Megan Keenan Administers COVID-19 Vaccine to First Responders

Posted on by Caitlin Abram

Megan Keenan, DNP, MSN, RN, is proud to be serving as the Regional Hub coordinator for COVID-19 vaccine distribution in Albany, NY. The 2015 Excelsior graduate and 2018 commencement speaker is the associate director of clinical registries and quality management at Albany Med and currently leads a team who generate data that is used to support quality improvement initiatives across the Medical Center. In her volunteer role, Keenan helps coordinate COVID-19 vaccine distribution to Albany Med employees as well as other first responders in her community.

To read more about Keenan, visit:

Advice for Transitioning into the Cannabis Industry

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

Transitioning into the cannabis industry can be tricky if you鈥檙e not prepared. One of the advantages of entering this booming industry is that there are open opportunities just about anywhere you look, but success comes from being prepared.

Find Your Niche Within the Cannabis Industry

When you鈥檙e thinking about working in cannabis, it鈥檚 important to make sure your passions and skills align with what you want to do. The industry has many different options when it comes to choosing a career path. Careers range from working on the legal side of things, such as in compliance and risk management, to creative career paths like digital marketing and advertising. It鈥檚 important that you choose a career path that you feel confident and passionate about. This will not only make you happy, but also help you be successful in your career.

Understand Cannabis Industry Nuances

Working in cannabis isn鈥檛 a cakewalk. Although working in a burgeoning industry can be exciting and fun, there are many nuances to understand. Since laws and regulations are constantly changing, having a clear-cut understanding of them will not always be as simple as some would like to think. The success of a business within the industry is based on operating with an understanding these nuances and making sure that every action is compliant and doesn鈥檛 push boundaries. Working in the industry means that you understand these subtleties and agree to make sure everything you do is compliant and does not pose risk to the business or client you work for.

Obtain Tools for Success in the Cannabis Industry

To be successful in the industry, you need to have certain skills and tools. One of the tools is an understanding of the laws, from the federal level down to the municipal level. If you want to stay in this industry, you must learn and follow these laws. Another tool you鈥檒l find necessary is the ability to diversify yourself. Companies and fellow professionals want to know what sets you apart from others and why they should take note. Failure to do so will only make it harder for you to reach your goals.

Seek Cannabis Industry Education

We want to make sure individuals are well prepared before jumping headfirst into an industry that is not only new but also difficult to navigate. You can do this by connecting with local cannabis associations or pursuing formal education to gain knowledge about the field and give you a competitive over others looking to enter the field. Check out Excelsior鈥檚 Graduate Certificate in Cannabis Control to learn more about this rapidly growing industry.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Posted on by Shannon Ballard Gorman

Kayleah Morris, a dialysis technician and U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class, never imagined that she would be dealing with an influx of patients from a global pandemic. Stationed at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, she handles many COVID-19 patients in the Intensive Care Unit who are suffering from organ failure.

鈥淚n the beginning [of the pandemic], many people were scared of working in hospitals. I was deathly afraid that I would bring COVID home to my family,鈥 said the mother of two. Thankfully, there are a lot of precautions in place to prevent staff from contracting the virus, and Walter Reed, known as the Presidents鈥 Hospital, has tremendous resources for personal protective equipment (PPE) and containment measures; they keep COVID patients in negative pressure rooms and staff wear positive air pressure masks.

Morris works 12-hour shifts in this environment so that she can alternate workdays with her husband and avoid using outside childcare. Still, she manages to take college courses online; she is just three classes away from finishing her bachelor鈥檚 degree. 鈥淚 am very excited to see the light at the end of the tunnel,鈥 she said. 鈥淣othing is going to stop me from finishing at this point.鈥

–听 –听 –听 –听 –听 –听 –听 –

Originally from Albany, New York, Morris could not afford to go to college after high school, and working two jobs to make ends meet did not leave time to take classes. So at age 23, she enlisted in the U.S. Navy, went through basic training, and was stationed in Maryland. 鈥淚 joined the military so that I could go to college,鈥 she said. With her dialysis training and experience, she figured nursing school was the logical choice, so in 2014, she enrolled in . 鈥淚 completed almost the entire nursing program before realizing that I didn鈥檛 want to be a nurse,鈥 Morris said.

