Welcome to the online Bachelor of Science degree program in Sustainable Food & Farming!


USE YOUR UMASS EMAIL: ALL IMPORTANT INFORMATION IS SENT THERE

• See here for how to enroll for a class: https://www.umass.edu/uww/class-enrollment

Issues enrolling? Email: regoff@uww.umass.edu

• Review Bachelor of Science degree requirements here: https://stockbridge.cns.umass.edu/academics-undergraduate-degrees-sustai...

• Use this helpful Graduation Tracking form (you can follow your own progress): http://stockbridge.cns.umass.edu/sites/stockbridge.cns.umass.edu/files/B...

• If you have not completed your General Education requirements (Does Not apply to students seeking a Second Bachelor’s Degree) please refer Gen Ed course questions to Eric Lewison: edl@uww.umass.edu

• Please also refer all transfer credit questions to Eric Lewison: edl@uww.umass.edu

• Annual Stockbridge Sustainable Food & Farming online course schedule (please note that for summer and winter semesters, an enrollment appointment needs to be requested): https://onlinesustfoodfarm.com/annual-class-schedule/

All UMass online (UWW) classes: https://www.umass.edu/online/class-search

• If you need the required Math or English courses, you’ll first take the placement exams. See here for details: www.umass.edu/newstudent/umass-placement-exams

Information Technology: http://www.umass.edu/it/ is available for your general technology needs as a UMass student. This includes support with SPIRE, your NetID, email, campus technology, hardware and computer / software discounts.

24/7 Help Desk is available for Blackboard online course needs. Whether you are having issues logging in to submitting a paper or taking a test: http://uma.echelp.org

UMass General Education

Fulfilling the requirements: http://www.umass.edu/gened/students/fulfilling-requirements
FRESHMAN  Gen Ed Course Planning Guide for Freshmen: http://www.umass.edu/gened/sites/default/files/cpg_admitted_students_f20...
TRANSFERS   Gen Ed Course Planning Guide for Transfer Students: http://www.umass.edu/gened/sites/default/files/cpg_transfers_2018_and_la...


ENROLLMENT INSTRUCTIONS

All students use SPIRE to self-enroll in CPE classes once they have an enrollment appointment for the appropriate term.  
Fall & Spring:  Undergraduate students in degree programs are automatically given enrollment appointments for Fall and Spring terms.  Enrollment appointments are assigned based on academic level, with seniors getting appointments before juniors, juniors before sophomores, etc. 
Winter & Summer: Students must request an enrollment appointment – from the ‘Main Menu’ listing after you’ve logged into SPIRE, choose ‘Enrollment,’ then ‘Summer/Wtr/Non-deg Enroll Appt.’ Select correct term, then read and follow the instructions to request your enrollment appointment.
For registration assistance, call (413) 545-3653 or toll-free (800) 922-8211, Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET, or email regoff@uww.umass.edu

ENROLLMENT DATES

Enrollment in Fall classes begins in early June; for Winter classes in late October; for Spring classes in mid-November; and for Summer classes in mid-March.  Go to the ‘Academic Calendar’ link on the UWW website (https://www.umass.edu/online/academic-calendar) for exact registration dates for each term. Registration ends at the end of Add/Drop for all classes.  Withdrawals are available for an additional period of time, proportional to the length of the class (check the calendar or individual class listings on https://www.umass.edu/online/class-search).

CLASS DROPS AND WITHDRAWALS

If you withdraw from all classes, you will be withdrawn from your academic program, and any financial aid you have received may be affected, including your requirement to begin repaying loans immediately.

During the Add/Drop period, drop classes in SPIRE.  (Be sure you have a CPE enrollment appointment to be able to do this.)  Student bills are adjusted to provide a 100% refund of class charges; the $47 registration fee is non-refundable unless all classes are dropped before the end of the Add/Drop period. 

During the Withdrawal period (after Add/Drop, but before the mid-point), follow instructions at https://www.umass.edu/cpe/enroll/drop-class. During this period, student transcripts will be annotated with a “W” (withdrawn from class).  Class charges for classes dropped within the withdrawal period are reduced by 50%.  Additional fees, including the UWW campus fee for University-scheduled classes, lab fees, and materials fees are not refunded.

After the W period ends (Late Withdrawal) After the mid-point date, the student is responsible for completion of the class unless the student’s undergraduate/academic dean grants a late withdrawal for extenuating circumstances.  Students should use the Withdrawal Request Form available at https://www.umass.edu/cpe/form/withdraw-request.pdf, which must be signed by the student’s academic dean.  Submit completed forms to the UWW Registration Office.  All charges remain on student accounts for classes that are withdrawn late.

For questions about drops and withdrawals, contact the UWW Registration Office at 413-545-3653 or regoff@uww.umass.edu.

