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FAQs for Current Students

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Current Students

If you have a question you can’t find an answer to here, contact the Educational Technology Department Office at (208) 426-1966 or edtech@boisestate.edu

1: After I’ve registered for classes, how do I get started?

Your letter of acceptance from the Graduate College provides you with a student number and a Boise State email address powered by Google (see myBoiseState for more information).

Your instructor will send an email to your new Boise State email address by Friday of the week before classes start with instructions on how to access the class.

If you don’t hear from your instructor(s) by Friday of that week, please email him/her directly to let him/her know you are registered for the class but did not receive the welcome letter. You can find faculty email addresses here: EDTECH Faculty and Staff .

Our classes go live the first day of the semester with first assignments due the following week. If you plan to monitor only your personal email account while at Boise State, you absolutely must put a forward on your myBoiseState account and email so all Boise State communication is forwarded to your personal email address. Boise State will not send emails directly to your personal address, so if you do not forward Boise State emails to your personal email account you are very likely to miss important emails from your instructors, the program, and the university.

While you are waiting for your program to begin, review the hardware and software requirements, and get your equipment up-to-date. Also, be sure to join our EDTECH Canvas site. Canvas is used to host our courses.  On the homepage of the Canvas site, there are instructions for you to set up your account. If you have any questions, please contact your academic advisor or the help desk at (208) 426-5347.

2: Which classes do I take first?

After our department receives your application from the Graduate College, an electronic Program Development Form (ePDF) will be shared with you from Google Sheets.  This comes with instructions and an example of how to create your plan and determine the classes you want to take to earn a degree and/or certificate. This is shared to your Boise State email address. It’s important to note that this document is flexible, both from the standpoint of the student as well as the Department. If a student makes course schedule changes, please do so only after speaking with an advisor. The Department also is sometimes forced to make schedule changes that affect student progress. Normally, all degree-seeking students begin by enrolling in EdTech 501 and 502 if taking two classes the first semester. (Note: If you plan to start in the summer – you may want to take one class due to the concentrated time frame and amount of work required). For the rest of the program, we recommend students take one core class and one elective if possible.  See course descriptions here: EDTECH Course Descriptions.   We recommend that you contact an advisor for assistance as you plan your classes. You can find contact information here: EDTECH Contact Information

You will also need to refer to our course schedule here: EDTECH Course Schedule when completing the ePDF sheet.

3: What about prerequisites?

See required prerequisites on the course schedule and course information.

4: Who is my faculty advisor?

Your second letter from the Graduate College provides the name of your assigned faculty advisor. If you’ve lost the letter, please do the following:

  1. Log on to myBoiseState
  2. From the myBoiseState main menu, click the “Student” link
  3. Click the “Registration” link
  4. Under “Academic Record,” click “View My Advisors”

5. What other advising resources are available?

All EDTECH students are assigned a faculty advisor. However, students may also receive advising for admissions, enrollment, and end-of-program program forms and procedures.  You can find contact information here: EDTECH Contact Information .
Ed.S. students should contact advising through edtecheds@boisestate.edu . Ed.D students should contact advising through edtechdoc@boisestate.edu.

6: What if I can’t get together with my advisor? Or what if I need a question answered quickly?

If you’re new to the program, contact your admissions advisor or program coordinator.

7: I’m going to have a baby soon. Should I avoid taking classes this semester?

That’s a personal decision, but if notified in advance some professors are flexible if you need to take time out during the semester. The key is to keep your instructors informed and prepare beforehand.  We want all of our students to be successful.

8: What if something unforeseen comes up and I get hopelessly behind?

Don’t wait until you are hopelessly behind; talk to your instructor as soon as you realize you’re in trouble. Your instructor may work with you to catch up and/or may recommend taking a grade of Incomplete ( I ), which requires that you and your instructor agree on a contract that stipulates the work you must complete and the timeframe in which you must complete it in order for you to receive a grade in the class. Incomplete grades have to be resolved before you can be approved for graduation and definitely within one year of receiving the Incomplete grade.

