Online Advisor

Many students have questions concerning the online courses being offered at Mesabi Range College. Frequently asked questions include:

How academic is an online course?

Online courses are designed to meet the needs of students through nontraditional methods. Material being covered in an online course is equivalent to the material covered in the same course by the same teacher in a traditional classroom setting. Just because the delivery method is different does not change the objectives of the course.

What is the general structure of an online course?

Online courses at Mesabi Range College were developed using WebCT.  Generally speaking lecture material will be posted along with assignments. A calendar is available for most courses outlining the dates of assignments, tests, etc.  Students are expected to keep up with weekly assignments as specified by the instructor.  Assignments are typically posted to a discussion area on the course page or through direct e-mail with the instructor. Students are expected to join in on the discussions and complete all required assignments.

Some courses will also be using real-time chat sessions. This means that a student will need to be online at a specific time to attend the chat session. This is typically an optional activity in most courses that choose to have this as a learning component.

Are credits from online courses transferable?

Yes. Credits taken through online courses from an accredited institution such as Mesabi Range are transferable. Online courses are becoming more popular and seen as a viable alternative to traditional classrooms.

What other services are available to students taking online courses at Mesabi Range?

Mesabi Range is taking steps to ensure that students taking online courses have access to the services available to traditional students. This online advisor web page is an example. An online advisor is also available via e-mail to help students with any questions or concerns that may arise.

Library services are available through the Mesabi Range web site and all Mesabi Range offices can be contacted via
e-mail.

E-mail sent to the online advisor during the school week will be responded to within 24 hours. Weekend e-mails (after 4:00 p.m. on Friday through Sunday evening) will be responded to on the next working day.