REMOVAL OF CLASS CHARGES/REFUNDS

100% of class fee charges are removed from student accounts when students officially drop classes before the end of the Add/Drop period.  50% of class fee charges are removed when withdrawal is after Add/Drop, but before the end of the Withdrawal period. (See exceptions above “During the Withdrawal Period.”)  The $47 registration fee is non-refundable, except when all class fees for a term are removed.  For more detailed information regarding refunds, including exact dates, please visit https://www.umass.edu/cpe/tuition/refund-policy. 


STUDENT COMPUTER SERVICES ACCOUNTS

All students in credit classes are provided both UMass Amherst email and SPIRE accounts. Additionally, students enrolled in online classes will have UMassOnline access for their classes.   The username for these three platforms will be the same, known as the student’s NetID.  The campus Information Technology (IT) office will send new students their NetID, SPIRE ID (the student’s permanent eight digit identification number) and temporary password in two separate emails.  The first email includes their NetID and Spire ID.  The second email includes the student’s temporary password, which will be the same password for their Spire account and UMass email.  Students need to activate their accounts to use.  To do this, go to www.spire.umass.eduand click on ‘Activate Your Account’ on the right side of the screen.

UMass email After the IT account is activated, students can set up their UMass email to be forwarded to a non-UMass e-mail address if they choose, but all official University correspondence sent by e-mail will be sent to the UMass email address. If a student has any problems activating or accessing their account, they should contact the Information Technology (IT) Helpdesk at (413) 545-9400. Students log into UMass email using their NetID and password.
Online students will occasionally receive emails from amherstsupport@umassonline.netadmissions@oe.umass.edu, regoff@uww.umass.edu and elearning@uww.umass.edu. Please ensure that these addresses are not spam-blocked or you may miss receiving important communications.

SPIRE The UMass Amherst student information system provides direct secure web access to student administrative data, such as class schedules, classroom assignments, grades, billing, registration or transcript holds, and financial aid status.  Students should log into SPIRE (www.spire.umass.edu) by using their NetID and password. To contact IT concerning your SPIRE account, please visit www.it.umass.edu/spire/index.html or call (413) 545-9400.

Returning students should check SPIRE before registering to see if a hold has been placed on their account by the Bursar’s Office, Health Services, IT, etc.  Holds must be lifted by the office that placed them; contact that office to resolve the hold.  Students must clear holds placed on their account before they can enroll in classes. 

A student’s class schedule and grades are only available on SPIRE (they are not mailed to students and cannot be given over the phone).  Students can also print an unofficial transcript on SPIRE. 


HELP DESK SUPPORT 

Depending on the nature of questions or problems, there are offices available to quickly address student needs.

• UMass email and SPIRE accounts - the IT Help Desk is available to address access and technical issues; please visit anytime at www.it.umass.edu/help.html or call (413) 545-9400 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30-5:00ET).

• Registration Information – for help in ascertaining your enrollment status, contact Continuing & Professional Education Registration & Records Office, regoff@uww.umass.edu or call (413) 545-3653 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30-5:00 ET)

• Billing/Payment Information – for assistance with your financial obligations for your classes, contact the Bursar’s Office Continuing & Professional Education representative at cpebursar@admin.umass.edu or call (413) 545-0337 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30-5:00 ET)

• Technical Support for online classes – for help concerning access and technical issues, click the applicable link at https://confluence.umassonline.net/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=116687605
          Note that the online helpdesks CANNOT help you if you are not already enrolled in your               class as viewed in your class schedule in SPIRE.

• Is my computer setup to use Blackboard? The 24/7 Help Desk has tool, Check Browser, that checks your browser to make sure you have all the proper settings and features to use Blackboard. If not, you’ll receive information on how to fix it or you can call the Help Desk and they will assist you. To access this feature, go to the 24/7 HelpDesk site, click on Tools on the top right and select Check My Browser.

• How do I log into Blackboard? To login to your course you will need to use your campus NetID and password. Head to UMass Amherst’s Blackboard login page (https://uma.umassonline.net). Click the, Log in with NetID. When a new window opens, enter your NetID and password. After you have entered your NetID and password, click the grey arrow

• Student Orientation & Resource Area: http://bit.ly/amherstSORA
If you like reviewing content at your own pace and you have questions about participating in online courses and Blackboard Learn, consider exploring our Student Orientation and Resource Area wiki. The site contains information for students to prepare for online classes with documentation and video tutorials on how to use Blackboard and online course technologies!

• Do you want a more guided experience to learning online and Blackboard? New Online Student Orientation Webinars. If you want a more interactive experience, consider registering for a live orientation webinar. The webinars cover a variety of topics from advice for taking your first online course to using Blackboard course tools. To register, visit our registration site. http://bit.ly/amherst_studenttraining

• New Online Student Orientation Course. If you want to practice using Blackboard, take this course. It is a free, optional, no-credit online class designed to provide hands-on experience using Blackboard Learn. Review the course at your pace over the span of the first two weeks of classes. Course facilitators are available to assist you along the way. To register, visit our registration site. http://bit.ly/amherst_studenttraining