2014-2015 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
2014-2015 Undergraduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]

Off-Campus and Distance Programs


Office of Continuing and Distance Education
Box 2115, Brookings, SD 57007
E-mail:
distance@sdstate.edu
www.continuinged.sdstate.edu

The Office of Continuing and Distance Education works to broaden the reach of SDSU, with a commitment to providing quality education no matter where students reside. The office serves students on campus and across the globe. In addition to online education, the Office of Continuing and Distance Education coordinates the program offerings at several off-campus locations. These off-campus attendance centers effectively extend the reach of SDSU by offering the same quality education to students who want to earn their degree while living and working in their home community.

Click on a link to be taken to the entry below.

 

Summer Term

SDSU offers a wide range of courses on and off-campus to continue your studies during the summer months as well as numerous special workshops, short courses, distance education classes, evening offerings, and non-credit programs. Summer programming is offered May through August and is characterized by innovation and responsiveness to your needs. Classes are comfortably sized and time is available for individual attention from the faculty member. Participants need not be regularly matriculated at SDSU but may be admitted as special students through completion of one short form.

University Center - Sioux Falls

(South Dakota Public Universities and Research Center)

South Dakota State University, through University Center in Sioux Falls, provides college coursework and degree programs in Sioux Falls. University Center is designed to serve the needs of non-traditional students in the Sioux Falls area. The course content, number and contact hours are the same as the identical course taught on campus. However, a typical three-credit course will meet for three hours one day or night per week rather than one hour three days per week. Coursework is offered during the fall, spring, and summer terms. The start and end of term for summer at University Center is different from the dates of summer term on campus.

The majors offered in Sioux Falls include General Studies (A.A), Consumer Affairs, General Studies (B.G.S.), Human Development and Family Studies, Graphic Design, Interdisciplinary Studies, Journalism, Nursing, Psychology, and Sociology at the undergraduate level. Pre-engineering courses are also available in Sioux Falls. Master’s degrees are offered in Counseling and Nursing. Students in all majors may complete their general education core in Sioux Falls at University Center.

Capital University Center

The Capital University Center in Pierre was established by the people of Central South Dakota in 1982 to provide opportunities in higher education for the people of the region. In 1983, CUC and South Dakota State University entered into an agreement to enhance educational opportunities for residents of Central South Dakota through the offering of courses designed to transfer to degree-granting institutions of higher education. In 2003, CUC was fully merged into the SD Board of Regents System. SDSU offers at CUC the Associate of Arts degree in General Studies, the Bachelor of General Studies, and the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Interdisciplinary Studies, as well as a variety of general education courses and non-credit programs.

University Center - Rapid City

The University Center in Rapid City provides both undergraduate and graduate offerings. Undergraduate programs include the Bachelor’s of Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS), which allows students whose academic and career goals encompass more than one traditional academic area to put together their own degree unique to their needs. Special opportunities exist in Agriculture, for example, where students may combine an interest in Range Science with Animal Science to form a degree which crosses these two academic areas. In addition to undergraduate offerings, the College of Education and Human Sciences offers Master of Education and Master of Science programs in Educational Administration and Counseling in Rapid City. These programs serve the military personnel, teachers, administrators, and counselors in Western South Dakota. SDSU coordinates its West River activities with other Regental universities serving the area.

Distance Education

South Dakota State University offers undergraduate and graduate courses using various distance education technologies. Utilizing the DDN (Digital Dakota Network), two-way audio and video classes allow students to actively participate in classroom activities while attending at a location more convenient to the student. South Dakota State University also offers Internet-based courses for students wishing a more flexible schedule. The Internet courses are similar to on campus courses, and students receive the same credit for completing an Internet course as they would for an on campus course. The Electronic University Consortium (EUC) of South Dakota is a single point of contact for information and access to distance education and training available from the six South Dakota public universities. Based upon more than 80 years of effective off-campus education, South Dakota State University is committed to serving:

  • Working adults
  • Part-time students
  • Time- and place-bound individuals
  • K-12 students, teachers and administrators
  • Employees seeking career development skills
  • Government and military personnel
  • Persons with disabilities

Every year, several thousand students enroll in the 18 degree-programs, 8 certificate programs and 250+ courses that SDSU offers online. These often require little more than an internet connection, a book or two, and a motivated, responsible student.

For more information concerning distance education call toll free at 866-827-3198, or go to the Distance Education Website at http://distance.sdstate.edu/.  

