Let me know a time that works for you. As you begin this course, I want to be clear about our expectations:
First, you have one year to complete the course. Nevertheless, there are certain milestones before that date which you are expected to reach. As you know, it is very difficult to learn a language by cramming all the work into a short period of time. Because of this, we have established these milestones for the purpose of encouraging a more consistent and long-term approach to learning the language. These milestones are (recall there are 25 lessons):
lessons 1-5 must be complete 60 days after your start date;
lessons 1-15 must be complete by 60 days before your end date.
If you would like to adjust these dates, we can do that. Since you know your own schedule, just inform me what changes you would like to make. You are welcome to work faster than this, but you cannot work slower than this. As stated in the academic catalog, assignments that are not completed by these dates will be penalized by a drop of 0.7 grade points (thus, two days late would reduce the grade by 1.4 grade points, or for example, reduce the grade from an A- to a C+).
Second, a course like this requires regular and frequent attention. At a minimum, we expect you to work on this course on a weekly basis. Failure to login for a period of 15 days or more without a prior, written agreement will prompt us to contact you; and if no response is received, you will be removed from the course with a failing grade.
Third, be sure you understand the difference between a quiz and an assignment. A quiz in this course is always closed-book unless it explicitly says otherwise on that quiz. This means that you are not allowed to use any resources except your own mind as you take these quizzes and that each quiz must be completed in one sitting. On the assignments, however, you are allowed to use any resource available to you. You are especially encouraged to make use of the instructor!
Fourth, be sure you have read and understood what the seminary means by plagiarism and the consequences of those who engage in it. In this course, this means all translations are to be your own, not copied from any English translation.
Fifth, be sure you have read our distance learning policies.
It’s time to get to work. This page is your first stop. Enjoy!