Distance Learning Program

Distance Learning Program

Advising

DL CCJ Advisor:

Cheyenne Selby; crselby1@ua.edu; (205) 348-3910 Click here to make an appointment 

Distance learning (DL) students are required to meet with their advisors each semester to select courses and to get their PINs cleared for registration. DL students are NOT required to meet in person; DL students will meet with their advisor via telephone, email, or Zoom.

Advising Note: Advising is a two-way process. Before your advising appointment, all DL students are expected to conduct your own research to decide what courses you would like to take. DL students who have attended other universities may have had a different advising experience and we hope to easily transition you to this new advising model.

Spring Advising for Summer/Fall 2024 Registration

Please see our FAQ below for questions.

For dates and times of registration, visit the UA Registrar’s website.

Please make sure to register on your designated date/time. Classes fill up fast and are limited.

Reminder: DL students will always need to register for “OL” sections in the course catalog. These are designed for DL students. If a student registers for any other course designation they will be removed from the course. Taking main campus courses could result in additional charges made to the student’s account.

Distance Learning or Main Campus Changes

Any student considering switching to Distance from Main campus (or vice versa) should contact their advisor before making the switch.

**When changing programs from Main campus to Distance Learning, students will lose the courses they were previously registered for as a Main campus student. Students will need to be re-advised by the DL advisor and re-register for DL-designated courses.

 

Registration

How to Search for Courses
  • My Bama – Student Page – Academic and Student Services – Registration
  • Look Up Classes
  • Select summer or Summer or Fall 2024
  • Click “Advanced Search”
  • Select your intended department I.e., Criminal Justice, English, etc.
    • To search all subjects, select the top subject (AAST African American Studies), scroll to the bottom, press and hold the Shift key, and click on the last subject (WS Women Studies). That should highlight all subjects.
  • For Campus: Select “Online – Distance Students”
  • Attribute Type: if you want to look specifically for humanities/lit/writing/etc.
  • Part of Term: for winter interim classes, etc.
  • Click Section Search
How do I Register for Courses
  • My Bama – Student Page – Academic and Student Services – Registration – Add or Drop Classes
  • Select Term “Summer or Fall 2024”
  • Enter the provided CRNs in the small boxes.
  • Submit Changes
  • More information
  • Open “Registration Instructions” to view video guide.
How do I drop classes
  • My Bama – Student Page – Academic and Student Services – Registration – Add or Drop Classes
  • Select Current Term
  • Open the drop-down menu next to your registered courses. Select drop/delete.
  • Submit Changes
What is priority registration?
Typical Course Offerings for DL students in the CCJ Department
  • The College General Education requirements include two writing courses (with a W designation). We will only be offering one in CCJ, but you can take the second W course in other departments or in your minor.
  • The College requires 12 upper level courses (36 hours). Six of those courses (18 hours) will come from the CCJ major. DL students should prioritize taking upper level classes in their minor to complete the remaining 18 hours.
  • Students must complete CJ 102 before they can take any 300-400 level CCJ courses.
  • A C- or higher is required for all CCJ courses in major requirement blocks. If you earn a D you will still earn elective credits for the course, but it will not be applied to your major requirements.
Capacity Overrides
  • Please note CCJ advisors and office admit cannot grant overrides for courses that are not listed as CCJ or CC.
  • To request an override
    1. Obtain the course instructor’s permission for the override in writing (via email).
    2. Forward the instructor’s email granting override permission to the appropriate department’s office administration. Be sure to include your full name, CWID, and course CRN.
    3. If the override request is approved, you will need to register for the course using the CRN on the registration page.
Waitlist Policy
I have a hold on my registration. How do I find out what this is?
  • My Bama – Student Page – Academic and Student Services – Academic Records and Curriculum – View Holds
    Please note students must meet with their advisor to have the registration hold/pin removed.

Registration Error Troubleshooting

What do I do if the class I want to register for is full?
  • If the course is a CCJ class, you will need to add yourself to the waitlist. If this is your final semester at UA and this course is required to complete your degree requirements please contact your advisor.
  • If the class is outside of CCJ, you will need to contact the college the course is housed in to seek permission. Advising locations and contact info can be found
    here
What does “campus code” error mean?
  • You are trying to sign up for a section of the class that is restricted to main campus students. When registering for classes, be sure to check the class has a campus code of “OL”, otherwise you won’t be able to register for it.
What does “course link” error mean?
  • You are trying to sign up for a section of the class that requires a lab or recitation section. You must register for both the lab or recitation and lecture section simultaneously. You can generally find additional information and instructions in the “title” column. Lectures generally have a “3” in the credit column while labs and recitation sections typically have a “0” listed.
What do I do? I meet the prerequisites for a class but I get an error when I try to register.
  • Double check to be sure you meet the prerequisites (see them at catalog.ua.edu). If you do, you can contact the department that houses the class directly for information about obtaining a permit.
    University Catalog

