How do online courses work?

The structure of the courses will vary somewhat between instructors and course concentration. Your instructor will provide lessons, which may be in the form of a recorded or live lecture, Power Point notes, readings, or online chat sessions. Some of these may require you to be online at a certain time. The specifics of how the classes are run will be outlined in the syllabus provided to you by your instructor.

Online courses offer flexibility and convenience — you can study at your own pace, any time, and from anywhere in the world.

How long is the program?  What is the time commitment?

Each course is 12 weeks in duration; 10 course modules with two reading weeks.  The start and end dates are in the online course schedule and provided in your course syllabus.

Most classes will rely on you to log on to the Blackboard system each week and pull the lecture and assignment material to work on in your own time. Generally, the wood design concentration will require more of a time commitment than the other concentrations, as it requires fabrication of actual projects in addition to the normal assignments of standard courses.

How do I contact my instructor?  How will I meet with my advisor?

You can email your instructors and advisors at any time, and they will hold office hours via Skype (a free videoconference software).

How do I turn in assignments?

Once enrolled in your class, you will have access to it through the University of Toronto Blackboard portal. Blackboard is an elearning software systeme that allows instructors and students to share information about a course. All of your course material will be available through this system, and you will be able to upload assignments into your instructor’s drop box at any time. Blackboard also lets you receive your grades electronically, interact with your classmates, and manage most aspects of your online course.

What if I miss a due date?  What if I go on vacation and can’t do my work?

Just like contact courses, these types of issues should be addressed with your instructor. You receive grades for your assignments, just like in contact courses, so missing one assignment will in most cases lower your final grade in the class.

How do the grades work?

The grading scale runs on a standard 10-point scale as follows:

  • 90-100:                   A
  • 80-89:                     B
  • 70-79:                     C
  • 60-69:                     D
  • Below 60:             Fail

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Course offerings

Fall 2013

  • Forestry Profession and Practice I
  • Urban Forest Conservation

Spring 2014

  • Forestry Profession and Practice II
  • Forest Conservation Planning in Cultural Landscapes

Summer 2014

  • Wood in the Modern Age
  • Joinery and Construction
  • Wood, Water, Design and Decay
  • GIS Field and Laboratory Methods Advanced Module

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