Her advisor helped her transfer her nursing credits into a different associate degree program, in Liberal Arts. After earning that degree in June 2019, Morris got to work on a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Social Sciences with a focus in Human Services. 鈥淥ne of my jobs, before I joined the Navy, was working with developmentally disabled individuals, and I loved it,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 would like to work with that population again if I could make a decent living.鈥

The change in program extended her time to degree completion a bit and coupled with recent changes to the military tuition assistance program, she had to apply for Pell Grant and other funding to pay for classes. 鈥淚 am so appreciative of the Excelsior scholarship I received when I did,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t came at a great time and allowed me to continue.鈥

Not even a pandemic can stop Morris from completing her bachelor鈥檚 degree. 鈥淚 have worked so hard for this for so long, there鈥檚 no slowing me down now.鈥 After graduation, Morris plans to continue on for a master鈥檚 degree in clinical mental health counseling. 鈥淚 want to deal directly with people and be able to see firsthand the impact that I鈥檓 having.鈥

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT QUOTES:

鈥淚 cannot thank you enough for your generosity and support in ensuring Active Duty Military personnel such as myself receive an education. With the recent changes to the tuition assistance funding, your help is needed now more than ever.鈥

鈥淲orking 12-hour shifts at the hospital and raising two children makes it difficult to pursue my degree. Financial limitations only add to my barriers to higher education. Your contributions have made it possible for me to attend college this fall and continue to work towards my bachelor鈥檚 degree. For the sake of my future and my family, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you.鈥

Cybersecurity Divas

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

Cybersecurity Divas was formed to promote the accomplishments of women in cybersecurity. The 鈥淒ivas鈥 in Cybersecurity Divas stands for 鈥淒riven women who are Inspirational and Visionary that take Action in Security.鈥

The criteria for being included in this list includes: mentoring and leading an operational security team for at least five years; contributing to the industry through conference participation, speaking engagements, association participation, publishing articles or papers; and being well-respected in the industry.

The currently contains 250 of the most accomplished women across the security domain, and many of these women are in leadership positions such as chief information security officers and directors of security positions.

Amelia Estwick is a cybersecurity professional with more than 20 years of combined military and government IT experience within the United States intelligence community. She has held multiple technical leadership positions within the government and spent 10 years directly leading strategic and tactical cyber operations. Estwick鈥檚 research in cybersecurity and computer science focuses on global threat intelligence, network security, and information security. She is currently the director of the National Cybersecurity Institute at Excelsior College where she provides thought leadership for the College鈥檚 cybersecurity initiatives.

As an educator, Estwick lectures on a variety of cybersecurity and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) topics of interest as they relate to education, national defense, and public policy. She鈥檚 quoted frequently in print, online, and cable media. She is passionate about educating the next generation of cybersecurity professionals and currently co-chairs the United States National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity Education Diversity Initiative.

The National Cybersecurity Institute at Excelsior College is an academic and workforce development center dedicated to assisting government, industry, military, and academic sectors meet the employment challenges within the cybersecurity workforce.

Collaborating with both public and private industries, NCI is leading a coordinated effort to build a diverse, equitable, and inclusive cybersecurity workforce and influence an informed leadership base that implements cutting-edge cybersecurity education and policy. NCI targets the development of effective cybersecurity practice in several sectors, including health care, finance, critical infrastructure, and national defense. Learn about Excelsior’s bachelor’s in technology degrees.

 

Tun Heang Ong, BS in Business 鈥04

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

Since earning his bachelor鈥檚 degree with a concentration in finance from Excelsior College, Tun Heang Ong (Clement), BS in Business, 鈥04, of Penang, Malaysia, has gone on to earn an LLB from the University of London and an LLM in international trade and commercial law from Nottingham Trent University. He has been admitted as an advocate and solicitor in the High Courts of Malaya, Malaysia and has worked in private practice before his current position as senior legal counsel at LONGi Solar.

