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What is MSVCC? |
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The Mississippi Virtual Community College
brings together the resources of the states 14 community colleges to expand program offerings giving you more educational options than ever before. You get the same high quality
instruction and course content that these colleges provide to traditional students, minus the barriers of
time and place that prevent so many from pursuing educational
opportunities. |
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What if
I have AOL or CompuServe as my Internet Service Provider? |
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First you must download either
Netscape or Internet Explorer. You can add the
Netscape Navigator or the
Microsoft Internet Explorer
browser to your AOL software and use it for your browser while
online with AOL. Once you
have installed either Netscape's Navigator or Microsoft's Internet
Explorer, the following procedure should be used:
- Run the AOL
software which dials up the AOL service and establishes the
connection in the usual manner.
- Once the AOL
connection has been established, click on the "INTERNET" button to
start the Internet Services. Once the Internet Service has been
started, you can minimize the AOL program to an icon.
- Invoke
Navigator or Internet Explorer. It will use the Internet
Connection you have established via AOL.
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How does this work? |
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MSVCC allows you to register at one of
our colleges, while taking courses online. In most cases, you never
have to go to the campus, however, please check the course details
to check for proctored exams or other possible campus, or software
requirements. First, a student submits a college application. Then your
host college will send you details on how to complete the application process. After acceptance to a participating college, you
can register to take courses online. After you have finished your course(s), your grades will be transcripted by the
host college you
enrolled with for the course, not by the MSVCC. |
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Where is my host
college? |
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Students select their host college
from among MSVCC's
participating colleges. If you are already a student at one of
the participating colleges, then you can take courses through MSVCC. If you are not a student at one of the
participating colleges, you will need to complete an application
for the participating host college of your choice. |
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Do I have to live in
Mississippi? |
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No. You can live anywhere and take
courses through MSVCC. As long as you have access to the Internet,
you can participate in our courses. Out of State students will pay
additional tuition. |
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How do I go to my
course? |
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After you have registered for your
course, you will receive log in instructions from your host
college. You can also view our login
instructions page for help. Courses are accessible on the first day of the
MSVCC term. You will need your
Username and your Password to get access to your course. It is
recommended that you access your course within the first couple of
days. |
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How do I transfer
credits to my college? |
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Credit earned through MSVCC does not
have to be transferred, your host institution will transcript your
credit for any MSVCC courses you take. |
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How do I get my
Username and Password? |
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After you are registered for a course,
your host college will provide you with information regarding your
Username and Password, as well as the web address (URL) where you
will begin your course. You can also view our login instructions page for help. |
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How do I withdraw from
a course? |
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Please contact your host college and
inquire about specific instructions for withdrawing from a course. |
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Can I use financial
aid with these courses? |
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Yes. Your host college will
administer your financial aid. |
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How much does it cost?
MSVCC course tuition costs are the same as
traditional courses. Books and materials are additional and there may
be additional fees for some courses. Tuition rates are more for
non-Mississippi residents. Check with your host college for
more specific cost information. |
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How do I register for
courses? |
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Your host college will
guide you through the registration process once you have been
admitted and advised. |
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Can I start a course
at any time? |
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MSVCC courses start according to
pre-defined college semesters. Check the MSVCC calendar to see when the next
semester begins. |
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How do I know what
courses to take? |
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You can find a listing of
courses on the
course offerings list. You will be assigned an advisor by
your host college. |
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How do I apply? |
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To apply for MSVCC, you must follow the
application process of your host college. |
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How do the courses
work? |
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Once the semester
begins, you will have access to your course with the information
provided to you. The information will guide you through the
log in process. Once logged in, click on a course link
to enter that course. Once inside the course, you will see a menu that will
allow you navigate around your course. You will be able to
communicate with your instructor through e-mail, and virtual chat
sessions. You will also be able to post questions and comments to
your course's, asynchronous threaded discussion forum. This forum
allows you to hold virtual conversations with other classmates and
your instructor, without having to be online at the same. You will
also be able to post assignments through your course's web site and
read lessons. You may have to visit other web sites and even
participate in online labs! Finally, you will be able to take exams
online and get feedback from your instructor through your course's
grade book. |
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Will more courses be
available in the future? |
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We are always looking to add more
courses. You should check the web site periodically to
look for new courses. |
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What are the
admissions requirements? |
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There are admission
requirements to each of the community colleges in Mississippi.
