The following policies and procedures apply to students enrolled in at least one online course in a given term.

What You Need to Know

As an online student, you should be aware of certain policies and information important to your success. The policies and other information, sometimes referred to as "disclosures," relate to where you live at the time you are enrolled in an online course, your participation in some type of field placement experience, and your pursuit of professional licensure. Some of the policies and information apply to all online students. Others apply to students who live outside of Virginia. And others apply to students engaged in some type of learning activity outside of Virginia.  

Professional Licensure Programs (list EMU programs here): Please refer to the EMU Professional Licensure Program Information to determine if a program in which you have interest meets the educational requirements specified by the associated licensing board in your jurisdiction. Applicants are also encouraged to seek additional information for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. The information on this website includes the website addresses for all relevant licensing boards in all states and territories.

Your Local Address

Notification of your physical location is a requirement for all students. To meet state authorization requirements, it is very important that EMU knows your physical or local address each semester.

Every semester, every student must verify their local address for that semester as part of the Student Check-In process. The local address is where you are physically located when enrolled in school and taking classes. This address might be different from your permanent address or what you consider your official home residence. It also might be different than your local address for the previous semester.  Here are two examples:

• Your permanent home address is North Carolina. Last semester, you lived in Harrisonburg. However, this semester, you are enrolled in an internship course and living in Wisconsin. Therefore, your local address for this semester is the one in Wisconsin.
• Your permanent home address is in Maryland. You take all of your courses online and live at your permanent home address. Thus, your local address is the same as your permanent home address.

Before each semester begins, you will be asked to login to myEMU  (my.emu.edu ) and update your information.

When you are asked to verify your current addresses, you must provide your permanent home address AND your local address. Your local address is where you will be living during the current semester. Again, this might be different than your permanent home address.

Living Outside of Virginia

If you are living outside of Virginia while taking courses at EMU, you must be sure that EMU is authorized to offer educational services in your state or U.S. territory. Furthermore, if you are living outside Virginia and are enrolled in a program that leads to professional licensure, you must be sure that EMU's program meets the professional licensing board requirements in the state or territory where you live or want to live. 

Under what is known as the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements or SARA, EMU is authorized to offer online courses or online programs in 49 US states and most US territories without having to seek approval from those states and territories. This includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. EMU can also offer online courses and other limited educational activities in California without seeking approval even though California is not a SARA member. EMU would have to seek approval to offer any educational activities in the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CMNI).

A map of authorized states and territories is available at http://nc-sara.org/sara-states-institutions. 

Your Responsibilities

Depending on what kind of learning activity you are engaged in and where you live, you might or might not need to take any additional steps to enroll at EMU and participate in certain types of out-of-state learning activities. In some cases, you might need to sign certain acknowledgements about a program. In other cases, EMU might need to seek approval from your state or territory.

Read the sections below that pertain to you. If you have more questions, please contact EMU’s Undergraduate Admissions Office, Office of Graduate and Professional Recruitment, Lancaster Admissions Office, or reach out to the staff or faculty of your program.

Enrolled in an online course and/or online program

If you are enrolled in an online course and/or an online program and live in a U.S. state or territory outside of Virginia, EMU must be authorized to offer the course or program in your state. As noted above, EMU’s participation in SARA provides authorization for enrollment from 49 US states and most US territories. This includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. EMU can also offer online courses and other limited educational activities in California without seeking approval even though California is not a SARA member. 

Enrolled in a field placement or other "on-the-ground" activity outside of Virginia

If you are enrolled in a for-credit field placement or other on-the-ground learning activity in a state or territory outside of Virginia, EMU must be authorized to offer that activity in your state. EMU’s participation in SARA provides authorization for most on-the-ground learning in 49 US states and most US territories. This includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. EMU can also offer on-the-ground learning and other limited educational activities in California without seeking approval even though California is not a SARA member. 

Enrolled in a program leading to professional licensure

If you are living outside Virginia and are enrolled in a program that leads to professional licensure, you must be sure that EMU's program meets the professional licensing board requirements in the state or territory where you live or want to live. All of EMU's licensure-related programs meet requirements of the relevant licensing boards in Virginia. However, a program might or not meet the licensing requirements for a particular state outside of Virginia. If you live or want to work in a state or territory in which EMU's program does not meet the relevant licensing board's requirements and you decide to complete the program, you will be responsible for completing any additional requirements for licensure independent of your studies at EMU.

For more information about programs that lead to professional licensure, see EMU Professional Licensure Program Information.

Approved by Provost's Council May 18, 2021

Responsible party

The provost is responsible for this policy.

Policy Review

This policy is to be reviewed every three years.

Distribution

All student handbooks