Graduate Credit Course Policies
Learner Expectations
We expect all course participants to conduct themselves in a professional and respectful manner and adhere to all privacy laws in all aspects of course interaction and participation. We expect all course participants to adhere to the ASHA Code of Ethics or other ethical code of a relevant professional governing body.
In accordance with ASHA Continuing Education Board standards, SLP Nerdcast keeps participant records for 7 years. All electronic records are kept securely and paper records are kept in a secure and locked location. Only course instructors and administrative personnel that have direct contact with a course have access to participant records. If you would like to access your course records please email us at [email protected].
Grading Policies
Throughout SLP Masterclass courses quizzes and assignments will be required that are worth a certain amount of points. Each completed assignment will be given a grade, and those points will accumulate towards a final grade. Our grading policies are as follows:
If you are registered for graduate level credit through Fitchburg State University your final grade will be reflected in your Fitchburg State student portal. Midterm grades or your current standing are available to you upon request by your course instructors.
If you are enrolling in a course to earn ASHA CEUs: ASHA CEUs are awarded to participants for completion of learning outcomes and coursework. Per the syllabus provided, meeting the expectations of learning outcomes is reflected by a final grade of 71% or higher. Participants interested in earning ASHA CEUs must meet this final passing grade to be awarded certificates of completion and ASHA CEU reporting.
You will be notified via email at midterms if you are at risk of falling below the 71% passing grade, or if you are at risk for earning an Incomplete. Participants earning 71% or below or Incomplete will not be awarded ASHA CEUs.
Grading for assignments and course components will be outlined in your syllabus. If you have specific questions about how an assignment is graded please contact your course instructor.
Late Assignments: Candidates are expected to turn in their assignments on time. Each candidate has the option of submitting a request for a late assignment. If a late assignment has been discussed and agreed upon by the candidate and course instructor then no points will be deducted. If prior permission was not discussed 5% of your grade for the assignment will be deducted per day past the due date. No assignments will be accepted beyond 5 days late (without prior approval).
Life Happens Policy: SLP Nerdcast and its course instructors believe that candidates are people too, with lives of their own outside of a learning environment. If you are experiencing extenuating circumstances that prevent you from turning in an assignment on time please notify us as soon as possible. Exceptions will not be made outside of emergencies or for instances where extenuating circumstances are communicated after a deadline has passed
Insufficient Enrollment
SLP Nerdcast reserves the right to cancel a Masterclass due to insufficient enrollment or scheduling difficulty. In the event that a course is canceled, registered participants will be notified via email within 14 days of the scheduled start of the workshop. All fees paid by the participants will be refunded in full. Graduate level registration fees paid to Fitchburg State University for graduate credit are non-refundable. These fees are paid to the University before the course begins and can not be returned. Visit the Fitchburg State website for more information about their refund procedures
Attendance and Progress
Attendance for SLP Masterclasses will be monitored via completion of online requirements including webinars watched in their entirety, completion of quizzes, satisfaction of discussion board requirements, assignments, journals, etc. Course completion and final grading rubrics are defined in each course syllabus. Participants will receive grades as defined by the course syllabus.
Participation in course discussion boards and cooperative groups is expected. All participants are responsible for meeting required deadlines on projects and assignments as defined in the course syllabus.
If you have questions for the instructor please email them directly with the contact information provided in the course syllabus. Your instructor will respond to any questions posted within 48 hours. If you have general questions related to course content of a non-private nature please consider posting those questions in the discussion forum, as other participants may benefit from the learning the answer to your question. Please avoid any last minute communication related to your assignments or course participation.
We want to make the point that attending class online / asynchronously is more convenient, but not necessarily easier. The SLP Nerdcast Masterclass courses are designed to deepen participants understanding within a clinical area. These courses are also offered for graduate level credit. As such, participants can expect graduate level work.
Academic Integrity
In line with our partnership, SLP Nerdcast adheres to the Academic Integrity Policy of Fitchburg State University (Fitchburg, MA). You can learn more about this policy here. Some main points of integrity to consider when enrolling in an SLP Masterclass include:
Maintaining academic integrity: Participants may not submit work that is not their own, has been falsified, or is not the result of their own effort. If a participant is concerned about the academic integrity of their work it is expected that you contact the course instructor prior to submitting the work.
Plagiarizing and cheating: Work that is submitted in a student’s name shall be done so with the understanding that it is not a plagiarized work. Use of unauthorized materials during an examination is an infringement of the academic integrity policy. In short: no plagiarizing and no cheating.
