Policies and Procedures

Enrollment Procedures
How Do I Access My Online Class?
Dropping a Class Without a Fee Penalty
Grading Policies
Changing Grade Options
Course Extensions and Completion Deadlines
Book Orders
Book Refunds
If You Are Unable to Attend an Online Class during Regularly Scheduled Time
Technical Problems
Mailing Materials to the CSU, Chico Campus

Enrollment Procedures

Once you have selected a course or two, it is easy to enroll. Just complete and submit the registration form online. Payment is required before the registration can be processed. If you have any questions, contact Nancy Park (530-898-6105 or nepark@csuchico.edu). If you have questions about the course content, you can contact the professor. Each professor's name and email address is listed with the course descriptions.

If you wish to earn a degree in Computer Science, you should also complete a Graduate Application (for the M.S. degree) or an Undergraduate Application (for the B.S. degree). NOTE: If you are applying for a second bachelor's degree, please contact us first, as we need to make special arrangements through with the Admissions Office. If you are seeking an M.S. degree, you should apply before completing nine graduate units at CSU, Chico. Application information is available from Nancy Park (nepark@csuchico.edu or 530-898-6105).

Students may enroll in individual Computer Science courses for credit without formal application.

How Do I Access My Online Class?

If you are registered in a live online course, test your computer software by watching a course preview before the first day of class to be sure you are ready to receive the first class. If this is your first CSU, Chico course, go to the Chico State Portal Connection and set up an account. Then access the class approximately one week prior to the first day the course is scheduled to start.

First-time students registering in a self-paced online course should establish a Chico State Portal Connection account. It takes two to three days for new students to gain access to their online courses. Specific access information will be emailed to each registered student.

Dropping a Class/Refund Policy

Live Online classes: University policy allows students to drop a live online course no later than 5:00 pm (Pacific Time) on the Friday of the second week of classes without a fee penalty. There will be no refund for students who have not dropped by this deadline. It is the student's responsibility to inform the Continuing Education Office (530-898-6105) or nepark@csuchico.edu of all drops before the 5:00 pm deadline.

Self-Paced, Web-based, Online classes: Students may drop a course within three weeks of their enrollment date without penalty. It is the student's responsibility to inform the Continuing Education Office (530-898-6105) or nepark@csuchico.edu of all drops before the deadline. There is no refund after three weeks of the enrollment date.

Grading Policies

Grades are officially posted approximately three weeks after the end of both the spring and the fall semesters. If students in self-paced courses are part-way through a course when a semester ends, the instructor issues a grade of “I” (Incomplete). When the student completes the course, the instructor uses a late grade form to issue a letter grade. The grade will appear in the semester in which the student originally enrolled in the course. If a student does not complete a course within a year of enrollment, the grade automatically becomes an “IC,” which counts the same as an “F.”

Changing Grade Options

You may change a grade option (from letter grade to credit/no credit) without faculty permission during the first two weeks of classes only. During the third and fourth weeks of class, you must have faculty permission for this change. You will need to complete a Credit/No credit grading option form and fax it to the Continuing Education at CSU, Chico (530-898-4020).

Course Extensions and Completion Deadlines

Students have six months from the time of enrollment to complete a self-paced course. At the end of the six-month period, the student may request a course extension from the instructor. According to University policy in the 2007-2009 Catalog, “An ‘I' must normally be made up within one calendar year immediately following the end of the term during which it was assigned.” If this deadline is not met, the grade automatically becomes an “IC,” which counts the same as an “F.”

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Book Orders

You may order your textbooks directly from the Associated Students Bookstore at http://www.asbookstore.com or call (866) 282-8422. To see a list of textbooks for all courses, go to http://rce.csuchico.edu/cen/textbooklisting.asp. ISBN numbers are provided on the Computer Science textbook web page.

Book Refunds

If you drop an online course and wish to return the books for a refund, the following conditions must be met: (1) The books must arrive in the Associated Students Bookstore by the end of the second week of class. (2) The books must be acceptable for a refund by the Associated Students Bookstore; this means in essentially brand new condition. If the books are damaged in any way, the bookstore will not accept them for a refund. If you have any questions, call the bookstore at 530-898-5222.

If You are Unable to Attend a Live Online Class during the Regularly Scheduled Time

Students enrolled in online courses offered live are expected to meet deadlines set by the instructor and complete the course by the end of the semester. This means you may watch the lectures at a time more convenient to you, but you need to watch them often enough to keep up with the class. All online courses are archived; present or past lectures may be accessed through the Chico State Connection Portal.

Technical Problems

If you are having technical problems check out the information in Student Computing or call Online Technical Support at 800-780-4837.

Mailing Materials to the CSU, Chico Campus

Before mailing hard copies of course assignments, be sure to make a copy. Course materials need to be mailed directly to the individual faculty member in the Computer Science Department (not to the Continuing Education Office).