Check for specifics with your host college. |
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Can I take courses
while I'm still in high school? |
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If you are a current high school
student, you should check with your parents and/or high school
counselor before taking any college level course. Your high
school and the community college that you choose as your host will
advise you of the eligibility requirements. |
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I'm having trouble in
my course, how do I contact the instructor? |
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Instructors can be
contacted by e-mail or through the courses online, web forum. MSVCC
instructors have developed a great reputation for being responsive
to student questions and they will usually get back to you within 24
hours. However, if you are having trouble contacting your
instructor, you can contact the distance
learning office at your host college
and they will help you contact your instructor. |
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How much work is there
in a typical course? |
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A typical course will
involve 8-10 hours of work per week. This includes at least 5 hours
of work online per week. |
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How do I take tests? |
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Tests are done online
in most cases. You will be able to look
at the syllabus to find the method of testing used for your
particular course.. The tests can be multiple choice, short essay,
or long essay in format. Tests may also be timed and graded
automatically. Each course will be different in the type of tests
required, with some courses not requiring tests at all. Once
completed, your instructor may provide feedback on your test through
the course's grade book. You may also have to travel to a
testing center for some testing. You can find a listing of
testing centers and
test center information here. |
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Do I have to be online
at a specific time? |
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No, in most cases you will not have to
be online at a specific time. You choose the hour of the day (or night)
to attend classes. Except for turning in assignments when they are
due, your schedule is totally up to you. You can review lectures,
ask questions, and participate in discussion groups at a time and
from a place that's convenient to you. |
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How long do courses
last? |
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MSVCC spring and fall
courses are 15
weeks long. Summer courses are 8 weeks long. The course
structure will require that you keep to these schedules in order to
successfully complete the courses. Finishing earlier than the
scheduled time can only be done with the permission of the course's
instructor. |
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When do courses start? |
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Courses start in the Spring, Summer,
and Fall semesters. Check the calendar
for dates. |
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How do I know if my
computer will work for this? |
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Visit the distance learning website of
your host college. Most colleges post technical requirements
that you can review and compare your computer with
to make sure your computer and web browser are compatible for MSVCC
courses. |
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Is MSVCC accredited? |
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MSVCC is a
consortium of colleges and therefore is
not eligible for accreditation. However, all of our participating
colleges are accredited by their national and/or
regional accrediting agency. If you have questions about a specific
college, you should contact them directly. |
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Where do I get a list
of courses? |
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You can find a list of available
courses on the
course offerings page. |
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How do I get books? |
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Your host college will
assist you in purchasing books through a college bookstore or an
online book provider. |
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Are courses ever
cancelled? |
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Yes, courses with low
enrollment. However, because MSVCC is
experiencing so much growth, few courses need to be cancelled. |
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Can I take more than
one course at a time? |
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You can take up to the maximum number
of courses allowed by your host college.
However, these courses are as rigorous as on campus courses, and you
should expect the same level of work or more. |
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Can I take courses
on-campus and online at the same time? |
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Yes, you can take on-campus and online
courses at the same time. However, please remember that online
courses are as rigorous as on campus courses, and you should expect
the same level of work or more. |
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If
my course requires a lab, how does it work? |
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Lab courses are also
done online through the use of CD ROMS and laboratory kits that are
mailed to your home. Although, some courses may require you attend a
supervised laboratory setting. |
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Will I have to go to
campus? |
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You should not have to
go to campus when taking MSVCC courses. However, if you are taking a
course that requires a monitored lab, you may have to go to campus.
You may be required to take one or more proctored tests at the
nearest community college to you. Also, you may want to go to
campus to take advantage of the services available there. |
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How do I contact
someone at my college? |
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You can contact your host college
through our contacts page. |
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I've logged in but I can't get to my class. What should I do? |
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You should see
the name of your class under the "My courses" box. If you
do not see the course you should be enrolled in on the list, please
contact your host college to verify your registration in the class
and to report that you do not see the class. |
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I've registered for my
class and wanted to get an early start. When I try to access the
course, I can't log in. Why? |
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You will not
have access to your online class until the first day of classes
as indicated on the MSVCC calendar.
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My Internet connection
disconnected me in the middle of my test. How can I access my test
again? |
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The only way to
get a test reset is to email or call your instructor. |
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I am unable to log in
using the username and password provided to me. What
should I do? |
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You should
contact the office of distance learning or technical support at your
host college by email. Make sure you are using the exact username and
password given to your account. The password IS case
sensitive. Also, your instructor can help you in verifying and using
your username and password. |
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When I log on to
Blackboard and enter my course, I am prompted to enter a second
code. What is the second code and where can I find it? |
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This is called an
access code. It is required for courses in which the instructor has
adopted the course content directly from the publisher. You should
have been instructed to purchase a book that comes with the user
access code included. This may be sold separately in come cases.
Your instructor is who you should contact if you receive the
second code window. |
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Do I have to log on
Blackboard at a certain time to access my course? |
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In most cases,
you can access your course at any time and any place you have
Internet access. You may have times when you are asked by your
instructor to access the course for a chat session or other type of
interactive communication. This depends entirely on the instructor
for the course. |
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I tried to email my
instructor but can't get a response. What do I do? |
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You should
contact your host college to let them know that you have not been able to communicate
with your instructor. |
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I'm trying to log on
to Blackboard but I keep getting a message that states, "page not
found." What is going on? |
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Depending on your
location, it could be the network. It could also be an unscheduled
maintenance issue, but these occurrences are rare. You should double
check to make sure you have typed the proper URL in the address
line. Try to log on again at a later time, and after several
unsuccessful attempts, contact your host college for help. |
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Why is it not a good idea to use AOL or CompuServe with my online
course? |
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AOL and
CompuServe use a specialized browser. This browser does not work
well with the application Blackboard. Blackboard does not recommend
or support these browsers. You can use them to dial into your
Internet Service Provider and then use the Internet Explorer or
Netscape browser to access Blackboard. The only problem with that is
that the Internet Service Provider may not see you are still online
working and will disconnect you after a period of idle time (no
activity). You must use the Internet Explorer or Netscape browser to
access Blackboard to ensure proper interaction between you and the
Blackboard server. |
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