You may not remove the Incomplete grade by retaking the course in another semester. Taking an Incomplete or withdrawing from a class is preferable to just quitting. If you give up and “walk away” from a class, you will receive an F, which will be calculated into your overall GPA.  To learn more, review the Boise State Graduate Catalog that applies to your entry date for the appropriate policy information here: Boise State University Graduate Catalogs .

9: What happens if I fail a class?

If you fail a class, you may retake the class to improve your grade, but only once and only with the written approval of the Program Coordinator. Also, graduate students have to maintain a 3.0 or better GPA.  If your GPA drops below 3.0 for any reason, the Graduate College will put you on academic probation, meaning you have a semester of grace in which to raise your GPA. If you should earn another low grade and your GPA remains below 3.0 for a second term, you will be administratively withdrawn from your program by the Graduate College. You may appeal to the Chair of the Department of Educational Technology for reinstatement if you don’t agree with the decision.

For further information regarding the consequences of a failing grade, please review the policies stated in your Graduate Catalog in the section entitled, “Graduate Academic Regulations”.  Request to Repeat a Graduate Class Form.

10: What if I have an unresolvable problem with my instructor?

Our instructors are very committed to your success. Please contact them directly if you have any problems that are interfering with your learning. If you are unable to resolve your problem directly with your instructor, please contact your faculty advisor for assistance.

11: Can I transfer a course from another university while enrolled in the program?

We may be able to accept credits from other universities. Please work with  your Adviser or Program Coordinator to create a plan to submit credits to us for consideration. Transfer credits must be approved by the associate chair of our department and the Assistant Dean of the Graduate College.
Transfer credits are limited to nine semester credits (14 quarter credits) for degree-seeking students and three semester credits (4.5 quarter credits) for certificate-only students. Please see the Transfer Credit Policy for more information.
You will need to submit an electronic Request for Approval of Transfer Credits (RATC) form along with the syllabus, or a link to the syllabus, for each course that you’re requesting to transfer. This should be done early during the admissions process.  The RATC form and syllabi are reviewed and, if approved at the department level, are submitted to the Graduate College for final approval.
The Graduate College will notify you of the decision and, if approved, the transfer courses will be listed on your Academic Advisement Report in your Student Center.

12. Where can I find information on master’s programs, policies, procedures, appeals, etc.?

Your best source of information is the Graduate Catalog under which you entered the program. All of these catalogs are available in PDF format at the Graduate College web page: Graduate Catalog. Any questions that are not answered in the catalog may be answered by contacting the Graduate College directly at: gradcollege@boisestate.edu or (208) 426-3903 /-4204.

13. How do I know when to file the appropriate forms?

The following resources are available to help you know when to file the appropriate forms:

See also #18 below.

14. Where can I obtain more information on obtaining financial aid for graduate study?

The best source of financial aid information is the financial aid website here: Financial Aid and Scholarships. Financial aid is different for graduate students than it is for undergraduate students. Another resource to review is the Boise State Financial Aid Handbook.

15. How do I drop a course after the deadline?

University guidelines state: “Permission to drop a class after the announced deadline is granted only if you were passing the class on the day of the drop deadline, and only when warranted by extenuating circumstances that could not have been reasonably anticipated. These circumstances must be beyond your control, such as illness or employer-mandated changes in work hours that prevent class attendance. Documentation must be submitted with this application. Letters from doctors, ministers, or other professionals providing facts to substantiate your need to withdraw are required.”

You should begin your appeal process for withdrawal by contacting the Registrar’s Office. The form that you need to submit, instructions, and FAQs are online at this link: Academic Appeal. This Registrar’s form is used for several purposes: Adding a course after the deadline, complete withdrawal, dropping a course after the deadline, immediate or early reinstatement, and academic adjustments (waiver of University requirements). Be sure to follow procedures outlined in revised University policy regarding reinstatement.

