University Star

Students may not know the actual number of classes offered at the university when registering for courses.

Deborah McDaniel, administrative assistant, said there are seven extension courses offered through Texas State’s Office of Correspondence Extension and Study Abroad — five language courses, one field studies class and one English and history class.

“About 140 to 160 students take an extension course in a full fiscal year,” McDaniel said.

According to the office of correspondence extension and study abroad Web site, “Extension courses are offered on the Texas State campus and at various off-campus locations through extension studies. These course offerings tend to be limited and include the language courses Italian, Japanese, Latin and Portuguese.”

Phyllis Wilson, pre-international studies freshman, and Angela Barrera, interdisciplinary studies freshman, said they have never heard of the extension program.

McDaniel said the program is run like other classes offered at the university, but students cannot enroll in a course by means of online registration. McDaniel said prospective students must register within the office of extensions.

“The price of an extension course runs parallel to the price of the university,” McDaniel said. “Students who sign up for the course will have to pay a non-refundable application fee and tuition.”

McDaniel said the average price for a three-credit hour extension course is $565, but because the extensions office is not an appropriated program, it runs off of student and self-generated funds. McDaniel said extension courses, unlike regular courses, are not funded by the government or the university.

“This office is a different animal than the university,” McDaniel said.

McDaniel said the office offers courses to more than Texas State students, so acceptance into the program does not mean an applicant has been admitted into the university.

The courses are officially offered outside of the university, and therefore the credits for the class are not added until completion. McDaniel said once the class is finished, the office files paperwork with the registrar and adds the credits to the student’s transcript.

McDaniel said if a student is taking other courses during a semester, the extension class will not count toward the number of hours they are taking.

Barrera disagrees with the stipulation, saying it is unfair.

“If you are taking the same amount of classes as a person in Spanish, and they have 12 hours and you have nine, that is unfair,” Barrera said. “You are doing the same work load, but because you decide to be different, you pay a price.”

Barrera said she would not take an extension course because it would probably be harder and she would rather stick to the basics.

Barrera and Wilson said the extensions office could do a better job of advertising courses to students.

“You walk through The Quad everyday and you receive tons of fliers about different programs offered on campus, but I have never heard of this department,” Wilson said. “The least they could do is post posters or stand out in The Quad and give us information, because I would like to know what all is offered here.”

Wilson said she would consider taking an extension course, but it would depend on if they would be to her benefit.

“Even though the credit does not show up until the end, that wouldn’t keep me from taking a useful course,” Wilson said.

Ryan Brown, English junior, is taking a Chinese language course in the extensions program. Brown said he is enjoying the class and it is similar to his others.

“I would recommend taking an extension course to other students,” Brown said. “I think if the class will help you, then go for it.”
Brown said he will take another extension course next fall in order to continue learning Chinese.