UIS to offer 28 accelerated courses starting March 15 to help students continue their educational goals

The University of Illinois Springfield will offer 28 accelerated online and blended courses for prospective and current students. Most classes will begin Monday, March 15, and will conclude in early May. 

“This is a great opportunity for new UIS students to start or finish their education,” said UIS Interim Chancellor Karen Whitney. “It’s also a chance for current students to add to their course load and potentially earn their degree in a shorter period of time.”

Due to the accelerated nature of the classes, it is recommended that students only enroll in one course.

Accelerated courses will be offered in accounting, athletic training, business, communication, education, educational leadership, human development counseling, management, management information systems, mathematics, and music. A full list of courses is available at uis.edu/accelerated. 

Prospective students can apply for admission at uis.edu/apply through March 10. Current UIS students can register through March 21 using the instructions found at uis.edu/registration/courseschedule/accelerated/. All courses are eligible for financial assistance.

For more information, prospective students are encouraged to contact the UIS Office of Admission at 217-206-4847 or admissions@uis.edu. Current UIS students should direct questions to the Office of Record and Registration at 217-206-6174 or registrar@uis.edu. 

UIS to offer accelerated eight-week courses for prospective and current students starting Oct. 19

 

The University of Illinois Springfield will offer 27 new accelerated eight-week courses for prospective and current students. Most will begin Monday, Oct. 19 and end on Saturday, Dec. 5. Others, like athletic training, will start on Nov. 2 and end on Jan. 15, 2021. 

“We know this has been a challenging year for many people,” said UIS Interim Chancellor Karen Whitney. “Many students may not have been ready to start classes in August due to the COVID-19 pandemic but are ready to start now. This is also a great opportunity for current students to add to their course load and potentially earn their degree in a shorter period of time.” 

Accelerated courses will be offered in accountancy, athletic training, business, communication, educational leadership, human development counseling, management, mathematical sciences, philosophy, teacher education and theatre. A full list of courses is available at uis.edu/accelerated. 

Prospective students should apply by the end of the day on Friday, Oct. 16 at uis.edu/apply. Current UIS students can sign up by Oct. 25 using the instructions found at uis.edu/registration/courseschedule/accelerated/. All courses are eligible for financial assistance. 

For more information, prospective students are encouraged to contact the UIS Office of Admission at 217-206-4847 or admissions@uis.edu. Current UIS students should direct questions to the Office of Record and Registration at 217-206-6174 or registrar@uis.edu.

UIS drops admissions-test requirement for 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic

The University of Illinois Springfield will not require college bound high school seniors to submit standardized test scores as part of the application process for fall 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The University of Illinois Board of Trustee’s Executive Committee on Wednesday approved a one-year moratorium on the entrance requirement because large numbers of high school students have not been able to take standardized tests, due to school closures and the unavailability of SAT or ACT tests, since March.

“Test-optional is an opportunity to meet the needs of Illinois’ citizens, economy and civic landscape by facing today’s challenges using both, the tried and true and the new,” said Natalie Herring, UIS associate provost for enrollment management. “This benefits students and families by removing pressure, cost and barriers. Our diverse state deserves and requires diverse options for post-secondary education and credentials aimed at keeping Illinois talent in Illinois.”

UIS currently reviews prospective freshman applications through a holistic admissions process. For those applicants who still choose to submit test scores, those scores will be considered. The impact of COVID-19 sparked UIS to be test-flexible with current freshman applicants wishing to begin this August. Fall 2020 applicants missing scores were given the opportunity to respond to essay prompts as a pathway to admission.

Last year, UIS announced that admission application fees for all students who enroll in 2020 would be waived. Applications from all students who wish to apply for fall 2020 classes at UIS will be accepted until August 24.

International students applying for fall 2021 admission will still be required to submit evidence of English proficiency through the Test of English as a Foreign Language, International English Language Testing System and Pearson English Language tests.

A number of other universities around the country have set pandemic-related test-optional policies in recent months.

UIS extends deadlines, waives fees and offers virtual assistance during COVID-19

The University of Illinois Springfield’s Office of Admission is taking several steps to make it easier for prospective students and families to learn about the Springfield campus during the COVID-19 pandemic.

UIS has extended its decision date for incoming fall 2020 freshmen from May 1 to June 1 to give students and families more time to learn about the campus.

Additionally, application and enrollment fees for freshman, transfer and graduate students are being waived for summer and fall 2020. UIS is also waiving the essay requirement for freshman and transfer applicants.

Virtual one-on-one appointments (as late as 7 p.m. to accommodate working adults) with UIS admission counselors and weekly Wednesday webinars are also being offered to give students a chance to learn about UIS and ask questions.

