eCore

eCore offers the first two years of college core courses completely online. eCore was developed by the University System of Georgia (USG) and approved by the Board of Regents. eCore classes transfer to 26 institutions within the University System of Georgia and most other colleges. eCore is not a formal degree program but a convenient and adaptable course option for students.

To assess if eCore is a viable option for you, check out the readiness tool for distance education (READI) and take the Student Online Readiness Tool assessment at that same link.

To view the complete list of courses offered please visit the eCore course description website. eCore offers courses in Areas A-E of the core curriculum.

Please note: the Spring and Fall class schedule may differ from the Summer session. If you are planning to take eCore courses during Summer session, please check beforehand to ensure they are offered.

BEFORE you will be able to register for an eCore course, you must 1st successfully complete the eCore Introduction Quiz (required for all new eCore students). The orientation is required ONLY one time. After you complete the quiz, you will receive an email to your Clayton State email address with additional information. Please allow 24-48 hours after completion of the quiz for the information to be entered in your record which will allow for eCore registration.

Any student who has NOT completed the eCore orientation, will receive an eCore PREREQUISITE ERROR when attempting to register for eCore classes. After completion of the orientation, an automated email is sent to the eCore advisor and to your CSU email address.

A prerequisite error may also occur when a student has not completed the course prerequisites. CSU adheres to higher standards on some courses than listed on the USG website. If in doubt of the prerequisite, click on the class name in the Academic Schedule.

Please contact your advisor or eCore advisor for assistance if you have met the prerequisites and you are still receiving an error that prevents registration.

eCore adds seats based on demand. Choose a section with available seats and register with the appropriate Course Number (CRN). See visit the eCore Schedule webpage for section availability and course numbers. A seat balancer process runs every 5 minutes so if there is not a seat available, check back in a few minutes for available seats.

eCore classes are $159/credit hour. Most classes are 3 credit hours; Calculus I and classes with labs are 4 credit hours. If you are taking only eCore classes, this tuition is in addition to the Clayton State Institutional fee. If you are also taking on-campus classes, all fees also apply including technology, student activity, athletic, student activity center fee, parking fee, card fee, & health fee. Visit the Bursar's website for a complete listing of the current fee schedule: Financial Aid and VA will cover expenses of eCore courses up to your eligibility.

There may be some instances in which you would incur additional costs. For instance, the purchase of a required lab kit for a science course and/or to pay for a proctored exam. This list has been put together to help outline examples so you are aware of any costs, outside of the tuition for the course.

You should consult your academic advisor before registering for eCore courses. If you don’t know who your advisor is, then contact the advising department in your major. Please visit the Center for Advising and Retention's website to locate your advisor and schedule an appointment.

If you a transient student, you should talk with your advisor at your home institution about whether the course transfers.

eCore utilizes open education resources for all classes, with the exception of lab sciences. This means that required course textbooks are available to students, for free. Please visit the eCore textbooks website for additional information if you are enrolled in a science course which utilizes a lab.

Institutions affiliated with eCore must follow the eCore Common Academic Calendar. Each term this includes a common registration begin/end date, class start/end date, attendance verification deadline, midterm, final exam dates, grade submission deadlines, etc. Clayton State follows our own Academic Calendar for admission and fee payment deadlines only. See the Clayton State eCore home page for specific dates.

If you find yourself struggling in your eCore course(s), please ask for help. There are several tutoring resources available to you:

• Smartthinking is an online tutoring service available to all eCore students needing help in Math, Chemistry, Physics, Statistics, Spanish, and Writing. Tutoring is available through Smartthinking 24/7. Information regarding Smartthinking is provided to you in the Course Resources folder inside your eCore course.
• The Clayton State University Student Success Center offers free tutoring services. Friendly tutoring help is only a phone call away. Do not hesitate to give the Student Success Center a call and schedule an appointment with a tutor at (678) 466-4070 or at thecas@clayton.edu.

eCore students have access to a variety of resources that can improve their educational experience. Each semester, students enrolled in eCore classes are provided a password to access GALILEO, a virtual based library. GIL Express, an extension of GALILEO, enables students to borrow information resources held in the University System of Georgia (USG) libraries. eCore students can choose any of the 26 USG libraries, including the Clayton State University Library, as their resource pickup location.

The Clayton State University Library offers eCore students reference services including LibGuides and Ask a Librarian:

LibGuides provide research assistance, subject guides and useful resources compiled by the CSU librarians. LibGuides often recommend a variety of information sources for researchers including books, electronic resources, digital collections, periodicals, websites, multimedia and social media that concentrate on a single topic. In addition, LibGuides highlight library services to assist researchers in utilizing the library. Users can search by keyword or browse by broad topic.

Ask a Librarian is a reference services suite. Do you have a library or research question? eCore students can contact a CSU librarian by Chat, call (678) 466-4325, or visit the library to meet with a librarian.

If financial aid is your only means of payment, the Loch Shop may be able to special order eCore books and lab kits for you (which you can pay for with financial aid).

Contact the Loch Shop ASAP if you will utilize this method, as there may be a delay in receiving your materials when late ordering.

If you encounter software or hardware problems with your computer, The HUB may rescue you. The HUB provides a free service to eCore students enrolled through Clayton State. They will help you find solutions to your software and/or hardware problems with your personal computer. As an eCore student at Clayton State, you may opt to participate in the Microsoft Campus Agreement. This will allow you to obtain certain Microsoft software at no cost. Visit them at /hub, by calling (678) 466-4357, or emailing TheHub@clayton.edu.

For issues logging on or accessing your eCore courses, please click "Next Steps for Accepted Students" in the left-hand navigation, then view the "Accessing Your eCore Course" page. You may also contact the eCore Help Desk for issues dealing directory with your eCore courses.

What are the hardest courses to take online?

• Chemistry
• English
• Geology
• Math
• Spanish

When do I register for a second session course?

If you are attempting to register for a second session course after full session has begun, you may either contact the eCore advisor for assistance or wait until the first day of drop/add as listed in the eCore calendar.