Frequently Asked Questions about Shippensburg University Online Courses

Q. What is an online course?

An online course delivered via the Internet is designed to allow you to earn college credit from your home, office, or while traveling. Online courses may include exercises, projects, and collaborative assignments. The learning environment may feature tutorials and courses with audio lectures, photo materials, discussions, chat rooms, readings, illustrations, and video.

Q. Who can take an online course?

Virtually anyone!  Current students, visiting students, and others, are invited to register for online courses. Undergraduate Students must have a minimum of twelve (12) credits and a 2.0 GPA prior to registering for an online course. A previously failed course may not be repeated through an online course. Some courses have listed prerequisites, which are included in the course descriptions. 

Online courses require extreme self-discipline. Students must log on and be prepared to read through many pages and comments. A great deal of time is spent visiting websites, reading articles, contributing to online discussions and chats, and preparing and submitting assignments. Completing online quizzes, exams and participating in online group projects are common. Students are strongly encouraged to click on the links "What computer knowledge and skills do I need?" and "How do I get started once I am registered?" to gain a thorough understanding of the online learning environment.

Q. Will I need to come to campus?

Some courses do require on-campus meetings. Please carefully read the detailed course descriptions listed under "Courses" to determine if an online course has any required "face to face" meetings prior to registering. "Face to face" requirements will vary for each course and are dependant upon the instructor.

Q. How are tests administered?

Most online courses have assigned projects and exams online. Some courses do require on-campus exams. Please carefully read the detailed course description for any specific testing requirements. In some cases, an instructor may require you to have your exam proctored.

Q. Are the credits transferable to other colleges?

Generally, Shippensburg University credits are transferable to most colleges and universities.  If you attend another college/university, you will need to check with your advisor about transferring credits from Shippensburg University. There is no difference in how online and on-campus course credit and grades are recorded on an official Shippensburg University transcript.

Q. How much will the course cost?

There is no application fee for any online courses. Please review the "Registration Information" section for detailed tuition and fee costs.

Q. How do I start the course? Will the instructor contact me?

IMPORTANT: All students must use their ship.edu email address for online courses. The instructor will email you approximately one (1) week before the start of the course at your ship.edu email account.  You will be required to respond to your instructor within a few days.

• If you are a current Shippensburg University student and you have changed your ship.edu email address to another provider, you must reassign your email account back to your assigned ship.edu email account for the duration of the online course. These instructions can be found be clicking here .
• If you are a new student, you will need to login to the Admissions Status page with your SSN and Date of Birth at https://info.ship.edu/student/app/admissions/admitstatus.pl  Your SU ID and Ship email address will be displayed on the screen.  You will need the SU ID to set a password for your Ship email account.  This information can not be accessed for at least one week after the date of your registration.

Q. How do I obtain the required textbooks?

You may call the University Bookstore at (717) 477-1569 M-F from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and have the books shipped right to you!  You may also purchase your textbook online at http://ship.bkstr.com.  PA residents should allow one (1) week, all others should allow two (2) weeks for delivery of any bookstore purchases.

Q. Can I access the Library resources from home?

Yes, all students taking online courses can access the library resources. To learn more about what the library has to offer check out their website at http://webspace.ship.edu/library/.

• Non-SHIP Students: We will email your library ID access number shortly after you schedule your course. This library ID access number will enable you to access the resources of the library on the web.
• SHIP Students: You can access library resources using the library number printed on your student ID card.

Q. How do I obtain my transcript when the course is over?

You may obtain an official transcript (for free) by stopping by  the Office of the Registrar in 111 Old Main, or downloading the transcript request form and mail the completed form (you must include your signature ) to the Office of the Registrar. 1871 Old Main Drive, Shippensburg, PA 17257.
You may also print an unofficial transcript from the Student Information System (SIS) at https://info.ship.edu/student/app/login.pl. Once logged into the SIS click on Registrar and then Academic Record.

Q. Where can I go if I need more information about courses and registration?

Please contact the Office of Extended Studies at (717) 477-1502 or extended@ship.edu or stop by Horton Hall 108. We will be happy to assist you.