University of Maryland University College (UMUC) is one of the eleven degree-granting institutions of the University System of Maryland (USM). UMUC is comprised of:

• UMUC Asia, with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan
• UMUC Adelphi, with headquarters in Adelphi, Maryland
• UMUC Europe, with headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany

UMUC Asia has provided traditional courses to US military communities across Asia and the Pacific since 1956. More recently, UMUC Asia has offered a number of courses utilizing alternative delivery formats. With the rapid introduction of computers and the internet into academia, online education has become both a popular and effective medium. Our Distance Education (DE) program, in its current form, has been in existence since 1996.

DE courses have been designed to maximize flexibility for students, without compromising the quality and effectiveness of course instruction. Courses are presented via WebTycho, UMUC's proprietary online course delivery platform. Students and faculty have secure access to classroom space via the internet; thus, courses are conducted entirely in these virtual classrooms.

It is important to note that DE courses are not the same as correspondence courses. Classwork, though flexible, is not self-paced, and ultimately course requirements are completed within a fixed timeframe. Students should expect a class experience that is both challenging and fulfilling.

To learn more about UMUC Asia's DE program, please read through the additional information on this page. To contact our office, please call DSN 225-3696 or e-mail de@asia.umuc.edu.

Eligibility Tuition and Fees Courses and Programs Textbooks Technical Requirements and Support

Accreditation Student Services Course Format Self-Assessment Quiz WebTycho Tour

Members of the military communities, U.S. government employees, and family members who meet admission requirements are eligible to enroll in UMUC Asia DE courses. Local citizens interested in taking Asia DE courses should contact our office of Student Affairs.

Each year UMUC Asia DE offers approximately 500 courses at the undergraduate level, covering a number of disciplines, and including a mix of lower-level and upper-level courses. For more information on course offerings and degree options, please see the current DE schedule, or UMUC Asia's other programs of study.

Graduate DE courses and programs are offered through UMUC Adelphi. For more information, please see the following on UMUC's Graduate Online Programs.

UMUC is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

UMUC Asia DE offers five sessions each academic year via WebTycho, UMUC's online delivery platform. Each WebTycho classroom contains secure areas for posting class material, submitting assignments, and participating in both large and small discussion groups. In addition, students can access UMUC's extensive library resources and proprietary databases via the classroom.

Communication is typically asynchronous, so that students and faculty are generally not online at the same time. However, since all communication is contained in the virtual classroom, discussions can take place in a way that accommodates varying schedules and locations.

Students should expect to spend about eight to ten hours a week for each DE course that they take. Some courses, depending on the level of difficulty, may require more or less time per week. Students should plan accordingly, based on the extent of their remaining obligations (i.e., work, family, etc.).

All students taking UMUC Asia DE courses are required to take one proctored exam near the end of the term. For more information, please read through our proctored exam procedures.

For more information on term dates, please consult our Weekly Calendar.

To successfully participate and complete online courses with UMUC Asia, students should have regular access to the following:

• A computer with internet access
• An up-to-date web browser
  (Netscape 6.0 or Internet Explorer 6.0)
• An active e-mail account
• Word processing software
  (Microsoft Word or a comparable program)

Other equipment or software may be needed, depending on course requirements. For more information, please view the specific course syllabus, available on our schedule of classes, or learn more about WebTycho's technical requirements.

Although the university has available limited computer resources in their on-site Computer Labs, access is ultimately the responsibility of the student.

Tuition and fees are payable at the time of registration. Classes beginning 1 Aug 2007, UMUC Asia student tuition rate will be $181.00 per semester hour. This rate is coordinated with the US government and is applicable to all Asia students taking DE classes through UMUC Asia, Europe, and Adelphi. Tuition and fees are subject to change.

A list of fees is available from the current UMUC Asia Catalog.

All students registering for UMUC Asia courses order their textbooks online. After reserving a class, students will be linked to our online textbook order form. Once there, students will have two options for payment:

Credit card: Students may pay using either Visa or MasterCard.

Invoice: Students who choose not to use a credit card will be invoiced by the Business Office. This includes students with scholarships, financial aid, or any other third party payment source, as well as those opting to use a check or money order.

Students receiving a scholarship, financial aid, or any other third party payment source need only make a copy of the award letter/verification and mail it in with the invoice.

Students may have textbooks sent to their APO/FPO address, their local UMUC Field Site, or to a non-military address. Non-MPS orders may require a $7.00 shipping fee in addition to the cost of the textbook(s).

Guam and Kwajalein residents are exempt from the $7.00 fee.

Textbooks should arrive about 7 to 10 days after the order has been placed.

UMUC Asia students taking classes through UMUC Europe or UMUC Adelphi may order textbooks via the following links:

• UMUC Europe Classes - Textbook Order Form
• UMUC Adelphi Classes - MBS Textbook Exchange Direct

For information on course requirements, academic advising and financial aid, please consult the current UMUC Asia Catalog or the following information on student services.

Follow the links provided below for a closer look into UMUC's distance education program:

• To help decide if DE is right for you, take UMUC’s Self Assessment Quiz
• For a guided explanation of the WebTycho delivery platform, take UMUC's Online Test Drive
• For a list of things you'll need to take online classes, view the following checklist
• To learn more about WebTycho, sign in as a guest for WebTycho's TOUR 101