Procedures vary according to the number of courses being dropped, time within the semester the drop is initiated, and other factors. It is very strongly recommended that you first talk to an advisor at the Registrar’s office, (208) 426-4249, so that you can follow the best course of action for your particular circumstances.

16. What is the semester GPA requirement?

The semester GPA requirement has been superseded by a new Graduate College policy dealing with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 being required for graduation. See section 2.6 Academic Performance details at this link: Academic Policy & Procedure Manual.

17. What if I need to take an incomplete in a course? (See also #8)

If you think that you might be eligible to request an Incomplete in a course, be aware that Instructors can enter a grade of I—for Incomplete—if both of the following conditions are present:

  • Your work has been satisfactory up to the last three weeks of the semester
  • Extenuating circumstances make it impossible for you to complete the course before the end of the semester

Even if both conditions are present, however, the decision to allow you to take an Incomplete lies solely with the instructor.

In order to receive an incomplete in a graduate course, you and your instructor must agree to a contract stipulating the work you must do and the time in which it must be completed for you to receive a grade in the class. The terms of this contract are viewable on myBoiseState under Your Student Center To-Do List. By the end of this specified time, the instructor must submit a grade.  If no grade other than incomplete has been assigned one year after the original incomplete, the grade of “F” will automatically be assigned. The grade of F may not be changed without the approval of the University Academic Appeals Committee.

Contact the Registrar’s Office with questions about these other grading policies: (208) 426-4249 or regmail@boisestate.edu

18. Where can I find information about academic deadlines?

The University Registrar Academic Calendar provides the official schedule of deadlines, but an informal, and unofficial (all efforts are made to ensure accuracy), simplified Deadlines table is provided on the EdTech website.
Deadlines are extremely important.  We’ve had students show up for graduation who had not completed all the required paperwork and thus did not graduate until a later semester. You are the one ultimately responsible for knowing the requirements and completing them in a timely manner. We do all that we reasonably can to be sure that you are notified of upcoming deadlines; you can do your part by acting on those notifications and completing the required action. Deadlines are posted in Canvas News and on our department social media as well.

19. What do I need to do after I have acquired 18 credits?

After completing 18 credits toward your degree, you need to:
1.  First, log into your account on myBoiseState. Then, complete and submit the Admission to Candidacy Form (AAC). This should be submitted after you have completed 18 credits and before the published deadline on the Academic Calendar.

If you are pursuing a graduate certificate, you also need to submit an Admission to Candidacy Form (AAC) if you have not already done so.  AACs for a certificate program should be submitted immediately after official acceptance or no later than after the first course is completed.

  1.  After the AAC form has been successfully processed you will need to apply for graduation in myBoiseState. To do this, follow the instructions at the link: Apply for Graduation. Be sure to check the deadline to apply for the semester during which you intend to graduate (see Academic Calendar).
  2.  Finally, you need to register for your culminating activity: Register for EDTECH 592 – Portfolio, for all M.E.T. students following the Fall 2018 and later catalogs). To do so, go to this link: Apply for Portfolio and complete the online form. The form will document your request and will give the information that is needed to confirm that you are eligible to apply for portfolio. A permission number will then be sent to you so that you can get enrolled.

Information on these culminating activities is found at our Culminating Activities page. There is also an online form linked from this page that allows you to Apply for Portfolio.

If you have questions or concerns, contact us at edtech@boisestate.edu.

20. How do I receive an academic requirement adjustment or substitute credits?

In order to revise your Application for Admission to Candidacy to show a change of electives, you will need to complete a Request for Adjustment of Academic Requirements form after logging into myBoiseState.

