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FAQ

Messiah Online FAQs

Messiah University is offering 54 courses for Summer 2023 in 6-week and 12-week terms. See Messiah's Summer 2023 Online Course Offerings for a full list of courses.

We have two, 6-week terms and one 12-week term for you to select from, based on your summer calendar. 

     May 14 – June 24: Early Summer (6-week)

     July 2 – August 12: Late Summer (6-week)

     May 14 – August 12: Full Summer (12-week)

 

Messiah University is accredited and credits earned at Messiah, including summer courses, will transfer to most other colleges and universities. The decision about transfer credits and their application to specific degree requirements is the decision of the receiving institution. Therefore, confirm if your institution will accept the transfer credit before registering.

All of Messiah's online courses are developed and taught by current Messiah University faculty, who are dedicated, experienced educators known for integrating their Christian faith with their outstanding scholarship, teaching and expertise. Messiah's online course content is designed and delivered to meet the same high standards as courses offered in our traditional classroom-based format.

Yes, all of Messiah's summer online courses are credit-bearing. Messiah University is an accredited academic institution; therefore, all of Messiah's courses (including summer online courses) fall under that accreditation.

As a current student, Messiah's summer course credit is applicable toward your Messiah University degree. However, work with your academic advisor to ensure that the summer course(s) you wish to take will help you to meet your major's specific curriculum requirements.

Registration

In addition to our current students, Messiah University invites high school and homeschool juniors and seniors, Messiah employees, alumni, parents, and friends, or anyone who would like to further their post-secondary education at Messiah University to apply for summer course study.  Current Messiah students can register for summer courses through FalconLink at the same time they register for fall courses.  Current high school students must complete an application for dual enrollment; students from other colleges and universities and all others should complete the registration form found in the Registration tab on this website.  The last day to register for Summer 2023 depends upon the term for which you're registering.

Don't miss out -- registration closes soon!

  • Early Summer and Full Summer: registration closes for special, non-degree seeking students (including dual enrolled students) by May 11, 2023. For current Messiah students, registration closes for Summer Term I on May 12, 2023.
  • Late Summer: registration closes for special, non-degree seeking students (including dual enrolled students) by June 29, 2023. For current Messiah students, registration for Summer Term II closes on July 2, 2023.

Because the average person should expect to invest a minimum of 15 hours per week per 6 week course, taking two online courses is the rough equivalent of a full-time job. Therefore, it is the University's policy to limit registration to six credits per term during the summer semester.

Students may take up to six credits in each 6-week term, for a total of 12 credits for the summer semester.

 

 

Finances

Messiah summer online courses are an affordable option, discounted by nearly 60 percent as the same courses offered during the academic year. The cost for Summer 2023 is $600/credit*. There is no technology fee for summer online courses. The cost of textbooks and other course materials is incurred separately.

Students taking NUTR 110 may choose to stay on campus the week of June 19-23. Additional fees for housing will apply. Meals are not included; students may purchase meals on campus.

Students taking BIOL 117 or CHEM 106 may choose to stay on campus the week of August 7-11. Additional fees for housing will apply. Meals are not included; students may purchase meals on campus.

*For costs and fees associated with Dual Enrollment, visit the Dual Enrollment page.

For students not currently enrolled at Messiah University, payment is due at the time of registration. For current Messiah University students and dual enrolled students, payment is due prior to the beginning of the class start date (May 14, 2023 or July 2, 2023). You will be billed through the Messiah University Student Financial Services.

Summer Session Refund Policy: Refunds for students who withdraw voluntarily or involuntarily are determined according to the following policy:
   

1) The portion of tuition to be refunded to students who withdraw prior to the end of the work day (5:00 pm EST) listed will be as follows. The dates and amounts depend upon which part-of-term the student is registered.
    6-week Early Summer: May 14 - June 24
  Drop Date % refunded
  May 14 - 16 100%
  May 17 - 18 75%
  May 19 - 21 60%
  May 22 - 24 50%
  May 25- 27 25%
  May 28 - June 24  0%
    6-week Late Summer: July 2 - August 12
  Drop Date % refunded
  July 2 - 4  100%
  July 5 - 6 75%
  July 7 - 9 60%
  July 10 - 12 50%
  July 13 - 15 25%
  July 16 - Aug 12  0%
    12-week Full Summer: May 14 - August 12
  Drop Date % refunded
  May 14 - May 19 100%
  May 20 - May 23 75%
  May 24 - May 29 60%
  May 30 - June 1 50%
  June 2 - June 6 25%
  June 7 - Aug 12 0%

2) All requests for drops or withdrawals must be in writing and emailed to the Registrar's Office at summersession@messiah.edu. The date of the email determines the refund date used in 1) above. It is important to note that notifying an instructor does not constitute an official request to drop or withdraw from a course. Read the complete refund policy.

3) To drop the last course on your registration, email summersession@messiah.edu.

4) All requests for drops or withdrawals must be in writing and emailed to the Registrar's Office at summersession@messiah.edu. The date of the email determines the refund date used in 1) above. It is important to note that notifying an instructor does not constitute an official request to drop or withdraw from a course. Read the complete refund policy.

