Academic Support for MU Online Students

Academic Advising

Your Academic Advisor is your main point of contact for questions about your course schedules and your progress to degree.

Contact: Email online@methodist.edu or call 910.212.4956 or 1.855.474.8222 (Toll-Free)

Financial Aid

Canvas Learning Management System

Canvas will allow you to access syllabi, assignments, course materials and resources, feedback and grades, and attendance information for all of your courses, whether they are in-person, hybrid (some in-person/some remote instruction), or fully online/remote.

You can now access information for all of your MU courses by logging into Canvas.

https://methodist.instructure.com/ (or use Menu in the top right corner of the Methodist University website and look under Top Links).
You will be directed to the MU single-sign-on page. Log in using your MU email username and password.
After logging in, you will find your Canvas dashboard with all of your courses for the semester.
If you have problems accessing or using Canvas, see the information at the end of this email about available support

Student Access & Accommodation Services

Student Access & Accommodation Services remains committed to providing services to our students with diagnosed disabilities to provide equal access to education.

Diversity & Disability Statement

Our institution values diversity and inclusion; we are committed to a climate of mutual respect and full participation. Our goal is to create learning environments that are usable, equitable, inclusive, and welcoming. If there are aspects of the instruction or design of a course that result in barriers to your inclusion or accurate assessment or achievement, please notify the instructor as soon as possible. Methodist University respects and welcomes students of all backgrounds and abilities. In the event you encounter any barriers to full participation in this course due to the impact of a disability, please contact Lisa Dobson at saas@methodist.edu and/or 910.630.7402.

Meetings: Appointment Only

Student Access & Accommodation Services encourages students to schedule virtual meetings (chat, email, phone, zoom) when possible.
Intake/medical documentation/appointment requests should be emailed directly to: saas@methodist.edu.
Students should request accommodation forms via email or phone call.
Students must schedule and reserve a proctoring appointment by sending an email to saas@methodist.edu.

Contact Lisa Dobson at saas@methodist.edu and/or 910.630.7402.

Davis Memorial Library

Davis Memorial Library has a full range of services that are available to Methodist University students. Librarians are available for research help and can meet virtually to assist with navigating the libraries resources. Chat reference is available after hours and can be accessed by clicking “Chat with a Librarian Now” on the library home page.

Schedule a Research Appointment

All undergraduate students are required to complete the Library Competency Test. In-person classes are offered on various days/times throughout the semester. Register for an in-person session.

For information on completing the requirement remotely, please email Jennifer Taft at jtaft@methodist.edu.

Circulation Desk: 910.630.7645
Reference Desk: 910.630.7123

The Writing & Tutoring Center

The Writing & Tutoring Center offers support and coaching to individuals and groups, and to faculty and staff as well as students. All writing consultations are conducted online, either in live teleconferences or telephone conversations, or with written feedback. Students can schedule their consultations at methodist.mywconline.com/index.php

Contact: Rebecca King, reking@methodist.edu

Canvas IT Support & Resources

If you need help with Canvas password resets, login issues, or course(s) not appearing in Canvas, contact the MU Help Desk at 910.630.7020 or help@methodist.edu. Please include your name and student ID number.
For MU Online Technical Support:

Phone: 855.474.8222 (Press 2 at the menu)

Chat: support.edu.help/ (Click “Chat with an Expert” in the bottom left corner)

Be prepared to include your name and student ID number, information on what you were trying to do, what class it was in, what browser you were using, and any error messages(s) you received.

If you would like to know more about using Canvas, visit the Canvas Student Guide or the Canvas Student Video Guide
If you are having problems getting your browser to load Canvas information, check the Canvas browser and computer specifications page.

Note: If you are using the Canvas Student app, please review the following Canvas Student Guides for additional support:

Textbooks

If you live in the Fayetteville area, you can visit the Methodist University Book Store, located in the Berns Student Center, to purchase your books. However, you may also order textbooks from the Methodist University Book Store online. If you have any questions, call the book store at 910.630.7227.