21. How do I apply for independent study?

If you are interested in taking a Graduate Independent Study, please complete the Application for Graduate Independent Study. To increase the likelihood that your application is approved, the following need to be addressed:

  1. Your independent study proposal must be negotiated with your supervising professor (a full-time tenure-track professor, not an adjunct), to ensure that your study is rigorous, academically appropriate, and suitably scaled.
  2. The explanation of the proposed independent study must clearly state in detail what is to be done and the assessment method(s) that your supervising professor will use.
  3. The proposal must state the specific deliverables that will result from the GIS.

If these conditions are met, there is rarely any problem with approval by the Graduate College.  Contact us if you have any questions: edtech@boisestate.edu.

22. What if I need to withdraw from the program?

You should begin your appeal process for withdrawal by contacting the Registrar’s Office. The form that you need to submit, instructions, and FAQs are online at this link: Academic Appeal. This Registrar’s form is used for several purposes: Adding a course after the deadline, complete withdrawal, dropping a course after the deadline, immediate or early reinstatement, and academic adjustments (waiver of University requirements). Be sure to follow procedures outlined in revised University policy regarding reinstatement.

Procedures vary according to the number of courses being dropped, time within the semester the drop is initiated, and other factors. It is very strongly recommended that you first talk to an advisor at the Registrar’s office, (208) 426-4249, so that you can follow the best course of action for your particular circumstances.

23. When are the thesis deadlines?

This question applies only to students in the Master of Science in Educational Technology program. Please see the Academic Calendar published by the Registrar and/or the Deadlines page on the EdTech website.

24. How do I keep track of my career progress and requirements?

You can keep track of your progress by going to your Academic Advisement Report on myBoiseState. You also completed a Program Development Form (ePDF) upon entering your program that you can use.

The Online Academic Advisement Report (AAR):

  • The AAR can be accessed through your myBoiseState account at myBoiseState and can be used to monitor your progress during all stages of the degree attainment process. After you login, navigate to Student Center, then, under Academics, click on the drop-down box with the entry “other academics, then select Academic Advising Report.
  •  It should be noted that the final adjustments to the AAR are not done until your Application for Admission to Candidacy form is submitted after you have completed 18 credits in your program. Until then, courses may not appear to be correctly applied.
  • Be aware that any credits you wish to transfer in must be documented on original transcript copies and approved by the associate chair and the Graduate College.  The transfer credits will not be posted to your AAR until both the Application for Admission to Candidacy form and all required transcripts are received by the Graduate College.
    Detailed information on Graduate regulations and policies regarding the requirements of your program can be found in your Graduate Catalog. Catalogs are available online at: Graduate Catalog

25. How do I appeal an academic policy or requirement?

You have the right to appeal any academic policy or requirement if either of the following conditions is present:

  • Extenuating circumstances make it impossible for you to comply with the policy or requirement.
  • An undue hardship would result from a strict application or interpretation of the policy or requirement.

For details on how to initiate an appeal, please use this link: Appeals

For more information about appeals and grievances, see the Dean of Students and the Boise State University Policy Manual.

26. How do I change my certificate program?

It is strongly recommended that you discuss your plans with your EdTech admissions advisor before you actually apply for admittance to a new certificate program to be sure that you understand how the change will potentially impact your costs and timeline. You may be advised to contact the Graduate College at graduatecollege@boisestate.edu or (208) 426-3903.

If you are accepted into a certificate program and wish to change to another, go to the Graduate College website and Apply for Admission to the certificate program that you wish to take. There are specific links for domestic and international students, so please use the correct one. Also, if you have already submitted an AAC for the old program, you’ll need to resubmit the paperwork for the new program as soon as you have been admitted to the new certificate program. The new AAC will need to list the required courses for the new certificate.

If you have just applied and want to change your certificate program, please contact us at edtech@boisestate.edu so that we can change it for you.

27. How do I change my degree program?

It’s strongly recommended that you discuss your plans to change your degree program with our admissions adviser before you actually initiate any changes. Email edtech@boisestate.edu) to start the discussion. You may also wish to contact your faculty advisor for career questions. Information, including admissions links, is also available on the Graduate College Admissions web-page.

