Online learning may be for you if you are:

• a self-starter and self-disciplined – you need to be able to plan ahead and work independently to meet deadlines
• independent with strong time management skills - you must make a commitment to keep up with the course and put in the necessary 15-20 hours a week
• responsible and complete student assignments on time (or even early!) – catching up in an online course is extremely difficult
• comfortable expressing yourself through written communication in a text based environment
• willing to share your ideas and work with your fellow students in the online environment – participation is key to succeeding in an online course
• willing to initiate contact with the instructor when problems arise – with either the technology or the course content – otherwise they won’t know you’re having difficulties
• not intimidated with using with using new technologies and comfortable accessing the internet

Computer Skills:

Proficiency with the following:

• Basic computer tasks
  (e.g., rebooting computers, finding a lost file on your hard
  drive)
• Word processing
  (e.g., open, spell check, and save word document)
• Email – sending/receiving, attach a file to an outgoing email
• Web browswer software and navigating the Web
  (e.g., search the web using a search engine, download and
  install programs or plugins, create bookmards or favorites)
• Playing a CD-ROM

Minimum Technical Requirements:

• Easy access to an Internet ready computer
• 133Mhz Pentium or higher, or Mac G3/iMac or better
• 128mb RAM or better
• Internet connection (modem 56K)
• Sound card/speakers or headphones
• Monitor with at least 800 x 600 resolution
• CD-ROM drive
• Email account
• ANGEL account: if you don’t have an ANGEL account, go to the ANGEL
  home page - http://angel.scu.edu – choose the Request an account link and fill in the asked for information. ANGEL will automatically set up an account and alert you via email as to your username and password.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader: available at
  http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
• Current anti-virus software:
  Sophos is available free of charge to SCU students,
  http://it.scu.edu/projects/sophos/
• Browsers: latest version of IE or Netscape
  For PC’s – I.E. 6.0 or Netscape 7.0
  For MAC’s – I.E. 5.0 or 5.2 or Netscape 6.2
• Browser plugins (free)
  Flash plug-in – available at: http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash
  QuickTime
  Windows Media Player.
  
  Note: These are minimal computer specifications. Your experience may improve with a newer, more robust computer system.