Student Achievement and Satisfaction

Institutional Graduation Rate: M.Th. Cohort 1, 100% (20/20), M.T.S. Cohort 1 (12.5%). M.Th. Cohort 2, 20% (2/1 O) Students entering in Fall 2016 have until Fall 2020 to complete their degrees.

Institutional retention rate:

Total Students: Cohorts 1-4, 72 students. 2 Drops. 97 .3% Retention rate.

Institutional performance data as reported on the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (if available for Title IV institutions)
N/A

Institutional performance data as reported to comply with a state disclosure requirement (e.g.,California BPPE placement rate disclosures)?
N/A

Institutional data on undergraduates accepted into accredited graduate programs (to include aframe of reference as determined by the institution)?
N/A

Institutional data on graduates who advance in their profession?
N/A

Total number of graduates by program?
M.Th. Total Graduates: 22; M.T.S. Total Graduates: 1

Agora University will issue a full refund for courses or programs that have been cancelled by the University.

Students may cancel their enrollment with the University within 72 hours from signing the Enrollment Agreement and will be refunded all tuition fees paid minus the application fee. Otherwise, after the 72-hour period, Students who drop from any program or course are subject to the University Refund Policy. Cancellation may be made by phone, email or over Zoom.

Agora University offers online distance education programs that allow students access to their course work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via the Internet. At Agora University, online courses are developed and primarily taught as any regular on-campus classes. The readings, assignments, and examinations mirror courses taught in an on-campus setting. These courses include structured and special instructional techniques to help you succeed as an online student. The course syllabus, outline, and schedule of assignments that students receive the first day of class are located in an online website devoted to the particular course. These items MUST be read initially, so that the online student understands the work load and requirements of the course. Students and instructors communicate initially before the beginning of the term, and then in online discussion forums where students communicate with each other about course work and respond to various topics posted by the instructor. Some courses include real-time instructional sessions where the students interact with their instructor and classmates at a scheduled time. Assignments are submitted electronically via email or the class website. Agora University’s courses are taught using an online course management system. This LMS (learning management system) is a user-friendly learning platform. The course management system has folders where instructors post course information, course materials and assignments for students to access with ease. At the conclusion of each course, students will complete an evaluation of the course, the instructor and the learning platform. This provides the necessary feedback to ensure that we maintain the quality that should be expected at the University.

Is distance education right for me?

distance learning is a great choice for many people, particularly those who are juggling a full-time job and family responsibilities as well. If you are interested in earning a degree or a certificate but commuting to a campus is not an option or if traditional campus classes do not fit into your busy schedule, then online learning may be right for you!

Succeeding as a distance learner:

A successful distance learner learns to:

1. Be comfortable using technology, computers and navigating the Internet.
2. Be self-disciplined and avoid procrastination.
3. Invest a minimum of 3 hours each week on each course.
4. Be very organized and manage time well.
5. Enjoy working independently.
6. Follow written instructions carefully.
7. Actively participate, share ideas and ask questions in online discussions

Online courses offer a large degree of convenience and flexibility, but it is important to note that these courses require the same level of commitment and effort as attending a class on campus.

How do I access the course materials?

Prior to the beginning of the semester you will receive an email from the Office of Admissions with course access information. This information will include your username and password. The learning platform can be accessed from our website at http://lms.agora.ac/.

Online course attendance:

Just as in face-to-face courses, attending your online course is important. Agora University expects all online students to participate in all instructional activities. Participation in an online course is defined differently than in a face-to face course. Student “attendance” in online courses will be defined as active participation in the course. Online courses will, at a minimum have weekly mechanisms for student participation, which can be documented by any or all of the following methods: student login through the learning platform course software, submission/completion of assignments, which would include discussion board, quizzes, etc., and communication with the instructor during assigned chat sessions and by phone, Zoom or email.

The work of all students at Agora University is reported in grade format. A final grade for each student registered in a course is assigned by instructors as required.

Graduate Courses

The following grades are used to report the quality of graduate student work at Agora University:

A         Superior Achievement

B         Satisfactorily demonstrated potentiality for professional achievement in field of study

C         Passed the course but without doing work indicative of potentiality for professional achievement in field of study

F          Fail

P          Pass (achievement at grade C level or better)

I           Incomplete

IP         In Progress

The grades A, B, and C may be augmented by a plus (+) or minus (-) suffix. The grades A, B, and P signify satisfactory progress toward the degree. Students may apply a C grade toward graduate degrees unless otherwise prohibited by the program requirements. However, courses in which a grade of C is received must be offset by higher grades in the same term for students to remain in good academic standing. A grade of F yields no unit nor course credit.

Grade Points

Grade points per unit are assigned by the Registrar as follows:

A plus (+) or minus (-) suffix added to a grade increases or decreases the grade-point value, except in the case of A+, which carries the same number of grade points as the A grade. Courses in which students receive a grade of P may count toward satisfaction of degree requirements, but these grades, as well as I and IP are disregarded in determining the grade-point average. (After the removal of an I grade and assignment of a letter grade, units and grade points are included in subsequent grade point averages.