If you are already accepted into a degree program in the EdTech Department and wish to change to another EdTech Program, you’ll need to submit the Program Change Request Form.  If you are changing departments, you’ll be required to submit a new application. Go to the Graduate College website and Apply for Admission to the degree program to which you wish to be admitted. Use a different user name and password/passphrase this time. There are specific links for domestic and international students.  Say ‘yes’ to the question that asks if you have previously applied so that you are not charged another application fee. After receiving the new application, the Graduate Admissions office prepares a Program Admission Recommendation form and sends it to the Educational Technology Program Coordinator for approval. When it’s approved and returned to the Graduate College, they change the university database to list you in your new program.

If you’ve already submitted an Application for Admission to Candidacy form and other paperwork for your old program, you’ll need to resubmit the paperwork for the new program immediately after you have been admitted to the new degree program. The new candidacy form will need to reflect any changes in requirements (e.g., if the old program required EDTECH 591 and the new one requires EDTECH 592 or 593, the complete course list needs to be listed correctly.)

28. What are the steps in the final process leading up to graduation?

Once you’ve submitted an Application for Graduation for all programs to which you are admitted, then:

  • The Graduate College notifies the Registrar listing all AACs for eligible graduates.
  • After you apply for graduation via your student center in myBoiseState, the Registrar’s office matches candidacy forms with any academic adjustment forms and attempts to resolve any issues.
  • The Registrar notifies you by mail that you are either a valid candidate for the next graduating class or that you are missing something and your graduation is delayed. Letters are sent containing instructions for you to monitor your Boise State email for commencement details. Processing of student records is done in alphabetical order.
  • Grades are official at the end of the semester.  At the end of the semester, there is a final records review in accordance with the Graduate College. Assuming no problems, final transcripts are ready about 6 weeks after the end of the semester and diplomas/certificates are mailed to students.  Students may earlier request a letter from the Registrar stating that all degree/certificate requirements have been met. You may order final transcripts through your student center on myBoiseState, but be sure to check the Hold for Degree box.

Commencement Information

Regalia – The Bookstore sells regalia to graduates about six weeks prior to commencement. Caps, gowns, tassels, master’s hoods and announcements are available in the Bookstore and online until graduation day. When graduates purchase regalia, each graduate receives brochures and information about what to do on graduation day (where to meet, timing, etc), how to become a member of the Boise State Alumni Association, coupons for purchases at the bookstore, and more.
– Candidates for the Masters of Educational Technology degree purchase the light blue hood and tassel.

  • Regalia questions for the EdS and EdD degrees are answered by Dawn Ramirez in the Graduate College at either (208) 426-3903 or dawnramirez@boisestate.edu.

Ceremony

The ceremony is held in the ExtraMile Arena as well as live-streamed over the Internet so that family and friends may watch the proceedings even if they can’t be physically present. Details about the live streaming video and the commencement can be found at: The Commencement website. If you are coming to Boise to walk in commencement, please email edtech@boisestate.edu to let us know.

29. How do I get a student photo ID?

To get a student photo ID card, please go to this link: How to Get a Bronco Card.

30. Do graduate certificates lead to teacher certification?

No, a graduate certificate program is limited in scope relative to a graduate degree program but provides an opportunity for advanced study with a particular focus. Successful completion of a graduate certificate program is a coherent academic accomplishment that leads to an official notation on your transcript. A graduate certificate can often serve as an intermediate accomplishment for a student whose ultimate goal is a graduate degree.

A graduate certificate should not be confused with a “teaching certificate.” These graduate certificates are not recognized by the state of Idaho or any other state for purposes of teacher licensing. Rather, they are granted by the university as a way to demonstrate a specialization in a topic of study.

However, we do offer the K-12 Online Teaching Endorsement, which is recognized by the state of Idaho and results in an endorsement on the Idaho teaching license. Since the endorsement is so new, we have not yet established reciprocity with other states. See this page for more information on this endorsement.

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