The Importance of Non-Credit Offerings

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

As many adult students struggle with the financial and health impact of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the attractiveness of short courses and alternative credentials as an alternative to continuing with their degree study is growing at a rate significantly higher than in 2019. According to Inside Higher Ed in August, 鈥淪everal leading massive open online course providers, coding bootcamps and business schools offering non-degree credentials reported manyfold increases in web traffic, inquiries and enrollments鈥hese new online learners are a mixture of recent college graduates looking to boost their r茅sum茅s, current or prospective college students trying to get ahead, furloughed or laid-off workers looking to pivot to new careers, and people with stable jobs who are now working from home.鈥

Such classes are often noncredit and address specific professional needs and developmental skills that serve course takers well in an economy that has been strained by the virus outbreak and in which some 22 million jobs have been lost since the pandemic began. As such, employers are seeking specific skills and applicants who possess specific and contemporary job and knowledge skills. Moreover, students are looking for the same flexibility in learning that they are encountering with their work-from-home arrangements.

According to Credential Engine, a nonprofit that studies alternative credentialing tends, rapid changes in the marketplace have created an environment in which many providers are awarding an array of credentials. These alternative credentials provide students with short-term, affordable, and flexible learning experiences that result in specific, practical competencies and knowledge and skills sets that benefit both the student and the labor market.

Students can find a variety of areas of focus in these credentials. Colleges and universities offering alternative credentials (also referred to as 鈥渕icrocredentials鈥) typically provide significant information on their websites that guide students to make informed decisions about credential options, pathways, and their value in the job market.

In addition, alternative credentials can also advance equity and access to economic advancement. The relative brevity of these credentials delivers faster, more efficient, and focused skills building. In turn, students are rewarded by more rapid marketability and job success. Earning degrees can contribute to advancing one鈥檚 quality of life and earnings potential over a lifetime, but also, over the short-term, alternative credentials provide rapid access to economic advancement and skills acquisition that can contribute to a student successfully climbing more remunerative career ladders.

In addition, as a result of alternative credentials, employers have more detailed and externally validated information to hire more successful and competent employees.

Types of Microcredentials

Microcredentials include a) short courses for specific skills building and b) longer, more professionally focused programs that gradually advance the course taker鈥檚 skills level in a professional or industry-focused subject area.

In the Cengage noncredit offerings, known as ed2go, skills-based courses include subject matter such as Homeschool Success and Keys to Effective Communication, whereas the certificates in career training classes are industry aligned and cover areas such as Certified Medical Billing and CompTIA Certifications. These career training courses involve study over longer time periods, gradually building skills cumulatively, culminating in a certificate. Each course with ed2go鈥攚hether short or long鈥攜ields a certificate of completion that may be shown to prospective employers as evidence of acquiring specific skills and competencies that can lead to better job placement and career advancement, in both the short and long term.

Lisa R. Braverman, PhD

Vice Provost for Academic and Faculty Support

 

Excelsior College Celebrates 50th Anniversary in 2021

Posted on by Alicia Jacobs

Albany, N.Y. 鈥 This year, Excelsior College, an accredited, not-for-profit online college focused on helping adults complete their degrees and advance their careers, celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Excelsior College was founded in 1971 as the Regents External Degree Program by the Board of Regents of The University of the State of New York with a mission of providing adult learners with a flexible and affordable pathway to earn a college degree. The founders recognized that learning happens outside as well as in the classroom, and developed a means to evaluate that experience for credit toward a college degree. Today, Excelsior celebrates more than 182,000 alumni from all 50 states, U.S. territories, and other countries around the world.

In 2004, Excelsior College began to offer courses online, setting the bar for providing an academically rigorous and engaging education at a distance. In celebrating 50 years, success can be measured by the number of alumni who have elevated their careers and transformed their lives by earning an Excelsior degree. With a proven remote education model, during the COVID-19 pandemic, our more than 23,000 students and 900 faculty meet as they always have and without interruption鈥攐nline.

鈥淣early 50 years ago, Excelsior College changed the landscape of higher education with its innovative approach to helping students earn degrees through credit aggregation, competency-based education, and prior learning assessment. Today, Excelsior is more innovative than ever, helping students from all backgrounds earn degrees and other credentials in ways that work for them,鈥 said David Schejbal, PhD, president of Excelsior College. 鈥淲e look forward to celebrating the College鈥檚 50 successful years and planning the next 50. Our future is as bright as our students, and together we will continue to change the landscape of higher education.鈥

Overall, Excelsior College鈥檚 success can be attributed to an unyielding resolve to meet students where they are, academically and geographically, and the courage to adapt what it does and how it does it as the marketplace demands. Excelsior offers traditional associate, bachelor鈥檚, and master鈥檚 programs, planned degree pathways, and skill-based professional development opportunities created in partnership with employers, along with career and professional skills training.