GPA and Academic Standing

What’s the difference between my “overall GPA” and my “UA GPA”?
  • The overall GPA combines a student’s transfer GPA and their UA GPA, whereas the UA GPA is solely based off the work completed at the University of Alabama. Academic standing is based off the UA GPA. Coursework taken elsewhere and transferred back to UA will not impact the UA GPA, on the Transfer and Overall GPA.
What does “academic standing” mean and are their different types?
  • There are four standings a student can be placed in based on their UA GPA. The University of Alabama uses the Satisfactory Progress Standard (SPS) to determine a student’s academic standing.
  • Good Standing – any student with a UA GPA above 2.0
    Academic Warning – any student with a GPA below a 2.0 but above the SPS
    Academic Suspension – any student who has not met the SPS based on their overall hours after at least one term on Academic Warning
    Reinstated from Suspension – any student that has earned a suspension but has been reinstated to their college
    For full policy terms click here
Why have I been placed on academic warning?
  • An academic warning serves as an alert that a student’s GPA is close to the threshold for academic suspension and is placed on any student whose UA GPA falls below a 2.0 but remains above the SPS.
  • For more information on the SPS and academic status, warning and suspensions, Click here
  • Students who are placed on academic warning are required to meet with an Online Success coach at least twice during the semester (within the first two weeks of classes and again around midterms). To schedule a meeting with an Online Success Coach please use the link below.
    Click here to schedule an appointment
If I’m suspended, can I take summer classes to raise my GPA?
  • Yes, but those courses must be taken through UA. Take courses away from UA in summer will not impact a student’s UA GPA, which is what academic warning/suspension is based on.
What is academic bankruptcy?
  • The UA catalog defines academic bankruptcy as a “student’s request to retroactively withdraw from one academic term of study because of extreme personal, emotional, or financial circumstances so devastating that it was impossible for the student to perform academically at a level approximately the usual record of achievement”. If a student finds themselves in this situation, they can appeal for Academic Bankruptcy.
  • Please also see Academic Second Opportunity

Math Placement Exam

Information on the Math Exams and Placement
  • Students will be placed in math courses based on their ACT Math score, SAT math score, AP exam scores, IB exam scores, or through the math placement exam. All options will be considered and the best/highest placement will be used. Please see the photo below for more information.
  • If you have not taken the ACT/SAT/AP math courses/the IB Exam, you should consider taking the math placement exam. Without taking the placement exam, you would need to take 005, 100, and then 110 to take the CJ 381 Statistics course that is required in the major.
  • The placement exam can be found on the Admissions tab of MyBama. If you are not able to access it, you should contact testing services(testing.services@ua.edu) and explain that you are a Distance Learning student and that you need to take the Math Placement assessment. They should be able to give you access.
  • For more information, please visit https://math.ua.edu/math-skills-assessment/ or contact the Math Department math@ua.edu or call 205-348-5090
  • For course permission please fill out this form https://math.ua.edu/request-permission-to-enroll-in-a-course/
Math Placement Options
    • Please see the chart below

Minors

Minors
    • ALL CCJ MAJORS ARE REQUIRED TO DECLARE AND COMPLETE A MINOR OR A SECOND MAJOR.
    • UA Online has added several new minors recently that are approved for CCJ DL students. The approved minors are as follows:
      • Advertising and Public Relations
      • Communication Studies
      • Computing Technology and Application
      • Conflict Resolution
      • Digital Consumer Engagement
      • Entrepreneurship
      • General Business
      • Human Resource Management
      • Management
      • Personal Finance
      • Public Policy
      • Real Estate
      • Social Welfare*The options in bold are popular among CCJ DL students
    • Before selecting a minor, please consider the curriculum. This is particularly prudent if you are looking into any of the Business or Real Estate minor(s). For example, the first class required in the Real Estate minor is FI 331 Principles of Real Estate. The prerequisites for that class include (EN 101 or EN 120) and (EN 102 or EN 121 or EN 103 or EN 104) and (MATH 121 or MATH 125 or MATH 145) and (EC 110 or 112) and (EC 111 or 113) and (AC 210 or AC 211) and (LGS 200 or LGS 201) and ST 260 – meaning you must complete at minimum 8 classes before you can take that class. Attached is the University’s Distance Learning Degree webpage. https://online.ua.edu/degrees/
    • To explore the individual minors, use the first drop-down box title “Choose Program Type” next to find your program. From there, scroll down and select “Minors”. Once you have narrowed your search down to only the available minors, select each option to view their required courses. If you are interested in a second major, instead of selecting “Minors” under “Choose Program Type” you would need to select “Bachelor’s Degree”.
    • For more information on the program or a specific course please reference the course Catalog.
    • Once you have decided on either a minor or a second major, please contact Miranda Carlisle at mcarlisl@ua.edu She will update your Degree Works so we can better monitor your progress and assess the requirements for graduation.