3) To drop the last course on your registration, email summersession@messiah.edu.
If you are considering taking classes during the summer session at Messiah University, and are interested in applying for Financial Aid to help you with the cost of attendance, here are some important facts you will need to know.
   
 
  • Messiah University does not offer institutional financial aid for regular summer classes. Because the cost of a credit during the summer is only about 60% of the cost of a credit during the regular academic year, a student’s institutional financial aid for summer classes comes in the form of this greatly reduced cost.
 
  • For most forms of financial aid, a student must be enrolled at least half-time. Half-time at Messiah University for undergraduate students is defined as at least six (6) credits.
 
  • The Federal Stafford Loan, or an alternative student loan, is often the only form of financial aid that a student will receive during the summer.
   
   
  • To complete an application for summer financial aid, click here and submit this form.
   
  • Some of the alternative loan lenders with which we work do offer loans for less than half-time attendance. Please see our alternative loan lender list for more information.
 
  • Aside from student loans, the most common forms of financial aid that a student could apply for during the summer are the Federal Pell Grant and the Pennsylvania State Grant. Of course, you must otherwise be eligible for these forms of aid in order to utilize them during the summer. If you have not received them during the regular academic year, then it is unlikely that you will qualify during the summer.
   
Please be aware of the following in regard to the Pennsylvania State Grant: The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency does offer grants during the summer and they do have a part-time (down to half-time) grant program. There is an eight (8) semester limit on all Pennsylvania State Grants, and the summer grant amounts are typically somewhat less than the amounts for the regular academic year. So, using the Pennsylvania State Grant during the summer means that you will use up some of your eligibility for future semesters, and you might receive an overall lower amount over your college career. So, the only situation in which it would make sense to use some of your Pennsylvania State Grant during the summer is if this summer term will replace all or part of a future semester.
   
If you decide that you would like to apply for financial aid for the summer term, please contact the Financial Aid Office and we will review your eligibility.
   
You can call or write us at:
  Messiah University
Financial Aid Office
Mechanicsburg, PA, 17055
Direct dial phone number: 717-691-6007 (ext. 6007 on campus)
FAX 717-691-2349
E-mail: FINAID@MESSIAH.EDU (just Financial Aid on campus)

Textbooks 

The easiest way is to use Slingshot Choice, the Messiah Campus Store's subscription-based, auto-fulfillment program. Slingshot Choice knows your enrollment and what course materials are required. When opted in, your order is automatically created once enrollment is finalized. Your summer course materials will be available for pickup at the Campus Store or shipped to a preferred address before classes start. The charges are billed automatically to your student account so you can conveniently apply financial aid. 

New students are automatically included in this program with a Rent preference and existing students have the choice to participate at any time. 

If you’re currently enrolled at Messiah, you already have an account.

  • Go to your Slingshot Student Portal. Use your Messiah University student credentials to sign on.
  • Go to the “My Account” page to set a textbook fulfillment preference (New Purchase, Used Purchase, Rental or Digital). Once you do this, you’re opted into Slingshot Choice!    

If you would like to order your books on your own, log into your Slingshot Student Portal and click on the Buy Books tab. A list of books for your courses will populate. The catalog can also be searched by course or ISBN. 

Questions? Check out our FAQ page or email us at campusstore@messiah.edu.

The Online Format

Messiah's online courses are conducted as a personal, interactive learning community. Interaction among students and faculty is foundational to all courses taken at Messiah--and communication and facilitation of class assignments between you, the professor, and other students will take place through an online learning management system called CANVAS. Specific procedures will vary depending on the individual course, and will be communicated to you and your classmates by the faculty member facilitating the online course. For example, some classes may require you to engage in synchronous (live) online communication for the course, but this would be outlined in advance in the course syllabus.
   
Most courses do not require a campus visit--but as an online student, you will have access to the extensive online resources of Messiah's Murray Library. The method of delivering tests and exams will vary from course to course, but many will be administered electronically through CANVAS. Online courses will have the same letter grading scale as traditional classroom courses; the specific grading criteria for each course will be outlined in the course syllabus.

Generally, you should expect to invest a minimum of 15 hours per week per course--however, this will vary from course to course and is based on your pace as an individual learner.

The resource “How to Succeed as an Online Student” provides some practical tips and ideas for taking online courses. Link requires Adobe Reader which can be downloaded here.

Minimum system requirements can be found here. Note: Link requires Adobe Reader which can be downloaded here

Messiah will provide you with "real person" technical support as an online student through a variety of ways including phone and e-mail through Student Computer Services. Note: Link requires Adobe Reader which can be downloaded here.

Audits

You may choose to audit an online course and not receive academic credit, however, payment remains the same for this option, and the same procedures apply to auditing a traditional classroom-based course (which may be read in section 8.22.6 in the online Community of Educators Handbook).

Contact

For additional questions or information about Messiah University's summer online courses, please contact the Registrar's Office at (717) 691-6074 or via e-mail at summersession@messiah.edu.