Outreach Programs

South Dakota State University has a long tradition of, and responsibility for, delivering a variety of outreach efforts to locations across the state, region, and world. These include educational services to University Center in Sioux Falls, the University Center in Rapid City, the Capital University Center in Pierre (CUC), Nursing Upward Mobility, and numerous other distance education classes, workshops, and services.

The Office of Continuing and Distance Education provides coordination and support for off-campus educational programs and serves as a conduit for the University’s service mission to citizens of South Dakota, the region and world. Outreach Programs are designed to deliver both state- and self-support education through on-site or distance education credit courses, non-credit conferences, short courses, and workshops.

Credit Programs - Academic standards and policies governing off-campus and technology communicated courses are identical to the on-campus instructional program. Hence, credit course offerings, instruction and academic standards are the responsibilities of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Deans of the colleges, and department heads. There are outreach locations throughout South Dakota where credit courses are presented each semester and many courses are available by distance education. Additional locations are added as need and enrollment indicates.

The Office of Continuing and Distance Education provides opportunities for individuals to participate in professional development and personal enrichment activities throughout the year. Continuing and Distance Education offers a number of Continuing Education Units (CEUs), tax update workshops, and partners with Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) to offer short-term, non-credit classes.

State Authorization

Colleges and Universities who offer certain services to out-of-state students may be required to request authorization in the states whose students they serve. SDSU is intent on complying with all state regulations and will apply for authorization, when necessary, from those states where it conducts activities such as delivery of online courses, placement for field experiences (internships, clinicals, practicums, etc.) academic and athletic recruiting, marketing, etc.

South Dakota State University is registered as a private institution with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education pursuant to sections 136A.61 to 136A.71. Registration is not an endorsement of the institution. Credits earned at the institution may not transfer to all other institutions.

Notification of Complaint Process for Program Integrity

Any person may file the complaint with the Executive Director of the South Dakota Board of Regents to obtain a review and appropriate action on allegations that an institution governed by the Board:

  • Violated South Dakota consumer protection laws;
  • Engaged in fraud or false advertising;
  • Violated South Dakota laws relating to the licensure of postsecondary institutions or programs;
  • Failed to provide an educational program meeting contemporary standards for content and rigor;
  • Failed to assign qualified instructors; or
  • Violated one or more accreditation requirements.

Where the institution has not already considered and acted upon the complaint, the Executive Director will refer the matter to the institutional president for review and action. If the complainant challenges an institutional disposition of the complaint, the Executive Director will provide for an independent review and disposition of the allegations. The Executive Director may be contacted at: The Office of the Executive Director of the South Dakota Board of Regents, 306 East Capitol Avenue, Suite 200; Pierre, South Dakota 57501-2545; Phone 605-773-3455; info@sdbor.edu.

Allegations involving violation of consumer protection laws may also be filed with Office of Attorney General, Division of Consumer Protection; 1302 E Hwy 14 Ste 3; Pierre SD 57501; Phone 605-773-4400, 1-800-300-1986 (in-state only); Fax 605-773-7163; consumerhelp@state.sd.us; online complaint form, http://atg.sd.gov/Consumers/HandlingComplaints/ConsumerComplaintForm.aspx.

Contact Information For Students Residing In States Other Than South Dakota Who Have Complaints Relating Specifically To Distance Learning Or Correspondence Education
Pursuant to the United States Department of Education’s Program Integrity Rule, South Dakota State University is required to provide all prospective and current students with the contact information of the state agency or agencies that handle complaints against postsecondary education institutions offering distance learning or correspondence education within that state. Students residing in other states while enrolled in a course offered by South Dakota State University are encouraged to utilize the institution’s internal complaint or review policies and procedures prior to filing a complaint with the state agency or agencies. However, if the complaint is not resolved through these processes, a student may use the following list to identify the office(s) in the state in which the student resides to which the complaint against any public institution in South Dakota may be filed.

Agencies by State (http://www.sdstate.edu/cee/upload/Ensuring-Program-Integrity.pdf) where these complaints may be Filed: (NOTE: This list is subject to change. If a student is not able to contact the appropriate agency in a given state, please contact the Offices of the South Dakota Board of Regents and assistance will be provided. (306 East Capitol Ave, Suite 200, Pierre, SD 57501; phone: 605-773-3455; e-mail: info@sdbor.edu).