Academic Services

This section will outline the academic services available to eCore students. Students should review these services, gain a better understanding the registration procedures and see a list of the courses that are offered through eCore.

This section will provide information on the following:

• eCore Liaisons
• Student Success Team
• Student Accessibility Services
• Proctored Tests
• Registration
• Tuition and Fees Information
• Dropping, Adding or Withdrawing From a Course
• Financial Aid
• Academic Services FAQs

eCore Liaisons

Each of the eCore Affiliates has a specified representative on campus. These representatives can answer any questions about eCore, such as "How do I register?" or "How do I appeal my grade?" For advisement and other questions, please contact the eCore representative at the appropriate Affiliate Institution. To contact an eCore liaison, please visit the institutions page).

Student Success Team

Students enrolled in eCore courses may be contacted by members of the Student Success Team for assistance throughout the semester. The Student Success Team work alongside the eCore Liaisons and the instructors to provide resources and guidance to students to help ensure success in the program. Throughout the semester, members of the success team will communicate with students through email and telephone, providing timely reminders throughout the semester and tips for success. At the beginning of the semester, instructors will request students to provide a telephone number so that the Student Success Team can follow up for assistance if needed.

Student Accessibility Services

If a student has an accessibility issue, or suspects that he/she has an accessibility issue and would like to be considered for accommodations, there are several options. Each USG institution has an office of accessibility services, and the campus eCore Liaison can provide information regarding the office on each home campus. Visit the USG eCore Institutions page to access the accessibility office at your school. Students should contact the accessibility services coordinator at their home institution to discuss the documentation and process required for special accommodations.

If the student needs assistance from eCore, the student should contact eCore Support Services at 678-839-5300 or ecore@ecampus.usg.edu. Please note that email communication is NOT secure and confidentiality cannot be assured if the student elects to communicate via email.

In all cases, students will be asked to qualify for special accommodations by providing documentation that they have gone through an evaluation process at an approved University System of Georgia or private agency evaluation site.

It is the student's responsibility to make arrangements with their current institution's campus accessibility services office at the beginning of the semester if they will require accommodations for the current semester. Students should provide the accommodation documentation issued by the institution to their eCore instructors AND to eCampus Testing at etesting@ecampus.usg.edu prior to the time the student will need accommodations.

How do students access CIDI (formerly AMAC) services?

University System of Georgia eCore students should contact the accessibility service provider at the institution to which they pay their tuition. The service provider will walk the student through accessing CIDI services.

How do students get access to accessible versions of their books?

All of eCore's open texts are available in accessible format in the Affordable Learning Georgia repository for accessible versions of USG eCore texts

How do students get training on assistive technology (reading software and hardware)?

Students can be trained by the accessibility service provider or can call the CIDI Toll-Free Technical Support Help Line at 866.418.2750. Students can check the CIDI website for up-coming trainings in their area. There is also a Student Resources site that can be accessed or downloaded through the CIDI website

What does the faculty member do when notified that a student has a disability?

When faculty members are provided with official documentation of needed accommodations by either the student or the campus accessibility office, the instructor should provide all applicable accommodations to efaculty@ecampus.usg.edu.

Proctored Tests

The University System of Georgia Board of Regents requires that each eCore course contain at least one proctored experience of significance, and a proctored experience is required for successful completion of an eCore course. In courses requiring only one proctored exam, failure to take that exam will result in a failing grade for the course regardless of the average of other grades. In courses in which the instructor requires two proctored exams, the student may or may not pass the course as long as they take at least one exam, depending on other grades. In other words, the zero received on the missed exam will lower the average grade for the course significantly, perhaps below the passing mark.

In order to measure learning outcomes in an objective, verifiable way, instructors will require students to take one or two exams with an authorized test proctor. eCore proctored exams work differently than exams in traditional, on-campus classes because they require you to plan, schedule and pay for the proctor’s time.  Test proctor costs average about $23 per exam appointment. Students can utilize their home instituion's testing center, other eCore approved testing centers (such as certain preapproved testing centers at private universities and technical colleges), or the online proctoring service ProctorU. Special arrangements may also be avaiable for high school, military, and out of state students. Students are responsible for reviewing the course syllabus during the beginning of the semester well in advance of the midterm and/or final to confirm when exams are scheduled and to then decide where to take the exam. 

