First it is StudyWITS is recognised as an establishment of higher learning and therefore must maintain the highest standards of academic rigour and professional excellence. Due to our reputation for upholding these standards, the value and prestige of your qualifications is likewise enhanced. We feel that we owe it to all our students-past, present and future-to continue to require that our students earn their qualifications, but the whole purpose for our existence is to allow students to do it on a much more flexible basis than traditional colleges and universities. Second, it is Independent studyIf chosen as the mode of learning, you can study on your own, independently, and not in a classroom, lecture, or study hall situation. Whatever the mode of the study chosen, the responsibility for your education is yours. Credits are earned by demonstrating what you know. You start when you are ready, finish at your own convenience (the minimum time period is one-year), continuing at your own speed, neither being pushed nor held back by other students or by semester/quarter time frames. In this mode of study, you will not only be supplied with study material developed by the WITS faculty, but you will also be expected to utilise the resources of your own library and that of local public or nearby school libraries, in addition to the vast wealth of human resources at your disposal in your home, community, and place of business. Students must have access to the Internet, and use the vast resources of the world-wide-web. Should local resources prove inadequate, then the required reading will be forwarded by the WITS online mentors to you at cost. If you are mature and motivated, you will have no trouble accomplishing your educational goals quickly. But the time is up to you: fast or slow, you set the pace-after all, it is your education. Third, it is Directed StudyYou are not arbitrarily assigned a course of study and then left on your own. You receive as much direction, guidance and assistance as you decide you need. You may find that the online material is adequate, and decide not to appoint an online mentor (80% of WITS students self study or get assistance from personal contacts). If you wish, however, you may pay an additional fee ($800) for your own Online Mentor. This would be a qualified individual conveniently accessible online (by e-mail and via our electronic discussion boards), having a qualification equivalent to or beyond the one you are seeking, in the same or a related field. Every subject to be completed by Directed Independent Study will have a syllabus or course outline identifying each and every concept or idea considered to be of significant importance to that particular subject. This is important to you, the student, because in the outline you will have listed for you everything that you will be expected to learn from the subject. In coursework subject areas, performance is evaluated via an open-book exam. In the research project type subjects you will conduct research usually within the context of your place of work. From this research you will be assigned the reporting task to be accomplished. Methods and format of reports are provided as part of your program. For details of the various Directed Independent Study approaches go to the specific Faculties of WITS:
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Directed Study
