These unofficial pages are designed to provide information and answer frequently asked questions.

QUESTIONS

1.  How do I apply?  What are admission requirements?

2.  How do I contact the financial aid office?

3. How do I find out what courses are available?

4.  How do I register for courses?

5. What should my first course be?

6. What is the MyPark Portal?

7. How do I access my online course?

8. How do I know where to go for an onground course?

9. How do I get computer help?

10.  How do I use eCollege (online courses) or eCompanion (onground courses)?

11. When do classes start?

12.  What will be expected in my work?

13. What is the policy for transfer credits?

14.  How do I contact my professor?

15.  Other important information?

16.  Who should be my advisor?

BookstoreGraduate Catalog - Tuition remission - Syllabus

ANSWERS

1.  How do I apply?

Information: http://www.park.edu/grad/masters-cl-admissions.aspx

Application form: https://www.park.edu/apply/apply.asp

Admission Requirements

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. institution or the equivalent from an international institution.
• A minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA in the bachelor's degree.
• A GRE General Test* score no more than five years old at the time of application.
• A copy of current résumé.
• Three (3) Letters of Recommendation from individuals, such as employers and/or faculty, in a position to comment meaningfully and specifically on the student's abilities and potential for graduate work.

2.  How do I contact the financial aid office?

3.  How do I find out what courses are available?

For Park's official list of courses, enter the information about the term you plan to enroll http://www.park.edu/course/index.aspx

Here is advising information about the upcoming term and the likely rotation of courses http://ourwayit.com/Grad/Courses.html

4.  How do I register for courses?

Go here:  https://my.park.edu/ICS/Please_Log_Into_MyPark.jnz You'll need to access the OPEN registration system through your Park portal.  For instructions on how to register online, please go to http://www.park.edu/grad/documents/HowtoRegisterOnline.pdf.

The Graduate School staff can sign you up to register for courses:  Kathryn DeFever, kathryn.defever@park.edu  or at 816-559-5629. If you have questions about what you should take, your faculty advisor will be happy to help. 

5.  What should my first course be?

Required First Course: CA 500 (This course is one hour, so you also may want another course).

6. What is the MyPark Portal?

This is how you access registration, your course program progress (Degree Audit), enrollment, grades, and other information.  You can access your degree audit through MyPark, which shows exactly what you need (shown as blanks) https://my.park.edu/ics/  You're responsible for following the requirements in the degree audit, which is based on the year you began the program.  Only Dr. Noe, the Program Director, has the authority to transfer courses, substitute courses, or approve independent study courses.  If he approves, you will see the change in your Degree Audit in MyPark.

7.  How do I access my online course?

Go to http://parkonline.org/ You can probably look around in there about a week or so before the course start date, but don't expect content to be correctly updated until the first day of the course. 

8. How do I know where to go for an onground course?

Find the location here: http://www.park.edu/course/index.aspx  There is a campus map here: http://www.park.edu/about/campusmap.pdf or http://www.park.edu/sac/CampusMap.html

9.  How do I get computer help?

If the links or phone numbers on this do not work, go to the Park webpage and look up the contact information: http://www.park.edu/

If the computer problem is Park-related (e.g., library database, email) contact the Information Technology Services Help Desk, Phone: (816) 584-6768 or 1-800-927-3024, Email: helpdesk@mail.park.edu, Fax: (816) 505-5439. If you have forgotten your User ID or Password, or if you need assistance with your PirateMail account, please email helpdesk@park.edu or call 800-927-3024.

If the problem is eCollege related, please contact eCollege. They will walk you through the problem while you're on the phone. For technical assistance with the Online classroom, email eCollegeHelpDesk@parkonline.org or call the helpdesk at 866-301-PARK (7275). To see the technical requirements for online courses, please visit the http://parkonline.org website: click on the "Technical Requirements" link, and click on "BROWSER Test" to see if your system is ready.

10.  How do I use eCollege (online courses) or eCompanion (onground courses)?

Login here: http://parkonline.org/  eCollege is pretty intuitive, but I put together a tutorial here: http://ourwayit.com/eCollege/ There is a new visual format for eCollege, but the functions are the same.

11. When do classes start?

 Here is the academic calendar: http://www.park.edu/acadcalendar/default.aspx?semester=&campus=

12.  What will be expected in my work?

Please carefully read this information about academic honesty and what you need to do to avoid plagiarism. Ethics. Use your own words.  Cite and reference everything, including paraphrasing.  Park University policy says that whether or not a student knew they were plagiarizing is not an excuse. Be aware of what is expected. Further, we seek to have a positive and supportive learning environment. Expectations of Students.

