Onboarding: Step 2 of 5
Reading time: 10 minutes
WHAT
- definitions of important terms
- information about your rights and responsibilities as a Calbright learner
- available resources for your Calbright journey
WHY
This is information you will need to be successful in your Calbright program.
HOW
Read through each section. You can always bookmark this site and come back to it to remind you of key information. Remember, if you have questions about anything, Calbright Concierge is here to help. Reach out at [email protected].
Accreditation
Calbright College is not accredited at this time. Calbright is currently seeking accreditation through a regional accrediting organization and you will be able to get updates on our progress toward this goal on our blog at calbright.org/about/accreditation. This does not affect your ability to gain certifications and skills through Calbright job training programs that will qualify you for employment. More information is available in the Calbright official catalog.
Job Competency Education™
Job Competency Education™ is Calbright’s way of delivering job training programs through a unique model that leverages on-demand learning, learner success support, and direct assessment Competency-based Education (CBE).
CBE refers to systems of instruction, assessment, grading, and academic reporting that are based on students demonstrating that they have mastered the knowledge and skills they are expected to learn as they progress through their education.
At Calbright, we break specific high-demand jobs into the hard and soft skills required to succeed, and build curriculum based on those career-specific competencies. Calbright uses direct assessment CBE to determine mastery over curriculum. A benefit of CBE is that if a learner has prior knowledge, they may progress through the instruction at a quicker pace than their peers.
Non-Credit
All Calbright Programs are noncredit. This means that you do not earn credits for course like you would in a traditional college. Instead, you gain competencies, or skills, that prepare you for an industry certification or job.
Academic Program Options
For 2019 – 2020, Calbright has three program options:
1. Medical Coding for Professional Services
This program prepares learners for employment in the medical coding field. Medical coding is an essential part of the healthcare system. Professional medical coders use doctor’s diagnosis notes to assign codes to a patient’s file. These codes are then used to initiate billing, referrals, and other essential functions for patient care. For more details about this program, please see the Calbright Catalog.
2. Introduction to Information Technology Support (A+)
This program prepares learners for employment in the IT support field. IT support is the first level of hardware and software support. Learners will be able to install, configure and manage systems and work in various positions as an entry-level technologist. For more details about this program, please see the Calbright catalog.
3. Introduction to Cybersecurity (Security+)
This program prepares learners for the growing cybersecurity field. The Security+ certification qualifies learners for entry-level positions in cybersecurity. Learners will be able to manage networks and monitor security risks. For more details about this program, please see the Calbright catalog.
Pre-requisites and Co-requisites
Some of our programs are entry-level and you don’t need any previous classes or certificates to enroll. For some, you will need specific certifications, or the ability to demonstrate that you have equivalent knowledge.
- Medical Coding for Professional Services: Certified Professional Coder (CPC) does not have any pre-requisites or co-requisites.
- Medical Coding for Professional Services: Certified Inpatient Coder (CIC) has a pre-requisite of 2-3 years coding experience or equivalent.
- Information Technology Support (A+) does not have any pre-requisites or co-requisites.
- CyberSecurity (Security +) has a pre-requisite of CompTIA+ or equivalent.
Your Learner Advocate will help you determine your eligibility for programs that require a pre-requisite or co-requisite.
Academic Calendar: Fall 2019 Beta Cohort
Calbright College’s calendar includes two terms per year. Student starts and stops are flexible within each term. Learners can start anytime, and have continuous enrollment throughout the term. This includes access to learning resources, assessments, and the opportunity to complete online performance assessments any time, day or night, without regard to holidays and other significant dates. Learners can move faster through their job training program or move at a slower pace.
Learners will have to establish engagement with the online course content (by completing a substantive online activity) within 30 days of having access to their course or they will be administratively dropped.
Throughout your term, you will have access to learning resources, and the opportunity to complete online performance assessments at any time convenient to you. If you do not complete your course within your term, you will have opportunity to extend.
Academic Expectations
The 2019-2020 programs offered at Calbright are organized as distinct competency sets. Competencies are defined as the skills and knowledge you need to master to get industry recognized certification. When you demonstrate that you have all the necessary skills and knowledge, this is called mastery.
Calbright will let you know if you are making good progress towards mastery. There will not be traditional letter grades. Instead, they will indicate whether or not you have mastered your competency, or if you have made satisfactory progress towards mastery.
Mastery is demonstrated through assessments. When you complete an assessment, your work is considered for mastery. When all assessments within a competency set show that you have achieved mastery, you will have completed your set. In some cases, you may need more than one attempt to demonstrate mastery.
It is important that you read through your Course Syllabus and assessment descriptions carefully. This way you fully understand the expectations of your competency set and what determines mastery. Your Learner Advocate and instructional team can assist in helping you fully understand the course expectations.
More information on grading policies and extended transcripts is available in the college catalog.
Academic Honesty
At Calbright, we expect all learners to maintain academic honesty. This means you do your own work according to the guidelines your instructor gives you.
The two most common kinds of academic dishonesty are cheating and plagiarism.
Cheating is the act of trying to get credit for academic work through the use of dishonest means.
Plagiarism is representing the work of someone else as your own and submitting it for any purpose.
It is every student’s responsibility to maintain academic honesty. If you have any questions, ask your instructor or learner advocate, or reach out to the success team at [email protected].
Learner Privacy
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law designed to protect the privacy of a learner’s educational records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under a specific program of the U.S. Department of Education.
Calbright must have written permission from you before releasing any information from your record. However, the law allows schools to disclose records without consent to the parties listed below.
- School employees who have a need to know
- Other schools to which a student is transferring
- Certain government officials in order to carry out lawful functions
- Appropriate parties in connection with financial assistance to a student
- Organizations conducting certain studies for the school
- Accrediting organizations
- Individuals who have obtained court orders or subpoenas
- Persons who need to know in cases of health and safety emergencies and state and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, according to state law
If you want Calbright College to release information to persons not listed above (spouse, parent, etc.) you must notify us in writing.
Statement of Non-Discrimination
Calbright College believes everyone deserves access to education and training regardless of identity. One of our stated values is equity, which means we strive for fairness across all of our college programs.
We do not discriminate on the basis of national origin, religion, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, race or ethnicity, color, medical condition, genetic information, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, or pregnancy.
In addition, we believe all learners regardless of identity deserve a learning environment free of discrimination, harassment, and/or violence.
Please see the Calbright catalog for more detailed information on our discrimination and harassment policies. If you have questions about these policies, or you need to report an incident, you can contact Calbright’s Chief People and Culture Officer at: [email protected].
Learner Support Programs & Resources
At Calbright, we provide you with the support you need to successfully complete your chosen program. Here are some of the resources available to you:
Concierge
The Concierge is your personal guide to getting started at Calbright College. If you have any questions or need help getting through online orientation, or aren’t sure what to do next, you can get in touch with Concierge at [email protected].
Learner Advocate
When you finish Orientation, you’ll have an opportunity to connect to a Learner Advocate. Your Learner Advocate is your guide through your Calbright Learner Journey. They will help you create an Education Plan, and get enrolled in your Calbright program. They will also help you access any additional supports you may need, such as technology, tutoring, or counseling.
Library
Calbright learners will have access to library resources. Library resources are designed to further support learners’ studies in their chosen program program and will be freely available online; there is no charge for textbooks.
Tutoring
24 hour online tutoring services are available for enrolled Calbright learners via NetTutor. NetTutor offers help with reading, writing, math, or subject-specific support beyond what is provided by the instructional staff within the program.