The University of Northern Iowa is accredited through the master's degrees, the specialist's degrees and the doctorate by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools (NCA). Individual colleges and programs within the University are accredited by the respective professional accrediting agencies within their disciplines.
Return to the top
Print-based guided independent sudy
Complete each assignment as explained in the course materials, noting any questions you may have, and mail it to the Guided Independent Study Office. Assignments are forwarded to the instructor for grading. The instructor writes any necessary comments and answers any questions
you may have before the work is returned.
Web-based guided independent study
Submit your assignments electronically using WebCT,
a computer conferencing program. The use of WebCT requires access
to the Internet and a web browser — no special software is required.
Return to the top
Select your course(s)
It is your responsibility to determine whether a particular course will apply toward your diploma, degree, certification, or other educational goals. In general, we recommend that you enroll in
no more than two guided independent study courses at one time.
Complete enrollment and submit form(s)
—web—
Online enrollment form
—fax—
Printable enrollment form (pdf)
319-273-2872
—by mail or in person—
Guided Independent Study
University of Northern Iowa
2637 Hudson Road (corner of 27th St. and Hudson Rd.)
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0223
Campus map (Look for Building 31)
Tuition is $174 per credit hour — due at the time of enrollment. No additional tuition is charged for out-of-state or graduate students. A non-refundable $13 enrollment fee is assessed for each course. Students enrolling in web courses are charged a technology fee for each course. MasterCard, VISA, and Discover credit cards are accepted, and university billing is available.
You are responsible for postage charges on print-based assignments mailed to the Guided Independent Study Office. Return postage is paid by UNI. A $20 postage fee applies to materials mailed outside the U.S.
Tuition does not include the cost of textbooks. There may also be additional fees for materials for some courses.
Note to UNI Students
Tuition for guided independent study courses is in addition to the full-time,
on-campus rate. In general, guided independent study courses do not
qualify students for financial aid at the University of Northern Iowa.
Return to the top
A 100 percent refund is made when the University rejects an enrollment due to ineligibility for the course or when the Office of Academic Affairs rules that it would not be advisable for you to enroll in the course.
No refunds or credits will be made after six weeks from the original enrollment date, even if no assignments have been submitted. A 70 percent refund is made if you choose to withdraw from a course for any reason during the first six weeks of enrollment. If you have elected the University billing option, 30 percent of the tuition is charged.
Refund requests must be in writing and postmarked no later than six weeks after the enrollment date. Send your request to the Guided Independent Study Office via postal mail, or complete the online withdrawal form.
When a refund is made, a charge of $10 is deducted for each assignment and examination that has been corrected. All course materials must be returned to the Guided Independent Study Office. The $13 enrollment
fee is not refundable.
Return to the top
You are allowed nine months from the date of enrollment to complete a course. If you do not finish within nine months, one 90-day extension may be granted for a fee of $15. The extension must be requested in writing before the nine-month expiration date. Courses must be completed within a one-year period. An Extension Request Form is included with your course materials or you may complete the extension request form online.
You may transfer from one course to another within two months of the date of enrollment for a fee of $13 plus $10 for each lesson and exam that has been graded. The course enrollment date remains the same.
No more than three assignments may be submitted in a one-week period. Courses may have their own guidelines — read the syllabus carefully. The minimum time allowed to complete a course is two weeks per credit hour; a three-credit course cannot be completed in less than six weeks.
As a general rule, you should allow two to three weeks for assignments and exams to be graded and returned. This can vary depending upon the instructor’s schedule and semester breaks. If you must complete a course in a short time or during the summer, you should make sure the instructor is available to correct your coursework.
You are responsible for completing assignments and exams early enough to ensure the grade is available when needed. The final exam must be completed and in the Guided Independent Study Office at least three weeks before the grade is needed. This is especially important if you plan to graduate. If you need a grade by the end of the summer session, you should confirm that the instructor will be available and that you will be able to complete all coursework by July 15.
Return to the top
Exams may be taken in your local community under the direct supervision of an approved proctor (e.g., a school superintendent, principal, testing center, college official, or public library official).
If you live in the Cedar Falls/Waterloo area, you are encouraged to take your exams at the Guided Independent Study Office. Examination Request Forms are included in the course materials or you may complete the examination request form online. Request forms must be received by the Guided Independent Study Office at least ten days before exams are to be taken. An exam cannot be sent to a proctor until all preceding lessons have been received.
Exams should be taken within ONE MONTH after the last assignment has been submitted. Submit the request form with the last lesson before the exam. Do not attach the Examination Request Form to print-based assignments. Do NOT provide exam information on the Assignment Identification Sheet; we may never see it.
Examinations cannot be returned to you. A grade slip with instructor comments is sent after the exam is graded.
Return to the top
Jump right in
It is wise to start on assignments promptly and establish a definite goal, such as completing one assignment every week or two. Students who start assignments soon after receiving the course materials have a significantly higher completion rate.
Submit your assignments
Mail all assignments and communications for print-based courses directly to the Guided Independent Office, not your course instructor. Assignments for web-based courses are submitted online.
Please read the materials carefully for specific course instructions.
After submitting your first assignment, you should hold the second assignment until the first has been returned. Later assignments may be sent as completed without waiting for the return of previous lessons, unless otherwise specified by the instructor. Do not hold assignments to be sent two or more at a time.
It is always a good idea to keep a copy of each assignment. Occasionally, assignments are lost or damaged in transit. If coursework is lost in the mail or inaccessible online, it must be resubmitted.
Keep in touch
If a note is included with a print-based assignment, fold it separately with visible notice that it is not a part of the coursework. If the communication concerns examinations or other office business, please label it clearly for Guided Independent Study.
Please notify the Guided Independent Study Office immediately with any name or address changes.
Return to the top