Grade-Point Average

The grade-point average is determined by dividing the number of grade points earned by the number of units attempted. The total grade points earned for a course equals the number of grade points assigned times the number of course units. For example, if a student takes three four-unit courses and receives grades of A-, B-, and C+, then the GPA for the term equals the total grade points (34.8) divided by the total course units (12). The GPA is 2.9. For satisfactory standing, students must maintain a B- average (2.5 GPA).

Only grades earned at Agora University are calculated in the student’s GPA. Grades earned at another institution do not affect the GPA at Agora University.

Incomplete Grades

Once a grade of Incomplete (I) is assigned, it remains on the transcript along with the passing grade students may later receive for the course. The instructor may assign the grade I when work is of passing quality but is incomplete for a good cause (such as illness or other serious problem). It is the student’s responsibility to discuss with the instructor the possibility of receiving an Incomplete as opposed to lower mark impacted by the Incomplete (to include an F grade).

If a grade of (I) is assigned, students may receive unit credit and grade points by satisfactorily completing the coursework as specified by the instructor. Students should not re-enroll in the course; if they do, it is recorded twice on the transcript. If the work is not completed within one year’s time, the I lapses to an F.

Correction of Grades

All grades except I are final when filed by the instructor in the end-of-term course report. After grades have been submitted, a grade change may be made only in case of a clerical or procedural error or other unusual circumstances. No grade may be revised by re-examination or, with the exception of grades of I, by completing additional work. Students who are dissatisfied with a grade should review their work with the instructor and receive an explanation of the grade assigned. All grade changes are recorded on the transcript.

Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in order to graduate. A student cannot graduate if there are any outstanding obligations to the University, such as Tuition fees. Students are considered graduates when the thesis has been completed, and a diploma will be sent to the student. Formal Agora University graduation ceremonies will be held once a year, for all students who completed the degree requirements since the previous ceremony. Attendance is not required.

Agora University admits students of any race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the University. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin in its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarships, and any other organization-administered programs.

Agora University recognizes that the protection of the rights of persons requires adherence to clearly formulated institutional policies governing the maintenance of student records. The privacy and confidentiality of all student records shall be preserved. Officers of administration, members of the faculty and staff of the University are bound to respect the rights of a student by holding in confidence information they acquire in the course of their work.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 is a federal law which defines permanent educational records as files, documents and other recorded materials which contain information directly related to a student and which are maintained by Agora University or a person acting in an official capacity for the University.

Educational records do not include those maintained by instructional, supervisory, administrative and educational personnel in the sole possession of information which is not accessible or revealed to any other person. Additionally, educational records do not include records of a student 18 years of age or older or those of a student attending an institution of post-secondary education that are created or maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist or other recognized professional or paraprofessional personnel in connection with the provision of treatment to the student unless specifically requested by the student. Records of students as employees are not part of the education record unless the employment results from the employee’s status as a student. Educational records do not include alumni records.

The Registrar coordinates the inspection and review procedures for student records which include personal, academic and financial files as well as placement records. The FERPA affords students certain rights with respect to their educational records. The right to inspect and review the student’s educational records within 45 days of the day the University receives an official request for access.

Students should submit to the Registrar a written request that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The Registrar will make arrangements for access with the custodian of the particular record and will notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.

Official Agora University transcripts are released only when requested in writing by the student. There is a fee for each copy. Transcripts will not be released for students who have failed to meet their financial obligations to the University. The University will not allow transcripts from other institutions sent or delivered to Agora University to be copied or released to a student. Those documents must be requested from the originating institution.

The right to request an amendment of the student’s educational records that he/she believes is inaccurate or misleading. The student should write the Custodian responsible for the particular record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed in 100 words or less, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.

The Custodian of the record will notify the student of its decision to amend the record or deny the student request. If denied, the student may choose to appeal the decision to the appropriate executive official.

Agora University may disclose information on a student without violating FERPA through what is known as directory information. FERPA regulations define “directory information” as information contained in an education record of a student that would not usually be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy. This generally includes a student’s name, address, telephone number, electronic mail address, photograph, date and place of birth, major field of study, dates of attendance, grade level, enrollment status (full/ part time, undergraduate or graduate), degrees, honors and awards received, other educational institutions attended and related information. Federal law (Solomon Amendment) also requires that institutions of higher education provide military recruiters the names, addresses, telephone numbers and birth dates of currently enrolled students.

A student may restrict the release of his/her directory information by making a request in writing to the Registrar within two weeks of the start of the first enrolled semester of the academic year. This request must be made on a yearly basis.

