Expand FAQ List

  • Enrollment

    • Enrollment in online self-paced courses does not require official admission to the university. Courses are open to all those who meet departmental and course prerequisites and Texas Success Initiative Program (TSIP) requirements. 

    • After students register for their online self-paced course in Texas State Self-Service; see instructions for registering on the Registering for Correspondence page. Once students register, they will be manually input into their Canvas course. 

      Note: Payment is due immediately, via the Student Business Services portal, for Online Self-Paced courses.  If payment is not received within 24 hours or enrollment, you will be dropped from the online self-paced class.

      Once you are input into your online self-paced course, a Welcome Email will be sent to your Bobcat Mail account. This Welcome Email highlights important information that you need to know about your online self-paced course. To access your Bobcat Mail, you will use your NetID and Password.

      You will access your course through Canvas. On your Canvas homepage, click "Dashboard" or "Courses" on the left-side menu of the page. You can search for your online self-paced course page there.

      Now you're ready to start your course!

    • Texas State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Therefore, credit earned at Texas State is accepted by most institutions of higher education. However, you should consult your school before enrolling in a correspondence self-paced course to ensure that, upon successful completion of the course, credit earned will transfer and apply to your degree.

    • Refer to the Office Location page for driving directions to our office and for information on where to park on the Texas State campus.

  • Financial Assistance and Costs

    • Being enrolled in an online self-paced course does not qualify students for a student loan deferment. You must officially be enrolled in a university or college to obtain a student loan deferment on the basis of current enrollment at a university or college. For more information about the rules for student loan deferment, contact the financial aid office at your educational institution.

    • Online self-paced courses do not qualify for federal financial aid. However, we accept third-party billing to cover a percentage of the total cost. More information can be found at the Financial Assistance page.

    • Visit the course cost page for current course costs. 

  • Course Procedures

    • Check out the self-paced course online Orientation Video to help you get started in your course. 

      Note: If your course in in Canvas, please review this Online Orientation Video to help get you started.

    • Contact your instructor by e-mail, using the Canvas Mail Tool in your course.

    • A variety of free tutoring resources are available for students enrolled in Texas State online self-paced courses. Visit the Tutoring page for more information.

    • Plan your course schedule effectively and begin completing coursework promptly after your enrollment. Instructors are given up to a week to grade each assignment submission, so plan for this assignment grading time. Students who begin their courses promptly after enrollment are more likely to complete courses successfully.

    • Instructors may take up to ten (10) working days to grade assignments and exams once they receive them from our office. Instructors often will return graded assignments more rapidly, but at certain times during the year, such as holidays and at the end of the semester, you can expect that the turn-around time on assignments may take longer.

    • If you submit an assignment on a Saturday or Sunday, Online and Extended Programs records your assignment as submitted on the following Monday.

    • Generally speaking, you may not submit more than two assignments per week. Some instructors, however, may require you to submit only one assignment per week or to receive a previous assignment's grade and feedback before submitting a subsequent assignment. To find out if your instructor has different requirements, consult the information in the Syllabus of your course. If the instructor doesn't specify any assignment submission limits, then you may not submit more than two assignments per week. Please note that it is of great benefit to you to submit one assignment at a time and to wait to receive graded assignments, so that you can read comments from the instructor before submitting subsequent assignments.

  • Course Credit

    • Since you are technically not admitted to Texas State when enrolled in an online self-paced course, and your enrollment is not term-based, your course is not considered when determining either the number of hours you're enrolled in each semester. Nor does your course affect your status as a full-time or part-time student, except in the semester in which you complete the course, when it is counted in your total semester load.

    • Students receive academic credit from Texas State University for completed self-paced courses. Course credit is applied to a student's transcript in the semester in which a course is completed.

    • At Texas State, students may apply up to 18 hours of credit from online self-paced study courses to a Texas State degree.

  • Course Completion or Non-Completion and Final Course Grades

    • Upon completion of a course, the final course grade is recorded on the student's transcript.

    • Once the Texas State Registrar receives your online self-paced course grade, that grade replaces any previous grade earned for the course.

    • At Texas State, an online self-paced course counts toward your GPA. Policies vary among different schools, so if you are not a Texas State student, be sure to find out from your university what the policy is regarding this at your school.

    • If you do not finish your online self-paced course before the expiration date, you will receive an "NC" in place of a grade for your course.  This will display on your transcript as "NC," signifying it was not completed.  However, this can be avoided by dropping your course and forfeiting your course payment.  You are encouraged to stay organized and work hard to complete your course in the allotted time.

    • Please review the following information from the Registrar's Office: https://www.registrar.txst.edu/registration/reg-home/drop-class.html 

    • Visit the Texas State Academic Calendar to determine when grades are due from faculty for the full term – typically stated as “Grades Due (Full Term).”

       Our online self-paced course instructors have up to 10 business days to grade assessments and exams. Therefore, if you complete your course 10 business days prior to when grades are due for the semester, then grades will apply to that semester. If you complete your course fewer than 10 business days prior to when grades are due for the semester, then the grade may apply to the following semester.

      For example, for the Fall 2023 semester, grades are due December 11, 2023. If you complete your course on December 1, 2023, your grade will apply to the Fall 2023 semester. If you complete your course on December 2, 2023, your grade may apply to the Spring 2024 semester.

  • Student Privacy

  • Academic Honesty

    • The Texas State Academic Honor Code applies to all Texas State students, including online self-paced students, as well as all courses, programs and academic activities at the university. Course syllabi and other information typically include a statement about the importance of academic integrity. If you are unsure or have any questions, feel free to talk with your instructors or other trusted staff on campus, including a member of the Honor Code Council. Take a moment to review the Honor Code, the policy that outlines the process for students, faculty, and others when an honor code violation is suspected, and the Honor Code Council's website for enhancing awareness on our campus:

      The Honor Code serves as an affirmation that the University demands the highest standard of integrity in all actions related to the academic community. As stated in the Texas State Student Handbook, Violation of the Honor Code includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an examination or other academic work, plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of resource materials.