Internships

CJ 395
  • CJ 395 offers students the opportunity to conduct CJ career exploration and build a record of experience and contacts in the field. It is common for students to complete 3-9 hours over a semester. Please note the total maximum number of internship credit hours that can be applied toward your degree is 12 hours – no exceptions.
  • Students must locate a criminal justice-related agency, department, firm, or organization and secure an invite along with a designated sponsor/supervisor. The requirements for CJ 395 are as follows:
    • Completing hour requirements at the internship agency (3 credit hours = 90 internship hours, 6 credit hours = 180 internship hours, etc.)
    • Supervisor evaluation form that allows the internship agency supervisor to assess the performance of their intern at the end of the semester.
    • A detailed time schedule that allows the intern to track their completed internship hours throughout the semester.
    • Summary of Time Schedule. This requires the intern to meet with their internship agency supervisor to formulate a work schedule at the beginning of the semester.
  • *Students that are interested in completing the CJ 395 Internship Course should reference the department’s internship webpage for more information https://cj.ua.edu/careers-internships/ Included on the webpage is the internship form. Please complete the contract and email it to Professor Doug Klutz at douglas.klutz@ua.edu . The contact number is (205) 348-6865.
    *Now available for seniors trying to graduate in the spring and summer semesters.

MILITARY/GI BILL INFORMATION

Info
  • If you are active military, retired military, or are in any way using the GI Bill, please make sure to contact the Office of Veterans and Military Affairs as well as the Financial Aid office to make sure you know what number of credit hours you will need and find out if you need enrollment or registration verification. This can be a lengthy process, so I want to make sure that you get it sorted out now, rather than wait until it’s too late.
  • I cannot/will not answer any questions about the GI Bill or related financial aid because I do not know enough about it to give proper advice.
    https://vets.sa.ua.edu/ and https://financialaid.ua.edu/
  • Students who need to have their Veterans and Military Affairs Advising Worksheet signed will need to contact Student Services in the College of Arts and Sciences after we have met and finalized your class schedule. Their email address is attached. student.services@as.ua.edu

General Financial Aid

Info
  • If you receive any form of financial aid, you should double-check that your aid is set up for the Spring semester. If you get to the first week of classes and your financial aid is not set up properly, they will drop your schedule, and getting back into classes is not easy.
  • You should also verify if there is a minimum number of courses you need to enroll in. Some forms of financial aid require you to be in 12 hours and it is unlikely that you will be able to take all of them in the CJ department.
  • Again, I will not answer questions about Financial Aid because I do not know enough about it to give proper advice.
    https://financialaid.ua.edu/

Transfer credits

I’m interested in taking classes elsewhere, how will those classes transfer back to UA?
I took classes somewhere else, but it isn’t showing up on my DegreeWorks.
Where can I find a Letter of Transiency and an Official Transcript?
    • My Bama – Student Page – Academic and Student Services – Official Documents
      Letter of Transiency or Official Transcript
      We recommend that students who plan to take courses outside of UA complete a Letter of Transiency prior to starting the course. This lets the student know how their credit will be received by UA, and some institutions require a copy of the letter as part of their transient admission process. Note: Students must request to have their official transcripts sent from an outside institution to UA in order to receive credit.
I’m transferring to a different school. What are my next steps
  • If you are planning on leaving UA and transferring to another institution, you are responsible for contacting the other institution to see how their credits will be received. You may need to submit an official transcript to the other institution which can be found on the Student tab in MyBama.

Study Abroad

I’m considering studying abroad. What are my next steps?
  •  Students who wish to study abroad will need to meet with a study abroad advisor in the Education Abroad Office (make this a hyperlink) to discuss options for studying in a different country. Study abroad advisors can discuss available programs to see what best fits the student’s needs.
    http://international.ua.edu/educationabroad/
I am planning to study abroad. How do I make sure my courses transfer back?
  •  Students can access the Study Abroad Course Equivalency Database on the Education Abroad website to see courses that have been previously approved. Note that after acceptance into a program, students must still complete the credit approval process. The online Course Equivalency Form is to be completed by the student, and the student must include course descriptions for all courses selected on the form. The form is then sent to each department chair in the major the course is housed for review, and once an equivalency decision is made, the student is notified. The course equivalency evaluation process generally takes 4-6 weeks to complete. Please be aware that academic advisors in Tisch Student Services cannot review course descriptions for equivalency. International transcripts can take up to 3 months to receive; therefore, we do not recommend students to take study abroad courses in their final semester because the transcript most likely will not be received in time for graduation.
    http://international.ua.edu/educationabroad/explore/database/

Graduation

Definition
  • Bachelor’s degrees awarded by The University of Alabama require the completion of all course requirements and a minimum of 120 credit hours. To graduate, all students must submit a Degree Application through MyBama by the deadline published on the Academic Calendar. The Degree Application should be filed for the term in which all degree requirements are expected to be completed.
    https://registrar.ua.edu/academiccalendar/
How do I apply for Graduation
What are the qualifications for summa cum laudee, magna cum ladue, and cum laude
  •  What are the qualifications for summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude?
    The honors designation announced at commencement are based on a student’s UA GPA earned at the end of the semester prior to the semester of graduation. Once all final grades are received, the Latin honors designation may be updated and will be reflected on the student’s final transcript. The honor designations are based off the following GPA ranges:
    cum laude: 3.5-3.69
    magna cum laude: 3.7-3.89
    summa cum laude: 3.9-4.0+
    For further information, visit the UA Registrar’s graduation page here.