Students also have the option to schedule proctored exams with an online proctoring service called ProctorU. In this testing modality, the student must meet the required computer and internet connection requirements, and the student will be recorded during the full duration of connection with the service. It is the student's responsibility to end the recording by closing the browser tab and clicking on the red X of the chatbox. If the student does not close out the recording, they will continue to be monitored by the screen and webcam recordings.  

Students are also responsible for being aware of the conditions and policies under which the exam will be proctored and administered. This includes a requirement to present a photo ID as part of the proctored exam procedure. This will also include no password sharing and no unauthorized aids or electronic devices accessible during the exam. Test proctors will report any academic honesty issues to the professor. Students should adhere to their institution's code of conduct while taking a proctored exam.

Registration

Students register for eCore courses through their campus's Banner system. Each institution has its own registration schedule; students should check their institutional calendars for registration dates or consult with eCore liaisons for information.

eCore Administrative Services will send students' Welcome Letter via email. The confirmation email includes instructions for logging into eCore coursework. In addition, the email will have other important information to get students started with eCore classes.

eCore Administrative Services and respective institutions must have each student's official institutional email address in order to send important academic notices during the semester.

Tuition and Fees Information

Tuition for eCore is $159 per credit hour. Materials required for courses are not included in tuition rates. Students who register for traditional classroom courses or other distance education courses offered at affiliate institutions will be billed for all of the courses, in additional to any mandatory fees. For students enrolled in eCore classes only, some of the additional institutional fees may not be charged.

Any financial aid is reflected on the student's bill. Those taking classes from more than one institution will receive separate billing notices from each institution.

University System of Georgia Employees - Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)

Employees of the University System of Georgia may be eligible to register for eCore courses through the University System TAP

Human Resources Offices at each institution have the appropriate application forms. Each institution has specific guidelines and procedures relating to participation in the TAP. Generally, employees may register for courses only after registration closes and only on a space available basis.

Proctored Experiences

Every eCore course requires at least one, and no more than two, proctored exams or proctored experiences. Most test sites charge a fee for proctoring exams—generally between $15 and $30.  

Dropping, Adding or Withdrawing From a Course

Drop/Add

eCore students can add eCore courses through their institution during the first three (3) days of class each semester and drop eCore classes during the first five (5) days of class each semester. Please note that the eCore calendar may differ from the regular institutional calendar. Classes may begin earlier or later, and drop/add dates may also be different.

Drop for Non-Payment

Some of the institutions may drop students for non-payment if fees are not paid by the deadline.

Drop/Withdrawal for Non-Attendance

All students must log in to their course(s) during the first five calendar days of the semester and complete all attendance requirements for each course; if not, students will be reported as inactive and administratively dropped or withdrawn.
NOTE: Although courses may be dropped for non-participation, students who wish to withdraw should not count on being withdrawn by their instructor or their respective affiliate institutions. It is the student's responsibility to withdraw from courses he or she opts not to complete.

Withdrawal

If for some reason a student cannot participate in class activities, he or she should contact the instructor immediately. Failure to respond to the initial faculty communication within a week or to complete course activities within the first week will result in a student being reported for non-attendance. Failure to participate without officially withdrawing from the course will result in a grade of "F". A student may officially withdraw up to the midpoint of the semester without academic penalty.

Withdrawal Procedure

A student may withdraw from a course with a grade of "W" if the withdrawal is completed by the official midpoint of the semester.  The midpoint is listed in each course syllabus.  Students who wish to withdraw should do so according to their home institutions' withdrawal procedure.

Financial Aid

Regardless of whether a student is taking eCore courses as a transient student, a transfer student, or as a new student, he or she may use financial aid to pay for eCore courses just like he or she would with traditional campus classes. Financial aid information is available at students' home institution. Contact them for assistance with determining aid eligibility, application procedures, and additional information.

Academic Services FAQs