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Web-based Information Science Education (WISE) is a unique and groundbreaking opportunity in online Information and Library Science Education.

Leading schools in the information field have extended their reach outside the traditional classroom to broaden the educational opportunities available to their students. The WISE Consortium uses advanced technology as a means to enrich LIS education and foster relationships among students, faculty, and universities, through course sharing an cooperative pedagogical training.

The vision of this initiative is to provide a collaborative, cost-effective distance education model that will increase quality, access, and diversity of online education opportunities in Library and Information Science.

Q: Do I have to be enrolled as a student at a WISE member institution in order to register for a course through WISE?
A: Yes, you must be enrolled at a WISE member school to be eligible to register through WISE.

Q: How do I create an account so that I can select WISE courses?
A: Students need to create their own account in our system to select courses. To create an account:

  • Go to https://registration.xenegrade.com/wiseeducation
  • If you use the Course Search prior to creating and Account and being logged in, you will see the complete list of courses offered through Wise Education. This list does not represent the Courses available to you. You will see your list after logging in.
  • To create an account go to: wiseeducation.org. Click on “Student Registration” and use the Create Account link in the upper right corner to start the registration process. Or if you have an account already, just use the Sign In.
  • When creating your account, be sure to select your correct College or University from the Membership Type drop down.
  • Please be sure to include your ethnicity, as many universities require this information for registration.
  • Please also ensure that you use your official university email address (rather than a gmail or other personal email address).
  • After creating an Account or Logging in, use the Course Search on the left menu to view available courses.
  • Select a Course.
  • Use the Add to Cart at the bottom.
  • Complete the checkout process.

You will receive a confirmation email with your course selections.

Q: If my home institution has given me permission to enroll in a course, why was I denied or wait-listed by WISE?
A: Enrollment requests sometimes exceed the number of seats available in WISE courses. While we do our best to accommodate every request, this is not always possible. If you are denied or wait-listed from one WISE course, please inquire about the availability of seats in other WISE courses selected by your university at support@wiseeducation.org.

Q: I contacted the host school directly and the instructor said that I can enroll. Why am I now being told by WISE that I cannot enroll due to deadlines or a course cap?
A: Students enrolling through WISE must go through the WISE enrollment request process. Instructors teaching WISE courses may not be aware of the cap on WISE students a school is able to host or the administrative lead time necessary to establish guest accounts for WISE students to provide course access. Please contact your school’s WISE Administrator or support@wiseeducation.org with any enrollment questions.

Q: How long will it take for me to find out if I have been accepted into a WISE course?
A: This depends on when you request enrollment. There is typically a 4-week delay between the start of enrollment requests and the first assignment of students to courses. If you request enrollment after the initial assignments of students to courses, you will be accommodated if space is available, and will be notified.

Q: Why is there a delay between enrollment requests and confirmation of enrollment?
A: There is typically a 4-week delay between the start of the enrollment request period and the first assignment of students to courses. This is done purposefully to ensure that students from each member school have the opportunity to request enrollment; enrollment periods vary at the different WISE schools. Please check the calendar listed under “Students” for enrollment deadlines.

Q: How many WISE courses may I take in a single semester? Throughout my program?
A: Naturally, you can take one WISE course in a single semester. You can, however, request more than one course to increase your chances of being able to enroll in a WISE course. If you would like to take multiple classes, you must have an email from your WISE administrator stating your eligibility for multiple classes during a semester. Please have your WISE administrator email us at support@wiseeducation.org

Q: When will I receive my course tool login information, and from whom?
A: You should receive your course tool login information from the administrator at the host school 1-2 weeks prior to the start of the course. If you do not receive your login information by this time, please e-mail support@wiseeducation.org for assistance.

Q: If a course is synchronous and is offered in a different time zone, how do I calculate the course time where I am located?
A: There are numerous free online time zone converters such as https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/ or https://www.worldtimeserver.com/.
Additional time zone conversion apps are available for most mobile devices.

Q: How long will I stay on a course’s wait-list?
A: Students may be enrolled from the wait-list until the deadline to enroll in the course expires (the last add date). This varies from course to course, and is listed under course details.

Q: If I am on a wait-list, am I obligated to take a course if a seat opens up?
A: Remaining on a wait-list does not obligate you to take a course should a seat open up; it only guarantees that you will be given the option to enroll should you choose to. If you decide you no longer want to be considered for a course please notify us at support@wiseeducation.org

Please note that most courses are in high demand. Because of this, we highly encourage you to speak with your advisor before deciding on a WISE Course. To avoid spontaneous enrollment and last minute withdrawals, if you drop more than two courses you may no longer be considered for the WISE program. Dropped courses will be monitored and documented.

Q: How do I pay for my WISE course?
A: You are responsible for paying tuition to your home school for any WISE courses you take.

Q: If I drop a course, who should I notify?
A: If you choose to drop a course, please be sure to notify your home school, support@wiseeducation.org, and the course instructor. When you email support@wiseeducation.org please provide the following information: The course that you wish to drop and why you wish to drop it so that we have it on our record.

Q: What is the deadline to drop a WISE course with no financial penalty?
A: WISE follows the home school’s policy on financial drop deadlines. Please consult your home school adviser for dates and policies.

WISE encourages all students to provide confidential feedback via email to support@wiseeducation.org. Please include the course name in your message.