General
Who teaches online courses?
Online courses at SOIS are taught by the same full-time, tenure track faculty and lecturers. To further expand our elective offerings, SOIS hires experienced professionals to teach in specialized subject areas. These are all the same instructors you would find in a traditional, onsite class.
How are online courses delivered?
SOIS online courses are delivered mostly asynchronously (in non-real time) using Desire2Learn, an intuitive course management software tool. Some courses may take advantage of live chat sessions; others may make use of streaming audio or video lectures. As new technologies for course delivery become available, we will make every effort to take advantage of those that are appropriate to our degree programs.
What student support services are offered?
We provide student advising (start to finish), career counseling, and technical support, as well as registration and enrollment assistance. The UWM Golda Meir Library is especially adept at handling online student services. They offer Inter-Library Loan, electronic reserves and access to electronic indexes and abstracts.
Can I get a student ID card?
Yes! To obtain your PantherID card, send the following information to online-ID@uwm.edu:
- Full legal name
- Month and date of birth
- Campus ID number
For full details, visit the PantherCards for Online Students site.
Can I enroll in study abroad?
Absolutely! SOIS offers numerous study abroad opportunities during the summer and UWinteriM terms to South Africa, Korea and Scotland to name just a few. Enroll early, though, because they fill up quickly!
How many online courses should I take in one semester?
This will depend greatly on your outside commitments. We encourage online students to start with six credits (two classes) for their first semester. Family, work and life can make completion of online work a bit more taxing. One common rule we use is students who work more than 25 hours a week should consider limiting their enrollment to six credits (two courses) per semester.
Are scholarships and financial aid available?
YES! Scholarships are available to online students. Please see our Scholarship Information.
To apply for financial aid, complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Please see www.uwm.edu/Dept/FINAID/ for more information or contact the Financial Aid office.
The UWM Financial Aid Office offers online entrance loan counseling.