“It’s more important than ever to remind students, especially here in Illinois, that UIS offers all the perks of going away to college, with close to home comfort,” said Natalie Herring, UIS associate provost for enrollment management. “It’s just as important to remind working adults and those with families that one third of UIS students are online learners.”

In addition to traditional on-campus degree programs, UIS offers 52 online programs for students who want to earn a flexible and cost-efficient degree. UIS’ online programs are taught by the same faculty who teach on-campus courses. Learn more at uis.edu/online.

UIS also stands ready to help students who want to transfer to the Springfield campus or earn a master’s degree.

“UIS offers 20 master’s degree programs for students who want to continue their education,” Herring said. “We also have transfer experts who can help students retain their maximum amount of credits from other institutions.”

Prospective students and families who are interested in learning more about UIS should visit uis.edu/admissions/visit to schedule a virtual one-on-one appointment or RSVP to attend a weekly Wednesday webinar.

UIS was recently ranked the top public regional university in Illinois by U.S. News and World Report.

For more information, contact the Office of Admission at 217-206-4847 or admissions@uis.edu.

University of Illinois Springfield waives application fees for prospective students

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The University of Illinois Springfield is waiving all application fees for prospective students in an effort to ensure that all students are given the opportunity to pursue a higher education.

Application fees will be waived for all incoming freshman, transfer, graduate, online and international students who apply for admission to the spring, summer and fall 2020 terms.

“As part of our vision to ‘be a pathway to opportunity,’ removing the application fee as a barrier to embarking on a college career, finishing one or enhancing career prospects through graduate certificates or degrees is part of the DNA of our campus community,” said Natalie Herring, UIS associate provost for enrollment management.

Waiving applications fees will save domestic undergraduate students $50 on their application and graduate students will save $60. International undergraduate students will automatically have their $60 application fee waived, as well as the $75 fee for international graduate students who apply.

UIS was recently ranked the fourth best public university in the Midwest Regional category and the top public regional university in Illinois by U.S. News & World Report in their 2020 rankings. UIS also welcomed its largest freshman class in university history this semester.

Prospective students are invited to Preview UIS on Monday, Feb. 17 (Presidents Day) and on Saturday, March 28. Attendees will meet UIS faculty, tour facilities, learn about academic programs, admission, financial aid and merit scholarships. For more information or to RSVP, visit uis.edu/admissions/visit.

UIS offers first on campus dual credit class to high school students as part of a pilot program

The University of Illinois Springfield is offering its first on campus dual credit class for high school students as part of a pilot program. The class marks the first time UIS has offered high school students college credit for a class taught by a university faculty member.

The pilot course, CHE 199A: General, Organic, and Biochemistry, is being offered to 18 seniors from Springfield’s Sacred Heart-Griffin High School (SHG). The students earn both college and high school credit for the course. If the program is successful, the university hopes to expand course selection and offer classes to students at other high schools in central Illinois.

The pilot class is taught by UIS Associate Professor of Biochemistry Stephen R. Johnson. As part of the class, SHG students meet on campus twice a week for lecture early in the morning and have a laboratory class every Friday morning.

“It gives them a jumpstart in the sense that they have some college credit,” said Johnson. “They get to see that college is not like high school. The course work is more rigorous, it’s faster. I mentioned in class today that some of the material they need to know is from external sources. That’s a very novel thing for many high school students.”

Johnson, who has two children who are currently attending SHG, came up with the idea for the pilot class after speaking with fellow parents and teachers at the school.

“At times we’ve sat around at a football game and asked, how do we enhance our science program? I always thought, if those kids could see something beyond the high school curriculum that would really be something great. That’s sort of how it came about.”

SHG senior Taylor Rahn, a 17-year-old from Springfield, who is taking the dual credit class plans on becoming a biochemist.

“The class is really helping me see what biochemistry is all about and I fall more in love with it every day,” she said. “It’s really an eye opener to see what college life is like being on campus and seeing what is expected and how lectures work.”

SHG principal Kara Rapacz says she’s grateful her students are getting to take college classes off campus at UIS.

“Attending the biochemistry course on the UIS campus is an extraordinary experience for our students,” she said. “SHG students have had the opportunity to take many dual credit courses on our own campus, but sending our students off to a college campus for class is new territory for us. This opportunity will allow them to utilize state-of-the-art lab equipment and gain exposure to cutting-edge technologies.”

Johnson says the pilot class starts with a review of general chemistry the students have already learned at SHG, but soon takes them into aspects of chemistry beyond what is taught at the high school level, i.e. organic and biochemistry. The course is designed to get them thinking about future careers in the field.

“We hope they leave the course with an overall look at the chemistry that would be involved if they stay in the health fields, whether they are professionals like physicians or want to do research, like biochemistry,” he said.