In honor of this anniversary milestone, Excelsior College launched a 24-month fundraising campaign. After six months, Elevate: The Campaign for Student Scholarships is nearly halfway to its goal to raise $750,000 for scholarship support for students with financial need. Mary O鈥機onnor, a graduate of Excelsior College鈥檚 nursing program who served as trustee from 2005 through 2020, shares, 鈥淓xcelsior College鈥檚 nursing program launched me into a journey of lifelong learning and career achievement. In our 50th anniversary year, we are committed to increasing available funds for need-based student scholarships. I am proud to serve on the campaign committee and pledge my support to student scholarships alongside this strong community.鈥

Excelsior College takes pride in creating equity in access to higher education and in serving those historically underrepresented. From 1971 to 1985, while the College operated as the Regents External Degree Program, 26,420 people earned degrees. From 1986 to 1998, 52,663 graduates earned degrees from Regents College, as the institution was then known. In April 1998, the Board of Regents granted the College a charter to operate as a private, not-for-profit, independent institution, and on January 1, 2001, Regents College changed its name to Excelsior College.

More details about the 50th anniversary campaign are available at .

#听 #听 #

Media Contact Excelsior College:

Alicia Jacobs, ajacobs@excelsior.edu, 518-410-4624

听ABOUT EXCELSIOR COLLEGE

Excelsior College (excelsior.edu) is an accredited, not-for-profit online college focused on helping adults complete their degrees and advance their careers. The college contributes to the development of a diverse, educated, and career-ready society by valuing lifelong learning with an emphasis on serving individuals historically underrepresented in higher education. Founded in 1971, Excelsior meets students where they are 鈥 academically and geographically 鈥 removing obstacles to the educational goals of adults pursuing continuing education and degree completion. Our pillars include innovation, flexibility, academic excellence, and integrity. Learn more at excelsior.edu.

Tips on How to Be Successful at an Online College

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Students with experience in online learning know it provides advantages over learning in traditional classrooms. However, they also know success in online college requires a blend of discipline, focus, planning, and perseverance.

Excelsior College offers decades of experience in online learning. The school has developed successful online degree programs for many years. The faculty and staff understand challenges related to teaching and learning online and how to overcome them. With so many schools shifting to online learning, Excelsior recently compiled a list of tips and resources to help students approach online learning in a way that gives them the best chance to succeed.

While different from face-to-face instruction, attending college online college offers advantages. They can attend class from anywhere if they have access to the internet. They don鈥檛 need to live on campus or make a daily drive to a traditional classroom.

Excelsior College offers guidance on how to overcome the challenges that also come with online learning.

How to Solve Typical Online Learning Challenges

If you鈥檝e made the decision to take online college classes, you can expect to run into certain common issues. The following tips, compiled from suggestions by Excelsior College faculty and staff, can help you overcome obstacles and enjoy the benefits of online learning.

Create a Study Plan

A study plan can keep you grounded as you move forward with your courses. It involves making a chart or schedule where you can block out time needed each day to accomplish tasks. With this visual representation of your day, it鈥檚 easier to find a balance between work, school, and your personal life.

A study plan also helps you:

  • Take routine study breaks
    鈥 Create mini-deadlines for each project
    鈥 Manage your time
    鈥 Identify and complete the most important work first

Improve Time Management

Online learning requires discipline because no one is there to tell you to complete your work. Students must find the most efficient way to finish schoolwork while having time for breaks and other daily activities. This requires good time management skills.

In addition to a study plan, students can also improve their time management skills by putting the following ideas into play:

Create a time log. It鈥檚 a real eye-opener for most people to learn how they really spend their time. To find out for yourself, keep detailed track of how you spend your time for a few days. You will quickly see where time is wasted.

Identify time eaters. A time log shows how you waste time. It also reveals time eaters, those tasks and events that take longer to do than others. Some are disruptive, such as phone calls, reading and responding to email, and texting. But you may also find that you need more time than you thought to complete papers, study for exams, or write essays.

