CMU Online

Students interested in taking courses through CMU Online must be admitted to Central Michigan University prior to registration. Those students applying veterans educational benefits toward tuition of a course should contact CMU’s Veterans’ Resource Center for information regarding certification and restrictions.
Courses offered through CMU Online mirror main campus face-to-face courses in terms of their scope, study requirements and level of difficulty. Most students limit themselves to two online courses per term, especially if a student is new to independent learning, is employed full time, or has a large semester class load. Online course delivery provides each student with a virtual classroom where lectures, multimedia study materials and class discussion are all provided using the latest technology. Interactive online tools offer students the opportunity to connect with faculty and peers to discuss course content. Online courses still have specific start and end dates and assignment/exam due dates. Careful review of the course syllabus prior to the course start will provide these dates. Questions regarding online courses may be directed to staff at cmuonline@cmich.edu.

Online Learning Environment

To ensure success in online classes, CMU encourages students to familiarize themselves with the online learning environment prior to enrolling in CMU Online courses. Preview a sample online class, run a diagnostics check on your computer and take the Online Learning Assessment on our website at: https://www.cmich.edu/academics/innovation-online/resources/online-learning-resource-center.

Main Campus Courses for CMU Online Students

Any student admitted to CMU Online may enroll for classes on the Central Michigan University campus in Mount Pleasant. Information regarding dates and procedures for registration is on the Registrar’s website at https://www.cmich.edu/offices-departments/registrars-office.

Drop and Withdrawal Policy for Online Courses

Please click this link to view the Registrar's page about this policy.

Examination Proctors

A proctor is a person approved to administer exams to a student for an online course requiring a proctor. Not all online courses require a proctor. For those courses that do require a proctor, students must identify a proctor and provide the necessary information through the Proctor Designation Form to the Certified Testing Center for approval. Once a proctor has been approved, the Testing Center will provide exam materials to the proctor. The student arranges an exam appointment with the proctor to take their exam. 

Acceptable proctors include school counselors, school/college administrators/teachers, military/industry education or testing centers, or librarians at a local library. In addition, CMU centers proctor exams. Unacceptable proctors include, but are not limited to, family members, friends, co-workers, other CMU students, anyone with whom the student has a personal relationship, or anyone who cannot provide a suitable testing environment. CMU reserves the right to deny any proctor or assign proctors to students as deemed necessary by the Testing Center staff. More information on proctoring can be found at: https://www.cmich.edu/academics/certified-testing-center/proctored-exams-for-cmu-courses. 

The student is responsible for any proctor’s fees. If one of the CMU centers is to be used as a proctor, please check with that center to determine available times and dates for testing. Should you have any questions, call 989-774-4461.

Independent Study

Independent study courses are available for students who wish to pursue special areas of interest. Independent learning experiences should help students develop skills in planning, organizing, researching, reporting, and developing specific skills outside the classroom. The experiences may take the form of readings, research, or special projects. Students wishing to pursue independent study should contact their advisor for an Independent Study Guide and an application for Independent Study Request. Independent study projects should not duplicate the content of an established course.

Tutorial Option

Students may, under certain circumstances, take courses as tutorials (on an individual basis) working closely with an approved instructor. Details are available from the program administrator.

Planned Experiences

The planned experiences credit option provides a flexible learning format which can be tailored to fit particular student objectives. This learning option also allows the student to take full advantage of all instructional resources available. The student should consult their academic advisor to develop a planned experience and should consider the following guidelines:

1. The experience must develop skills not previously acquired by the student.
2. Planned experience credit will not be granted for work or study in which the student was involved prior to enrolling in the planned experience.
3. The experience may be graded on a credit/no credit basis at the student’s request and with the faculty reviewer’s approval.
4. The student may earn no more than 30 semester hours of credit through planned experiences. No more than 15 semester hours of credit may be earned for a single planned experience.

The following course numbers and titles are used to record credit granted for planned experiences:

CDE 291 Planned Experience in Community Development (1-15)

CDE 491 Planned Experience in Community Development (1-15)