UIS Director of Admissions Fernando Planas says students can apply the credits earned from the class towards a degree at UIS or have an official transcript sent to their college of choice for use at that institution.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for SHG students. It provides them with a unique college experience while still in high school, allows them to earn college credit, and lets them experience for themselves UIS’s excellence in teaching,” he said.

Johnson hopes that the pilot program will be the inspiration for more dual credit classes at UIS and across the entire University of Illinois System.

“Inevitably it might even attract some students to say ‘hey, we like what we’re seeing at UIS’ and they’ll stay here for undergraduate work, so it has a lot of potential growth as we go forward,” he said.

University of Illinois Springfield offers transfer hours at Lake Land College

The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) and Lake Land College in Mattoon are partnering to make it easier for students to continue their college education after earning their associate’s degree.

Beginning in the fall of 2017, UIS will offer hours for advising and counseling for Lake Land students considering transferring to UIS.

“We are pleased to see students will have additional opportunities to learn about the transfer options at UIS. It’s very beneficial for our students to be able to meet face-to-face on our campus with a UIS transfer admissions representative to create a seamless plan for transferring,” said Bryan Burrell, Lake Land College academic counselor.

"Lake Land College is a reliable transfer partner to UIS and a community college that has been ahead of the curve with us in developing curriculum agreements in business and computer science. I believe the Lake Land community understands the unique opportunity in assisting their students in achieving a personal college experience which also connects them to one of the top flagship universities in this nation,” said Raymond Barnett, UIS undergraduate transfer admissions coordinator.

In addition to select Mondays in the Lake Land Transfer Student Center (Northwest Building 027), UIS will also offer office hours in the Luther Student Center.

The UIS dates at LLC for the 2017 fall term will be November 6, 13 and 27 and December 4 with the following hours and locations:

Transfer Student Center: 9:30 – 11 a.m.
Luther Student Center: 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Transfer Student Center: 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.

UIS also maintains successful transfer offices at Illinois Central College in Peoria, and Richland Community College.

For more information on transferring to UIS, contact Raymond Barnett at 217/206-6626 or rbarn2@uis.edu.

UIS in-state freshmen tuition rate frozen for third straight year

The University of Illinois Board of Trustees on Thursday approved tuition rates for next fall with no increase in base tuition for in-state freshmen, extending a tuition freeze at its three universities to a third straight year.

The freeze is the longest since tuition rates held steady for four years in the mid-1970s – from 1974-77 – and was approved despite a budget impasse that has significantly reduced state funding for the U of I System for the last two years.

President Tim Killeen said the extended tuition freeze reflects a commitment to access and affordability that has helped increase System-wide enrollment to record highs for the last two years, topping 81,000 students last fall.

“Our affordability efforts serve both students and the public good – providing the high-quality education that transforms students’ lives and collectively supplying the next-generation workforce that is essential to drive progress for our state and nation,” Killeen said.

Base tuition for in-state undergraduates next fall will match rates for the 2014-15 academic year at $9,405 in Springfield. Out-of-state and international tuition rates will stay at current levels in Springfield, with a $20 per credit hour increase in administration fees for online programs.

Tuition rates for incoming students will remain unchanged for four years under the state’s guaranteed tuition law, launched in 2004 to help students and families plan for the cost of a public university education by fixing tuition rates for the four years required to complete most undergraduate degree programs.

The U of I System also has proposed holding the line on future tuition rates through a groundbreaking bill introduced in the Illinois legislature last November. The proposed U of I Investment, Performance, and Accountability Commitment (IPAC) would provide predictable state funding for university operations over the next five years in exchange for tangible performance goals that support Illinois students and serve the needs of the state. If approved, the measure would hold tuition increases to the rate of inflation or less for the five years of the agreement, while also providing high levels of student financial aid.

Over the last decade, the University has ramped up internal efforts to protect the most financially vulnerable students, increasing institutional financial aid more than fourfold to $84 million annually. Through state, federal, University and donor-provided financial aid, half of undergraduates pay less than full sticker price across the System’s three universities.

Undergraduate fees/Housing 

The board also approved mandatory student fees and room-and-board rates for the 2017-18 academic year.

Student fees exclude optional student health insurance rates, which are typically established in March. Fees approved Thursday help fund costs such as operating campus recreational facilities, student unions, career services, athletics, counseling centers and libraries, and also help with facility maintenance, renovations and utilities.

Mandatory fees in Springfield will increase 10.4 percent, or $210, to $2,226 annually, through an increase that will take effect in the spring 2018 semester to support student-approved fees for a new student union and environmental sustainability projects.

In Springfield, a standard housing and gold meal plan will increase 0.6 percent, or $60, to $10,810 per year.

UIS extends office hours at Illinois Central College, East Peoria campus

The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) and Illinois Central College (ICC) in East Peoria are partnering to make it easier for students to continue their college education after earning their associate’s degree.