Methodist University Identification Cards

To receive an MU ID card, online students need to submit a photo to Police and Public Safety through the myMU Portal. When you have cleared the business office, Police and Public Safety will mail your ID card to you, or you can come by the Police and Public Safety Office and pick it up. Here are instructions for submitting your photo.

Go to the myMU Portal.
Click on the Student Life tab across the top menu bar.
Next, click on the Public Safety tab on the left menu bar.
Once the page refreshes, click on the Photo Submission link at the top of the right column.

Counseling Services

Methodist University Counseling Services is located in “The Well”, along with Health Services, on the first floor of West Hall. Office hours are:

Monday: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. | 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Tuesday: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. | 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Wednesday: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Thursday: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. | 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. | 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Students who would like to meet in person or schedule a virtual meeting can call 910.630.7164 or email thewell@methodist.edu to schedule an appointment with a counselor.

Career Advising

Career Advising provides career services and resources to all students and alumni from the first year of college to graduation and beyond. The Career Advising staff guides and instructs students and alumni in the development of the skills necessary to obtain employment and work satisfaction, to succeed in a diverse and rapidly changing workforce, and to manage their life-long career strategies.

Contact: 910.630.7333

Religious Life

Please watch the Religious Life video prepared for you.

If you would like to speak to the Methodist University Chaplain, Rev. Kelli Taylor, you may call her at 910.630.7515 or email her at ktaylor@methodist.edu.

Amplify Media App

Amplify Media is a streaming service that provides Methodist University (MU) Online students with unlimited access to diverse resources that encourage the study of spiritual and religious topics from around the world, deeper Christian discipleship, and a life mission of love, justice, truth, and virtue. THERE IS NO COST to MU Online students. Video series, audio recordings, and digital books are among the many resources available.

If you are interested in utilizing this wealth of resources, simply

download and log in to the MU Religious Life App (scan the QR code below)
open the purple Amplify Media icon in the bottom right corner and
sign up using your MU email address

Within 24 hours you will receive an access code and link to complete your registration.

Note: At no point in the registration process should you receive a request for your credit card number or any other payment information. If this happens, start over by verifying the correct link.

What to Expect from an Online Course

A student will find online courses to be rigorous, demanding, and engaging. A typical online college course will require as much work as a traditional college course. Most online courses require substantial reading and writing skills to master the subject. You should expect to spend 10-15 hours per week working in the course to complete the learning activities and assignments, take quizzes or exams, and participate in the classroom discussions.

Being a successful online student requires knowing where to go for the information you need and activities you are to complete. Please acclimate yourself with the Canvas course management system environment as this will serve as your network to interface with weekly course activities. You will want to learn how to: access course materials, communicate with classmates and your instructor, submit homework, take tests, and check your grades.

Below are guidelines to help you be a successful online student:

Pace yourself. You will need to pace yourself and stay on top of the course schedule at all times. You also will need to set aside blocks of time to do your coursework when you will not have distractions. Be diligent and protective of your study time.
Do not fall behind. If you must be away from the course for a legitimate reason such as illness, contact your instructor immediately and arrange for when you will be able to get caught up with your coursework.
Follow up with your instructor(s) if you think something is wrong within the course. It may be that you missed something and need clarification, or that the instructor has not had a chance to respond to something in a timely manner.
Engage yourself. You will need to communicate regularly with your instructor(s). You also will engage with your classmates in discussion forums or other types of learning activities. The more you communicate within the course, the more comfortable you will become with your instructor and classmates.
Log into the course often and check for new announcements, assignments, and messages.
Review the course schedule and keep track of due dates for projects, assignments, exams, etc.
Ask questions when you don’t understand something, and don’t wait until the day before an assignment is due or you may not be able to get the help you need.
Save all your work in the appropriate file format, such as MS Word or Excel, PDF, or other file format that the instructor can download and open. Save all of your work in a save and recoverable storage location, such as an external hard drive.