The Undergraduate School

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General Information

Brenau University offers both men and women the opportunity to pursue degrees through programs delivered in a day, evening/weekend or online format. Locations include the main campus in Gainesville and several regional campuses within the state of Georgia. The baccalaureate programs provide career-oriented courses and programs based on a liberal arts foundation to enable the individual student to attain personal as well as professional growth and competence. Evening classes are typically scheduled in four-hour blocks and each class meets one night each week of the term. Weekend classes are typically scheduled in four-hour blocks on alternate weekends. Day classes meet on a traditional 15 week semester format, two-three times per week, fall and spring semesters. All formats involve intensive study, close working relationships with instructors and fellow students and maximum opportunity for self-directed learning. Students may choose their classes from among those offered at several locations and formats to suit their particular schedule.

Organization and Structure 

Regional campus locations have directors who are residents of the area and who report to the Associate Provost. Regional campus academic programs are coordinated by specific subject-area coordinators who are members of the Brenau faculty assigned to each location under the supervision of the respective academic dean.

Each of Brenau’s online courses has been carefully designed by one or more full-time faculty member(s) in keeping with the SACS accreditation Criteria for Distance Learning Programs. Brenau faculty members teaching students online have completed a rigorous online facilitator certification program. During this time, faculty members themselves become online students in order to fully gain an understanding of the online learning experience. Course syllabi, assignments, examinations and other instructional materials are converted to or developed for an online format during the training period. These and other measures are undertaken to ensure the quality and consistency of online course offerings.

Cross Registration between Divisions  Most courses are open to all Brenau University students. Day students must register for any online course choices via a paper Registration/Course Change Form with written advisor approval. All programs are not available in all formats. Brenau University students matriculate through the Women’s College, the coeducational Undergraduate School, or the Sidney O. Smith, Jr., Graduate School. As students in the Undergraduate School, males may enroll in day classes on the Gainesville campus in the following majors: Dance, Health Science, Music, Pre-Physician’s Assistant, and Theater. In addition to those majors, undergraduate male students transferring into Gainesville day programs may also pursue the Nursing major.

Faculty Responsibilities and Student Attendance Policy

1. Faculty may prescribe reasonable requirements relevant to the course of instruction. At the beginning of each semester, they shall inform students in writing of any special requirements. Each syllabus shall state the attendance policy and any academic consequences of excessive absences as well as any special attendance requirements. Faculty should keep a record of class attendance for their enrolled students. Faculty should use the Campus Web to confirm enrollment.
2. When a student in a day program class has been absent from 25 percent of the classes in any semester, the instructor shall report the absences in writing to the Dean of Students and may recommend appropriate action. If the student is a recipient of VA educational benefits, the instructor must also report these absences to the director of veteran’s services by the next workday after the second absence for a class that meets once a week.
3. Faculty are responsible for counseling with students regarding the academic consequences of absences from class or laboratory sessions.
4. Faculty are responsible for arranging make-up work when an absence is excused. The student must initiate the request for make-up work.

Orientation 

Orientation programs for new students are currently available through three delivery formats: a) group, b) online and c) individual consultative.

Group orientation programs are delivered using a format that is similar to those provided for traditional students. The format consists of a scheduled meeting time at the beginning of each semester where students are introduced to administrators and faculty and provided with information necessary for negotiating the procedural culture of the institution.

An online orientation program is available for students needing assistance with similar issues but who prefer a flexible scheduling format. The information covered in this format is similar to that of the group orientation, and students have the freedom to revisit the program as often as they wish. The system allows the information to be accessible at all times and does not require students to login to be able to access the information. The online orientation for nonresidential students can be found on the Brenau Intranet site.

Individual consultative orientations are provided in one-on-one meetings with new students. Campus directors meet with students in multiple capacities at the beginning of their educational programs, serving as academic advisors and providing student services information. These initial meetings provide opportunities for the directors to conduct individual orientations for new students in a highly contextualized format.

All students enrolled in online classes are also enrolled in a “Brenau Canvas Community” class shortly after they register for classes, which allows them to become familiar with the delivery platform. This is not a class per se, but simply a model of what an online class will look like. The community site offers an orientation for new online students, which details policies and processes for online students at the institution. A review of this presentation is highly recommended for all students taking online classes. The Help Desk supports students with technological difficulty and is available toll-free at 800-252-5119, ext. 4774 and by e-mail at helpdesk@brenau.edu.

It is important during initial consideration to understand exactly what an online class is and what it is not. First and foremost, an online class is not an easy substitute for its on-ground counterpart. In fact, students find this format intellectually demanding. An online class is certainly not a justification to purchase a first computer. Online students are expected to be computer literate and skilled in word processing, spreadsheet and Internet applications. Faculty members expect students to bring these skills to the virtual classroom and do not spend class time providing basic technology instruction.

Writing Center

Brenau University’s Writing Center is a peer tutoring organization that supports students of every ability level in the development of writing and speaking skills through individual conferences, computer-based tutorials, and group workshops. For further information, contact the Director of the Writing Center.
 

Locations Served

Locations throughout Georgia include Gainesville, North Atlanta (Norcross), South Atlanta (Fairburn), Augusta, and Kings Bay as well as Jacksonville, Florida. Classes meeting at these locations are held in the evenings on weeknights and during the day on weekends. Faculty and staff are based at each regional location to assist students with their academic and administrative needs.

Gainesville: All undergraduate and graduate programs are offered at the Gainesville campus. Full-time faculty and staff at the Gainesville Campus are available to assist students with their needs.

Brenau University
500 Washington St. SE
Gainesville, GA 30501-3697
(770) 531-3135
(770)-534-6190 (fax)

North Atlanta: All undergraduate programs in business administration, education, and interior design are offered at the North Atlanta campus. Graduate programs are available in business, education, interior design, nursing, occupational therapy and organizational leadership.

Brenau University North Atlanta Campus
3139 Campus Drive
Suite 300
Norcross, GA 30071
(770) 446-2900
(770) 263-8810 (fax)

South Atlanta: Undergraduate programs in business administration, education and organizational leadership. Graduate programs are available in business.

Brenau University South Atlanta Campus
314 NW Broad St.
Fairburn GA 30213
(678) 827-7300
(678) 827-7301 (fax)

Augusta: Brenau’s Augusta campus offers undergraduate programs in education, accounting, human resources management, management, and organizational leadership. Graduate programs are available in accounting and business administration.

Brenau University Augusta Campus
111 Davis Road
Augusta, GA 30907-2383
(706) 210-2576
(706) 210-2620 (fax)

Kings Bay: Undergraduate programs are offered in business administration and human resources management. Graduate programs are available in business administration, health care management and project management. Classes are taught at the U.S. Naval Submarine Base located in Kings Bay, Georgia.

Brenau University Kings Bay Campus
P.O. Box 47148
Kings Bay, GA 31547
(912) 882-7125
(912) 882-1637 (fax)

Jacksonville, Florida: Undergraduate programs in associate of arts (liberal studies), business administration, and organizational leadership. Graduate programs in business and organizational leadership.

Brenau University Jacksonville Campus
6622 Southpoint Dr. S.
Suite 400
Jacksonville, FL 32216
(904) 900-7969
(904) 900-7982 (fax)