In certain situations, a student’s consent is not required to disclose educational information. These exceptions include;

• to school officials who have legitimate educational interests;
• to Federal, State, and local authorities involving an audit or evaluation of compliance with education programs;
• to persons or organizations in connection with financial aid;
• to organizations conducting studies for or on behalf of educational institutions;
• to accrediting organizations;
• to parents of students for violations of any law or institutional rule related to the possession of alcohol or controlled substance;
• to comply with judicial order of subpoena
• health or safety emergency
• directory information;
• to the students themselves;
• results of disciplinary hearing to an alleged victim of a crime of violence;
• to the Attorney General of the United States in response to an ex parte order in connection with the investigation or prosecution of terrorism crimes.

Requests to disclose educational information will always be handled with caution and approached on a case-by-case basis. The determination as to whether or not a legitimate educational interest exists will be made by the custodian of the records. When the custodian of the record has any question regarding the legitimacy of the request, the custodian should withhold disclosure unless consent of the student is obtained.

The following is a list of the types of records that the University maintains, their custodian and their appropriate executive official.

**Agora University uses highly encrypted cloud-based servers to ensure the protection of student records.

Students are allowed one week to cancel enrollment and receive a full refund of all their monies, except for the application fee, the technology fee and the library fee prior to starting coursework. Refunds for students who withdraw after the beginning of classes will be calculated as follows:

• 80% for withdrawal during the first week of the term.
• 70% for withdrawal during the second week of the term.
• 60% for withdrawal during the third week of the term.
• 50% for withdrawal during the fourth week of the term.
• No refund will be made after the fourth week of the term.

If a student does not finish a term, no refunds will be made. Tuition fees are not forwarded; if the student drops out and then re-enters, the tuition must be paid anew. Any money due a student must be refunded within 30 days of a cancellation request.

Sample Refund Calculation

Agora will refund 100% of the amount paid for institutional charges, less the non-refundable application fee of $50 (USA) and $25 (Middle East), and the Technology and Library fees, if notice of cancellation is made on the seventh day after enrollment. Students who have started attendance shall receive a pro rata refund based on number of days attended prior to withdrawal.

If a student contacts the University (in any manner) and requests to withdraw during the second week of the term, the student will receive a refund of:

Refund Percentage:  100% less 30% = 70%

Tuition & Fees: (tuition of $500)

Refund: $500 x 70% = $350

Agora University expects each student to use social media responsibly and respectfully in ways that reflect the moral and ethical guidelines set forth by Agora University. Agora University is primarily an online institution, therefore, all courses and instructional materials and correspondence is conducted online. Please check your email account daily. We know life is busy, nonetheless, failure to be aware of updated policies, procedures or other information does not relieve you from responsibility or obligation.

Solicitation

Students, staff or outsiders may not sell to or survey the University community.

Students should refer media inquiries to the Public Relations office which reports to the Office of the Chancellor, which can answer questions accurately and speak officially for Agora University. Students are not to release information or grant interviews to the news media without first checking with the Public Relations office or being asked by that office to do so. In addition, students are not to speak for the University on social media.

This policy was established to aid in the planning of computer purchase(s) throughout the completion of the Agora University programs.

The University strongly recommends that students entering our programs have appropriate and updated mid-range consumer-grade laptop. Students should consider using a laptop that is already owned or another existing computer if possible. If you do not have access to a laptop already and must purchase a new one we have some recommendations below.Again, please note that if you already have a laptop it does not need to meet the specifications below. These specifications are only for people who don’t already have access to a laptop and must purchase a new one.Some courses in the university may require a more robust system, so be sure to verify any class/software requirements before making a purchase. The College will update these specifications on an annual or biannual basis to match advances in software and hardware requirements.

Example minimum hardware specs:
- Intel® Core™ i5 (4 cores recommended)

- 4GB Memory

- 256GB Hard Drive

- 15.6′′ HD Widescreen LED Display

- Wireless Network Adapter

- Software Requirements:

- Operating System of Choice (ie. Windows or Mac)

- Word Processor of Choice (ex. Microsoft Word)

You must have access to a computer connected to the internet. If you are reading this Handbook, you probably already meet the requirements. Dial-up connections will be sufficient for most classes, but a few classes have video materials, which will display better if you have a DSL or cable connection. You may use any of the common browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Internet Explorer. Most of our course lectures are in PDF format. There is a link to three free PDF readers on our public information page. The PDF pages are designed for full-size computers; tablets may provide an adequate display, but the materials may be difficult to read on smaller devices. We require that you have a word-processing program, such as Microsoft Word. Free word-processing programs are also suitable. We highly recommend that you also have a webcam with a microphone, for identity verification and live sessions. Your internet connection must be able to transmit video.

Student records are confidential. The University cannot process a transcript request unless we receive a signed request and the appropriate payment. Outstanding obligations to the University, such as Tuition fees, must be reconciled prior to release of student transcripts. Send all requests to the Registrar and include instructions on where the transcript should be mailed. We will retain your academic records permanently. You are allowed one free transcript for your own records.