2020-2021 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
College of Online Education
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 Return to: College of Online Education
College of Online Education Mission Statement
The Mission of Life University’s College of Online Education is to provide a high-quality global online educational experience, based on a vitalistic philosophy, that maximizes each student’s innate potential to pursue their goals and assume roles in leadership and the workplace through the application of integrity and principles of lasting purpose.
General Information for Online Students
Taking an Online Course
An online course provides students with flexibility by replacing face-to-face traditional classes with engaging online instructional activities. An online course requires that students work in an asynchronistic environment, where students will need to:
- Manage their time effectively and efficiently;
- Take increased responsibility of their learning;
- Be willing to seek help from instructors when needed;
- Regularly log into the online course;
- Fully engage in all aspects of the online environment;
- Be self-motivated;
- Be willing to learn independently.
In addition to the above, students should also ensure that they have a quiet learning space for completing their online work and collaborating with others in a virtual environment. Students should own a computer that meets the minimum technology requirements as stipulated below.
Software & Hardware Requirements
- Windows 10
- Current version of Microsoft Office or “Office 2016 Home & Student” installed.
- 2 GHz or faster CPU
- 8GB or more RAM
- 200 GB or larger hard drive
- Internet Speed of 20 Mbps or Faster
- Speakers
- Microphone
- A University e-mail address
- A Web-Cam
Some courses may have additional requirements. Instructors will give students more Information.
Students must complete an assessment in their student orientation to verify they have the required hardware and software.
Internet Skills
An online student should be able to:
- Send and receive e-mail
- Open an attachment to a message
- Find a Web page using its address or URL
- Follow links from one web page to another
- Use the forward and backward buttons on the browser
- Print a web page
- Bookmark pages to access them later
- Use a search engine on the Internet (e.g., Yahoo!, Google, etc.)
- Download documents or software from the Internet
- Upload documents
Accessing Online Courses
Life University online courses are administered through the Blackboard Learning Management System.
Students can submit an IT request to LIFE’s Information Technology department if they are experiencing issues accessing their online courses. The IT request form can be found via the Life University Website. Blackboard support can also be contacted by emailing blackboardsupport@life.edu.
Online Student Orientation
All new online students are required to complete a distance education orientation in Blackboard by the end of week two of the first quarter of enrollment. Students will earn a Certificate of Accomplishment upon completion of the course. This certificate should be scanned and sent to Life University’s Digital Learning Program Coordinator, via e-mail to onlineeducation@LIFE.edu. Further information is contained in this course. Failure to fulfill this requirement as described above will result in deregistration for the quarter.
Online De-Registration Policy
AS.026
Students will be notified of de-registration on Wednesday of week two with the actual de- registration notification sent to Registrar and Financial Aid at the end of the day on Monday of week three. (Actual de-registration will then occur on Tuesday of week three due to system batching.)
Students may register for an online offering through Friday of week one; Blackboard batch for enrollment takes 24-hours. Students in this situation will need to be advised to participate academically by Monday of week three. Below outlines the De-registration timeline:
- Faculty will receive notification of pending de-registration by student/course between Wednesday-Friday of week two.
- A final notification will be sent to faculty by student/course at the end of the day on Monday of week three.
- Students are officially de-registered from their course(s) by Tuesday of week three.
If a student is de-registered from a course, they may appeal the de-registration to the Dean of Online and Continuing Education by the end of the day on Tuesday of week three. The student must provide documentation of the extenuating circumstance(s) that prevented them from participating in the course, and a plan detailing how they will successfully complete the remainder of the course.
Test Monitoring
Some undergraduate and graduate online courses will use a test monitoring platform for student authentication in test-tasking. Students will be directly responsible for a fee for this proctoring service. Additional information on this service and its use will be found in the individual online course(s).
Science Labs
Some science courses require labs at an additional fee. Each course contains specific information on the cost and accessing the labs.
Student Complaints
Complaint Resolution
The University works with students to resolve all complaints in an expeditious, fair, and pleasant manner. The complaint process provides students a path to discuss academic and non-academic concerns or register formal complaints or grievances. This process can also be used to address alleged violations of State consumer protection laws that include but are not limited to fraud and false advertising, alleged violations of State laws or rules relating to the licensure of post-secondary institutions, complaints relating to the quality of education, or other State or accreditation requirements. Post-secondary institutions participating in federal student financial aid programs are required to maintain formal grievance procedures.
STEP 1
Students are encouraged to resolve issues within the University. Complaints should first be filed internally to the appropriate Life University authority and then, if necessary, to external authorities. Students can also view LIFE’s Student Complaint Process in the Student Handbook.
Non-Academic Matters
Students with grievances relating to non-academic matters should confer with the Director of Student Conduct. The Director of Student Conduct will facilitate a review of the issue as it relates to Life University policy. The role of the Director of Student Conduct is to facilitate a resolution to each issue presented as well as ensure that each individual is treated fairly and in accordance with all Life University policies, procedures and standards of conduct. If a resolution cannot be achieved, the Director of Student Conduct may refer the student to the Human Resources Department to determine what additional steps may be available.
Academic Matters
Concerning academic questions or complaints, the student should first go to the instructor involved. If questions are not satisfactorily handled or the complaint adequately handled, the student should go to the instructor’s immediate supervisor (the assistant dean/division chair). The next step in the student complaint process is for the student to go to the associate dean of the college in which the student is enrolled, and then to the dean of the appropriate college if needs are not satisfactorily met through the associate dean. If students wish to appeal the decision of the dean, they should contact the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Vice President for Academic Affairs will make the final decision.
Online Forms
STEP 2
If a student/consumer feels an issue was not resolved satisfactorily at the highest level of the University, they may then file a complaint with the appropriate state agency.
Students/consumers residing outside of Georgia in a SARA state may file a complaint with the State of Georgia by contacting the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (http://gnpec.org/ga-sara/). NC-SARA States.
Students/consumers residing outside of Georgia in a non-SARA state may file a complaint with the appropriate consumer protection agency in the state they live in. The following link displays the Complaint Resolution by State.
Should a link not work properly please contact State Authorization Coordinator: Vince.Erario@LIFE.edu.
STEP 3
If the student/consumer is not satisfied with the resolution provided by the University and the state, they may file a complaint with the University accreditation agency. Accrediting agencies will only review issues addressing significant non-compliance with agency standards, policies, or procedures. This is to be considered a last resort effort. If the student/consumer has not followed all of the preceding steps they will be directed by the agency to start with Step 1, at the University.
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) complaint procedures – Inquiries related to topics such as admission policies, financial aid opportunities, program information, etc. should be referred directly to Life University at 770-426-2600, 1-800-543-3202, or www.life.edu. The Commission is to be contacted only if there is evidence that appears to support the institution’s significant non-compliance with a requirement or standard.
- Life University’s Accreditation Page
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097
404-679-4501
http://www.sacscoc.org/pdf/081705/complaintpolicy.pdf
Complaint Resolution by State
Students located outside of Georgia while enrolled in Life University may also choose to contact the appropriate higher education entity in their state.
Degree Programs Offered Both Online & On-Campus
Programs
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