Perfectionism. Trying to make everything perfect is also a time eater. Some students miss deadlines by sacrificing the very good to attain the perfect. Don鈥檛 let perfectionism lead to falling behind.

Adjust. If you routinely do not complete your assignments each week, then adjust and start another time log to see how it is working.

Avoid Procrastination

Most people read the word procrastination and may inwardly cringe, because they know they do it. While attending college online, students must make themselves complete work on time. That means reducing any tendency to procrastinate.

Excelsior College MBA student and social media manager Emily Miller created a list of ways to avoid procrastination. Some highlights include:

  • Track excuses. Pay attention to your excuses and then hold yourself accountable for them.
    鈥 Breakdown projects. By breaking down a large project into chunks with mini-deadlines, it makes it easier to get through.
    鈥 Police your environment. If things in your study area often distract you, then remove them (or turn them off).
    鈥 Set reasonable goals. Don鈥檛 try to do everything in three days. Set goals that consider the time needed to do them well.

These tips apply to some of the most common online 听learning challenges. Excelsior College has also created a page with resources for peer institutions moving into an online learning model in response to COVID-19. While designed for colleges, many of the tips apply to high school teachers. The College also offers student resources to help promote educational success during the COVID-19 crisis. Resources include links to the school鈥檚 online reading lab and writing lab, as well as tips on overcoming challenges related to online learning. Learn about how to use these online learning tricks with our Excelsor’s Master of Science in Healthcare Administration.

 

What is a Nurse Educator?

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

There are many career paths for a nurse. Some may choose to follow a predominantly clinical path while others may choose more of a mentoring role. A nurse educator combines teaching and clinical skills to help shape the future of nursing by educating and training new and current nurses. Nurse educators play a pivotal role in providing patients the best care possible by helping to create a skilled and diverse nursing workforce.

Nurse educators work in classrooms, on college campuses, and in health care services, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, hospice, and public health agencies.

Excelsior College offers an online MS in Nursing Education program that prepares graduates to excel in a nurse educator career. No GRE is required for nurses to apply to the 38-credit program. Nurses can enroll on a full-time or part-time basis.

The program also allows nurses to apply 16 credits of graduate-level coursework earned at an accredited college or university toward completion of the program. They must have earned a grade of 鈥淏鈥 or higher and earned the credit within the past five years.

What a Nurse Educator Does

Depending on the setting, nurse educators focus on teaching new nurses or providing continuing education to working nurses. They may create and oversee academic programs in schools of nursing. They also work in medical facilities, creating continuing education programs for working nurses that focus on a particular area of nursing.

Their academic work often includes doing scholarly research and providing peer review of others鈥 work. Nurse educators may work in vocational, associate, and bachelor鈥檚 degree programs. Nonacademic work settings include staff development at large health care operations, school nursing, community organizations, and public health agencies, and as nurse recruiters.

Salary for Nurse Educators

The salary for nurse educators reached an average of $81,350 nationwide in May 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The top 25 percent of those in the profession earned more than $97,390 a year.

New York State employs more nurse educators than any other state in the country, according to the BLS. The state offers a higher average salary than the national average at $91,900. Also, the New York City metropolitan area employs more nurse educators than any other metro area in the country.

How Excelsior College Prepares Nurse Educators

Excelsior College created the MS in Nursing Education for skilled registered nurses who have a love of teaching. The program鈥檚 courses enhance critical skills and nursing judgment, as well as institute a commitment to academic rigor. They include:

  • Transformational Nursing: Innovation, Inquiry, and Scholarship
  • Theoretical Foundations of Nursing Practice
  • Research and Evidence-Based Practice
  • Policy, Ethics, and Population Health
  • Designing a Learning Environment
  • Program and Curriculum Development in Nursing Education
  • Assessment and Evaluation in Nursing Education

Nurse educators also take courses in advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and physical assessment. The program culminates in a 6-credit Capstone course that gives nurses the chance to apply skills learned in the program in a 247.5-hour practice experience as well as a discussion, reflective journal, scholarly paper, and project presentation.

Becoming a nurse educator allows registered nurses to work in a field that combines a passion for teaching with clinical nursing skills. Excelsior College鈥檚 online MS in Nursing Education program allows nurses entry into this important career with the skills they need to succeed.

