The College of Nursing and Health Professions offers online courses that afford students the convenience of learning from the comfort of their own homes. The content and workload of an online course are identical to the same course given in a traditional classroom format. The classes may be more convenient, but they are just as challenging.

Students in online courses need a high degree of self-motivation to compensate for the absence of a classroom and face-to-face faculty interaction. Instructors set specific deadlines for work throughout the term and class participation — including live virtual classroom meetings, threaded discussions, and regular email communication — is critical to success and is factored into a grade.

Students should be comfortable with basic computer skills, including:

• Sending and receiving email
• Researching topics via the Web
• Attaching, sending, and opening documents
• Participating in online chats
• Functioning in library databases

Computer Hardware

Please Note:

• The recommended specifications should be adequate for a student for 3 or 4 years of use without being upgraded
• If you are purchasing a new computer, use the Recommended Specs.
• If you are using an existing computer, they should meet the minimum requirements to provide you with an adequate experience. However, that machine may not remain suitable for years to come because software is always changing
• There are add-ons that might be beneficial to the incoming student, such as a DVD-RW Drive and Dual Monitors, but are not required

Live Classroom Supported Operating Systems, Java & Browsers *

Windows

Macintosh

Linux

1. Internet Explorer 7 may not be compatible with all features in Horizon Wimba. Internet Explorer 7 has not had issues with Blackboard.
2. Presently, only Safari is supported on Intel-based Macs
3. ScreenGrab is not compatible with Mac OS X

Internet Connectivity

Students need access to a computer with Internet capability to connect to the Drexel online courses.

• Your Internet Service Provider browser may not be compatible with the online courseware provided by Drexel University. To test your existing browser's capability, go to the college's interactive browser test. Recommended plug-ins such a RealPlayer, QuickTime and Adobe Acrobat Reader are also available at this site.
• All students must activate their Drexel email account for use in our online courses. You can activate your email account with Drexel at http://accounts.drexel.edu once you have completed the registration process.

Computer Software

The following set of software packages is required:

• MS Office 2003 or MS Office 2007:
  • All students are eligible to download this software through the University's Marketplace website.
  • All software (PC & Mac) downloads from this site are free to Drexel University students, You can obtain the latest version of Symantec AntiVirus, Microsoft Office and many more applications.
  • Click on the 'GET SOFTWARE' link and login with your DrexelOne User ID and Password when requested. You can also purchase software on CD at very low prices from the Marketplace.
• Anti-Virus Software:
  • Norton Anti-Virus software is required and is available free to all students.
  • You can download this from the University's Marketplace website.
• Internet Browser:
  • If you have Windows Vista with Internet Explorer 7 and run into problems, we recommend you use Firefox as your browser.
  • While most Web browsers should work, students report fewer problems with Internet Explorer 6.