Beginning in February, UIS will offer additional office hours for advising and counseling for ICC students considering transferring to UIS.

“The more than 30-year partnership between ICC and UIS has proven very beneficial as a baccalaureate completion option for ICC graduates. ICC is very fortunate to have UIS in close proximity to current students so they can readily and easily understand the transfer opportunities UIS presents to them,” said ICC Interim Provost Margaret Swanson, Ph.D.

In addition to regular Wednesday hours from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., UIS will maintain office hours from 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. in room 238C on the following dates: February 6 and 20, March 6 and 20, April 3, 10, 17 and 24 and May 1.

"I am pleased to see this partnership enhanced even more as UIS will hold office hours at the ICC East Peoria Campus twice a week rather than only once a week in order to allow ICC students more accessibility to meet with a representative from UIS to ensure a smooth transition when transferring from ICC to UIS,” said Rhonda Bussell, admissions and records officer at the UIS Peoria campus.

“UIS has maintained a campus at Peoria for decades. Illinois Central College is reliably the second largest contributing transfer partner to U of I Springfield. It is only logical that we should maintain a reliable periodic presence at ICC as a way to provide convenience and guidance to our friends in the Peoria area. I’m looking forward to this,” said Raymond Barnett, UIS undergraduate transfer admissions coordinator.

For more information on transferring to UIS, contact Raymond Barnett at 217/206-6626 or rbarn2@uis.edu.

University of Illinois Springfield adds six new majors to give students more options

The University of Illinois Springfield has added six new majors in order to give students more educational options. Five of the new majors started this semester and a bachelor’s degree in theatre will begin in fall 2017.

The five new majors that started in fall 2016 include bachelor’s degrees in biochemistry, exercise science, public administration and public policy. A master’s degree in data analytics was also added this semester.

“These new majors represent a continual effort by our faculty to provide undergraduate and graduate degree opportunities in the professional fields, STEM, and the liberal arts,” said James Ermatinger, UIS interim vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost. “These majors are in areas which have high student interest and demand and represent our commitment to providing high quality education for the region and its students.”

The six new degree programs were approved by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees and the Illinois Board of Higher Education. UIS now offers a total of 31 bachelor’s degrees, 20 master’s degrees and one doctoral program.

The biochemistry curriculum prepares students to immediately begin careers in the medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industries, and meets the requirements for successful admission to professional schools in medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, pharmacy school, and other health-related fields.

Students of exercise science study the science of movement, physical exertion, kinesiology, health awareness, and research into health disorders. The program is designed to prepare UIS students for various positions in the exercise and health field, or for post-graduate study in Exercise Science or additional Allied Health programs.

Public administration is a field of study that prepares students to serve as managers in local, state, and federal government as well as the nonprofit sector. The UIS program endeavors to prepare students to advance the public interest and civic engagement. Students are prepared though an integration of theory and practice.

The public policy curriculum explores the full policy-making process, including the study of specific policy issues from healthcare to education, criminal justice, social welfare, environmental and agricultural policy, among other areas.

The theatre major at UIS offers students the opportunity to further develop their talents as theatre artists, by working with great dramatic literature in the classroom and on the stage. Theatre majors are exposed to a wide variety of production experiences, while exploring the collaboration needed to create a fully realized production.

The master’s degree in data analytics is offered in traditional on-campus, online, and blended formats. The degree aims at providing an interdisciplinary approach to data analytics that covers both the foundational mathematical knowledge of data science and the computational methods and tools for preprocessing, interpreting, analyzing, representing and visualizing data sets.

Students interested in registering for classes may apply online or contact the UIS Office of Admissions with questions at 217/206-4847 or admissions@uis.edu.

UIS to open a transfer office at Richland Community College

The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) and Richland Community College (RCC) in Decatur are partnering to make it easier for students to continue their college education after earning their associate's degree.

UIS will hold periodic office hours at a space inside the Kitty Lindsay Learning Resources Center on Richland’s campus for advising and counseling for RCC students considering transferring to UIS.

“Providing UIS with a formal location on our campus exemplifies the strong partnership that exists between the two institutions,” said Rob Kerr, RCC Registrar. “This collaboration will support our students as they prepare for the next step in their educational career and seek to achieve their occupational goals.”

The first transfer sessions are scheduled for October 31, November 10 & 14 and December 5 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. After that, UIS plans to have a presence on the Richland campus on a weekly basis with regularly scheduled office hours allowing for more interaction with visiting UIS professors and advisers.

“Community College students have such busy lives inside and outside of the classroom,” said Raymond Barnett, UIS transfer coordinator. “This presence at Richland allows UIS to be there to answer the questions of students who are curious and those who are needing direct assistance.”

For more information on transferring to UIS, contact Raymond Barnett at 217/206-6628 or rbarn2@uis.edu.