3.2 PROGRAM FORMAT
Students enter the program as a cohort of students who enroll together in the prescribed sequence of courses. Students are physically on campus two times per year-one week in October and one week in March. Due to the time-compressed nature of the on-campus seminar experience, attendance is required at every session to receive credit for the course.
Students will be involved in online interactions related to each seminar. These cohort dialogues are required and are part of grade for each course. Dialogues begin approximately six and one-half weeks before the scheduled course seminar. Follow-up online discussions are also required of a similar time format. This model enables students to benefit from a range of educational delivery systems while maintaining the highest standards of academic quality. Students participate in online discussions and other learning activities led by both the professor and fellow students. On-campus interactions involve open dialogue in face-to-face seminar sessions led by nationally renowned and published faculty members.
Using a mediated learning model described above, each course has three learning components:
- Pre-Seminar Component: During the six and one-half weeks prior to each seminar, students complete readings and other pre-seminar assignments. During this component of the course, students are required to participate a minimum of three hours each week in online discussions led by the professor.
- Face-to-Face Component: Seminars will be conducted on campus or at an approved extension site using an accelerated format. Each seminar will consist of 24 hours of face-to-face seminar instruction. Research seminars will engage students in critical reflection with the seminar content.
- Post-Seminar Component: During the six and one-half weeks and following the face-to-face component of the seminar, students complete post-seminar readings and research. Students will also participate a minimum of three hours each week in online discussions that are sometimes led by students in the cohort.