The information included on this page is for courses with the prefix EEND, REAL, RECT, or REND offered through the Regional Educational Academy for Leadership (REAL) in the College of Education. Please visit the College of Education for information on undergraduate and graduate programs in education.
General Information - Courses and Registration
The University of St. Francis is accredited by both the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org) and the Illinois Board of Higher Education (ihbe.org). College of Education programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (ncate.org) and approved by the Illinois State Board of Education (isbe.net).
- Textbooks and course materials are not included in the price of tuition.
- Current semester specials can be found at stfrancis.edu/real/specials.
- Partnership course and cohort rates may be confirmed by contacting REAL at real@stfrancis.edu
- Full payment of course tuition is required during the registration process. Payment may be made via credit card (processing fee applies) or electronic check through our secure registration site.
- Student accounts may reflect a credit balance until semester tuition bills are posted (mid-December for Spring, mid-May for Summer, and late July for Fall).
*Tuition subject to university increases.
Courses offered through REAL are not eligible for federal financial assistance. Federal financial assistance like the Federal Direct Loan program can only be used for degree-seeking programs.
Online courses are structured to include discussions and assignments requiring active participation. Online courses are not self-paced. Candidates are expected to actively participate for the duration of the course. Candidates who are not able to commit to the full range of course dates should consider enrolling in an alternate semester.
Online courses in the College of Education, are structured and presented in a highly interactive instructional environment where candidates learn from the instructor, course materials, and one another. In the online environment, each candidate must respond to discussion questions posted by the instructor based upon reading assignments and course content, post responses to the instructor’s questions, and provide timely feedback to other candidates. Direct interaction with the instructor and other candidates in the course IS mandated. New course materials appear in each module. Candidates are expected to review all materials for optimal participation and learning. Assignments are embedded within each course, and the instructor provides feedback using assignment-specific rubrics and qualitative comments. The model for interaction within the online environment is instructor-candidate, candidate-instructor, and candidate-candidate.
When do classes meet online? While candidates are not expected to log in at a specific date and time, there are online discussions, assignments, and assessments that are due each week. It is recommended that candidates log in the first day of the course to establish attendance, get a sense of the online environment, and view course expectations.
How many assignments/topics are required to be posted and how often? Online courses typically consist of at least eight modules with readings and assignments in each. Most online courses require a minimum of three formative assessments and one summative.
How often do candidates need to read and post comments? Every week candidates are given several chapters or articles to read. Minimally, instructors will expect candidates to respond to one or more discussion questions based on these readings (usually by midweek) and then thoughtfully respond to other candidates’ posts.
What is the interaction between candidates? Candidates are expected to post thoughtful feedback to other candidates’ posts each week. Many online courses provide candidates the opportunity to collaborate electronically or in a virtual environment.
What is the interaction between candidates and the online instructor? Online course work at the University of St. Francis is conducted in a lively and robust learning environment with frequent interaction between the candidate and the instructor each week. At a minimum, the instructor will pose a discussion question to which the candidate will respond; that response will then generate feedback from the instructor.
Sample syllabi for most REAL courses can be found by selecting the course title on the website OR at Sample Course Syllabi.
Actual course syllabi with detailed assignments, evaluation criteria, etc. are made available on the first day of the course.
REAL offers flexible and accessible programming with a registration process that can be completed in under 60 seconds. Educators registering for courses with the prefix EEND, REAL, RECT, and REND simply locate a course title and select the corresponding date links to access the online registration form. No university application, transcripts, or test scores are required to register for courses taken as a special (non-degree seeking) graduate student through REAL.
Degree-seeking candidates and those enrolling in focused programs should register online through their MyUSF Student Account.
You can visit us in Donovan Hall (C-201) on the main campus in Joliet.
Mailing Address:
REAL at the University of St. Francis
500 Wilcox Street, C201
Joliet, IL 60435
YES! Candidates may roll up to 18 hours of graduate credit previously earned through REAL at the University of St. Francis (prefixes EEND, REAL, REND) into the M.S. Reading and M.S. Teaching and Learning programs.
For additional information, please contact:
Maggie Stevenson, Graduate Admissions Counselor
mstevenson@stfrancis.edu
815-740-3389
For Enrolled Candidates
For New Candidates: If you have not previously taken courses at the university, please note that it may take 3-5 business days for a MyUSF student account to be created. You should expect to receive a notification (via the email provided with your registration) that will include information required to access your account. If you do not receive a notification within five (5) business days, please check spam/junk folders as communication is occasionally rerouted due to school or personal security settings.
For New and Returning Candidates: If you did not receive your password OR no longer have your login credentials, you can request a reset HERE by providing your user name (typically lowercase first and last name: e.g. johnsmith).
If the reset attempt is unsuccessful, please contact USF Technical Support at techsupport@stfrancis.edu or 815-768-8324.
Courses are listed in your MyUSF student account under My Student Class Schedule at the top of the page. You may need to change the semester from the default view depending on the semester you wish to review.
There are a couple of ways to find required textbooks or other materials:
- In your MyUSF student account under For Students, Order Your Books, or
- USF Barnes and Noble Bookstore online
Yes! Visit Learn It Now for a variety of resources to help you become familiar with MyUSF, Canvas, and more!
The drop process for courses in which you are currently enrolled must be completed within the drop window using our online self-service option – drop requests via phone or email are not accepted. Candidates may request to drop (or withdraw as appropriate) courses with the prefix EEND, REAL, RECT, and REND.
Visit the Registrar’s Office Transcript Request page to submit your request online.
REAL candidates completing courses toward the following endorsements will need to apply through ELIS to have the endorsement added to their valid Illinois PEL : Bilingual Education or ESL**, Director of Special Education, Driver Education, Health Education, LBSI (valid at the grade level), Reading Teacher, and Technology Specialist.
Visit ISBE to view current requirements by endorsement.
**Additional documentation required for Bilingual Education and ESL
- Educators seeking a Bilingual Education endorsement are required to independently complete 100 clock hours (or three months teaching experience) in a bilingual setting.
- Educators seeking an ESL endorsement are required to independently complete 100 clock hours (or three months teaching experience) in a bilingual or ESL setting.
- A tracking log must be retained, along with administrator verification, of all hours or teaching experiences in the appropriate setting.
- The log and administrator verification will be required when applying to add the endorsement through ELIS and may be requested during an audit of educator records.
- Completed 100 hour log and administrative verification documents may be scanned and submitted to ISBE at licensure@isbe.net using the subject line: IEIN # ESL Log and Letter (ex. 1234567 ESL Log and Letter)
Educators enrolled in USF degree-seeking or focused programs: DO NOT APPLY THROUGH ELIS. Please work directly with your respective program advisor and the university’s Licensure Officer to have the endorsement added to your PEL when all requirements are met.
The completed 100 hour log and administrative verification documents should be sent to ISBE at the time you apply to have the endorsement added to your license. Please scan and submit to ISBE at licensure@isbe.net using the subject line: IEIN # ESL Log and Letter (ex. 1234567 ESL Log and Letter)