13.  What is the policy for Transfer Credits?

Typrically, you can transfer up to 9 graduate hours from an accredited institution, provided the hours didn't already count toward a degree. Command and General Staff College students have a specific transfer policy here http://military.park.edu/command.shtml Send a copy of your transcript and the request tothe Program Director, Dr. J. M. Noe jmark.noe@park.edu

14.  How do I contact my professor or find important information?

Find the email and contact information in People at Park: http://people.park.edu/Public/Default.aspx?TabKey=0&TaskItemKey=2&Screen=0

Park University, 8700 NW River Park Drive, Parkville, MO 64152
(816) 741-2000 or (800) 745-7275

Be sure to email from your @Park.edu address because outside emails often are blocked in our system.

15.  Where do I find important information?

Master of Arts in Communication and Leadership Program Official Information

http://www.park.edu/grad/masters-cl.aspx

16.  Who is my faculty advisor?

Dr. Joan Aitken often advises new students while they are getting started, but any student is welcome to contact her.  Later, you will select the advisor of your choice to help guide you through the program.  Joan's home phone number is in the People@Park directory http://people.park.edu/Public/Default.aspx?TabKey=0&TaskItemKey=2&Screen=0 or email  joan.aitken@park.edu

ADVISORS:
Dr. Aitken joan.aitken@park.edu
Dr. Cohn lora.cohn@park.edu
Dr. Noe jmark.noe@park.edu

For your capstone (thesis, project, or reflection), you ask a faculty member to be your advisor.  In making this decision, you might ask yourself about the faculty you have had for courses so far:

• Who responds quickly to me when I make phone or email contact?

• Who has expertise in the topic or research method I want to study?

• Who gave me prompt feedback when I turned in course assignments?

For more information, go to http://ourwayit.com/Grad/Advisor.htm

Get Oriented with Park Systems

One of the best places to start as a new student is to get to know the technological systems that Park University uses. For an explanation of the most crucial systems and what they do, go to http://www.park.edu/grad/documents/ParkTechnologicalSystems.pdf . This pdf document covers Piratemail, Piratenet, and Parkonline. All official email from the University goes to your Park email account so be sure you check that account daily or set it to forward to an account you check regularly.

Rate of Progress--Two Years Until Graduation

You can go at whatever rate you decide. We have 5 terms per year (8 weeks per term). You are limited to a maximum of 6 credit hours per term and will need to contact Dr. Noe for an exception.

You can complete the program in two years this way:

Take one course per term.

Take an extra one hour course during your first term (CA 500).

Take one hour each term toward your reflection, project, or thesis for the last five terms (one year).

You will need to pay attention to course rotation, making sure you take required courses Sept-May and electives during the summer. Courses require 7 students, so are sometimes cancelled due to low enrollment. See the recommended rotation here: http://ourwayit.com/Grad/Courses.html#Rotation_

Special Problems

If you have special requests about the program, contact the Program Director, Dr. J. M. Noe, jmark.noe@park.edu

Syllabus for Each Course

Once approved by the program director, you syllabus will appear here: http://www.park.edu/syllabus/list.aspx Make sure you look at the correct term and correct professor.

Order Textbooks from the Park Bookstore

Make sure you buy the right books! Faculty assigned to teach courses can change right up to the last minute, so the mantra is always "Never buy a book until your prof. says to buy it." And never write in a textbook in case you have to send it back.

Look inside the course materials https://secure.ecollege.com/parku/index.learn?action=welcome  or on the current syllabus http://www.park.edu/syllabus/list.aspx or talk to your professor to find out exactly what you need for class before you buy your books. Don't buy a book based on last term's information still in the computer (or the Bookstore list), then have to send it back and buy something else. If you buy early, don't write in the books or take packaging apart. Sometimes the bookstore can't get everything updated early. 

Universities do everything possible to plan in advance, but changes happen right up to the last minute. We are still shuffling faculty up until the course starts because only certain faculty can teach certain courses, sometimes a course doesn't make so is cancelled, sometimes a section is added, and other reasons. So the bookstore doesn't always have the latest information. When you verify the information with you professor, you can contact the bookstore.  More about textbooks http://ourwayit.com/Grad/Books.htm
 

Secure Funding For Your Courses

Whether you are using financial aid, VA benefits, TA benefits, paying out right, employee funds, etc, you need to make sure that you have completed any and all necessary paperwork before the confirmation (payment) deadline. Please go to http://www.park.edu/grad/documents/PaymentOptionsandConfirmation.pdf for more information on your payment options.

Watch For Deadlines

You need to always be aware of the different deadlines such as confirmation (payment for courses), adding or dropping a course, or withdrawing from a course. Please be sure to go to the academic calendar and review the policies and deadlines for adding, dropping, or withdrawing from a course. Remember, notices will be sent to your Park account only.

Know Your Policies and Resources

Reading through the Graduate Catalog that applies to you is very important. It lists the policies and procedures that you are expected to follow in your graduate career. Another great resource of information is the Student Resource page. This page provides great information that can be referred to for the duration of your degree.

Park University Employees - Tuition Remission

All employee tuition remission requests must be completed 2 weeks prior to the start of classes using our online tuition remission request form.