 

How Does Online Learning Work at Excelsior College?

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

For potential college students trying to find high quality online degree programs, Excelsior College offers the advantage that comes from an academic institution with decades of experience in online learning.

Excelsior College officials recognized long ago that the flexibility of online programs is especially important for working adults who return to school to earn an associate, bachelor鈥檚, or master鈥檚 degree. They can schedule coursework around their busy personal and professional schedules. They also can access courses from anywhere they have an internet connection.

Excelsior College students can take courses in either an 8or15-week format. Typically, an 8-week course requires a minimum of about 10 to 15 hours of work per week, according to Jeanne M. Mannarino, director of student engagement and staff training with the Office of Student Experience and Success Services at Excelsior College.

鈥淭herefore, it is generally recommended that students who are juggling full-time work and other commitments focus on one course per 8-week term, or be in a position where they can set aside 30 hours per week if they take two courses,鈥 Mannarino said.

Details on Taking an Excelsior College Online Course

Mannarino recently talked about different aspects of Excelsior College鈥檚 online programs, walking through the process of how a student starts with online courses. Her insight offers valuable information to those considering enrollment in one of the school鈥檚 many 100 percent online degree programs.

MyExcelsior

All courses are offered through the school鈥檚 Canvas Learning Management System and accessed through the student鈥檚 MyExcelsior log-in page. Students create a MyExcelsior account when they inquire about or apply to the school. Course access becomes available the day the class starts.

Students also can access their MyExcelsior account through a Canvas app This is useful to check messages or discussion threads, but not to complete assignments or do other coursework.

Through their MyExcelsior account, students can manage all aspects of their academic experience. This includes access to applications, transcripts, courses, chat rooms, discussion boards, a book exchange, a study buddy finder, and more.

鈥淲e sometimes refer to MyExcelsior as the virtual campus center for students,鈥 Mannarino said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great hub of information or starting point to link out to other services or information.鈥

Online Orientation

Students are not left on their own to figure things out. All newly enrolled students take a course called Orientation to the Online Classroom. The class allows students to become familiar with the online classroom where they will interact with faculty and other students. They learn to navigate the online system, explore course features, and find out some of the online learning expectations for students.

Online Classroom Features

Excelsior College organizes courses into one module per week. The courses are asynchronous, meaning students do not have to be online at any specific time. The college designs all听 courses with the same navigation features, allowing students to interact with faculty and other students via discussion boards. All content is within the course, including links to any labs or integrated textbooks at outside sites.

When Students Need Help

Mannarino said students should reach out to their instructor if they need help and added that 鈥渘o question is a stupid question. Students are not on their own and should feel comfortable reaching out with any question or issue, big or small.鈥

The Canvas app also includes access to resources, including the Online Writing Lab, Library, tech support, and a tutoring service. Both Excelsior instructors and academic advisors work with students if they face difficulties with a course.

Students also have access to a private messaging feature that they can use to contact instructors if personal information is involved (such as illness, difficulties, or concerns with the class). There are also special discussion board threads designed so everyone in the course can participate.

Frequently Asked Questions

The following four questions are among the most asked questions from incoming students.

Are there online textbooks? Most courses use traditional textbooks, often available in electronic format. Advisors also keep a list of courses with low-cost textbooks that they share with students. There are also rental options for course materials. In addition, there are courses that do not require students to buy textbooks.

Are there video lectures? Some courses use videos and other multimedia content, but not for instruction in most cases.

Are there group projects? Some courses do use group work, but not all. As students work through a degree program, they should anticipate that they will, at some point, work with other students on projects. 鈥淧art of the goal of courses is to prepare students for the workplace, where they will likely find the need to work collaboratively with others on projects,鈥 Mannarino said.

How often are discussion boards used? Each course has a discussion board, with at least one discussion per week that includes instructors. Students typically must submit a post in the discussion and reply to at least a few classmates.

How Students Get Grades

The online system has a grade book that students can access. Course instructors grade assignments within a week of the due date and provide feedback. If students do not receive helpful feedback, they should contact the instructor or an academic advisor.

Online college degree programs have made education accessible to millions of people who otherwise could not earn a degree. With the experienced faculty and staff at Excelsior College, students can find it more convenient than ever to realize their academic and career goals.