Reusing previously submitted work: A participant may not repurpose assignments or works from a previously enrolled course. All assignments submitted to an SLP Nerdcast Masterclass must be original to that course.
Educational Units, Literacy, and Technology
All submitted works must be typed and follow guidelines as indicated in the syllabus (i.e. double spaced, use of specific fonts). If a course syllabus does not indicate specific units to be used a participant may use the following default formatting:
Font: Times New Roman
Format: Double Spaced, Typed
Documentation Style: APA
Equal Opportunity Education
SLP Nerdcast and it’s umbrella company, Grandbois Therapy and Consulting, LLC is committed to providing equal opportunity for all members of our learning community without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin or ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, marital status, genetic information, veteran or military status, membership in Uniformed Services, or any other characteristic protected by law. This policy governs all aspects of SLP Nerdcast’s courses, business practices, and operations.
Accessibility
SLP Nerdcast is committed to Universal Accessibility. All SLP Nerdcast Masterclasses are available in accessible formats, or alternate formats made available for students who request them. This may include:
Captioning and audio description of audio/visual aids
Large print
Convertible and plain text electronic formats
To request an accessible format please email [email protected]
Participant Grievances
Participants are strongly encouraged to resolve conflicts and disagreements with facilitators or classmates directly within the flow and structure of the course. The following procedures address student grievances which have not been resolved through this informal approach. Participants must file their grievance in writing (print letter or electronic mail) to the Director of Continuing Education at [email protected]. In your correspondence please include facts of the issue, the action taken to date, and the resolution sought. The Director of Continuing Education will render a decision on the matter within 5 business days of receiving the grievance. The participant may appeal the decision to the Managing Director; this appeal must also be in written form and include reasons for dissatisfaction with the Director of Continuing Education’s decision. The Managing Director will have an additional 5 days from the receipt of the appeal to decide on the matter.
Course Registration and Payment
All course registrations and payment are processed through our website at www.courses.slpnerdcast.com. We are unable to invoice participants for courses. Please retain all your receipts and confirmations.
Cancellations and Refunds
SLP Nerdcast reserves the right to cancel a Masterclass due to insufficient enrollment or scheduling difficulty. In the event that a course is canceled, registered participants will be notified within 14 days of the scheduled start of the workshop. All fees paid by the participants will be refunded in full. Refunds will be issued to the original form of payment. Once a course has begun, it is the course instructors responsibility to notify participants of any changes to the course schedule.
In the event that a participant elects to withdraw from the workshop for any reason, fees may be refundable according to the following schedule:
Withdrawals within 24 hours of initial registration will refunded 100%. For example, if you register for an SLP Nerdcast Masterclass at 9:00 AM on July 1st but withdrawal at 8:50 AM on July 2nd you will be paid a full refund (100%).
Withdrawals after 24 hours of registration and before the first 24 hours of the start date of the course will be refunded 75%. For example, you register for an SLP Nerdcast Masterclass on July 1st with a course start date of September 1st. If you withdrawal at anytime between July 2nd and September 2nd you will be paid 75% of the fee.
Withdrawals after the first 24 hours of the course start date will not be refunded. For example, you register for an SLP Nerdcast Masterclass with a course start date of September 1st. If you withdrawal anytime after September 2nd you will not be refunded.
Graduate level registration fees paid to Fitchburg State University for graduate credit are non-refundable. These fees are paid to the University before the course begins and can not be returned. Visit the Fitchburg State website for more information about their refund procedures
Participants must notify the course instructor in writing that they are withdrawing from the course. An effective date of withdrawl must be included in the written correspondence. Discontinuing participation is not considered a formal withdrawal from the course, and no fees with be refunded.
Refunds are not given to participants for dissatisfaction with a course. Grievances related to a refund due to dissatisfaction with the course must submit their request to the Director of Continuing Education at [email protected].
Participant Feedback
SLP Nerdcast will utilize learner feedback and evaluations to assess participants’ perceived satisfaction with, and value of, professional development activities provided. Only the staff involved in the production of professional development activities will be able to access this feedback. Participant feedback is vital to continuing to grow our abilities to best provide Master Class learning experiences that are rigorous, meaningful, and best meet the needs of our broader SLPNerd community. We value and appreciate positive and critical feedback on our courses
Participant feedback will be surveyed at the close of a course
Feedback may be anonymous
Feedback Surveys will be available in accessible formats upon advance request
Compiled feedback will be shared with course instructional staff