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Registration, Tuition and Fees:
Before registering, students should read the online syllabus of each of the courses thoroughly to make sure they meet or can meet the necessary prerequisites and requirements for the courses. Full information on each course is available from links at this page. Click here to access the downloadable Sessions.edu course catalogue.
Course Registration
Registration is simply the process by which a student signs up for a course or certificate program. Students can register online, over the phone, via fax, via email, or through the mail. The principal items of information needed to properly register a student are:
First Name
Last Name
Email
Design Program
Certificate Level
Area(s) of Professional Concentration (applicable for Advanced & Master's Certificates)
Payment Method/Payment Confirmation
Other admissions requirements include:
1. All certificate program students are required to provide evidence of having attained a high school diploma or equivalent or higher level of education (such as a college degree).
2. Anyone age 18 or over is eligible to take our courses regardless of prior education or occupation experience as long as he/she has a good command of the English language and meets the prerequisites set forth in each course. Students who are under the age of 18 will not be permitted to enroll in courses or programs.
See complete Restrictions on Registration
Questions regarding registration procedures can be directed to admissions@sessions.edu.
Registering for a Certificate Online
To register online, please go to the enrollment page. When a student registers for a certificate online, he or she is automatically enrolled in the first 2 core courses of the certificate program.
Registering for Electives and Concentrations
Following registration for your certificate, if you know what electives you will be taking, send an email to advisor@sessions.edu to notify your Student Advisor. Elective choices do not have to be determined at the beginning of a certificate program.
Gaining Course Access
Enrollment follows registration and refers to the process of gaining access to the courses after tuition has been paid or is in the process of a payment plan. Your course schedule will roll out according to a program sequence, which now enables you to proceed according to your own pace. Students in certificate programs are generally provided access to two courses at a time.
Access Periods and Extensions
Students are given an initial access period of 3 months for each course and have a total of six months to complete any course if required.
If a course has not been completed in 6 months and an extension has not been requested, the course will be considered "Incomplete." However, course extensions may requested on a case-by-case basis. To request an extension, the student can request an extension using the Extension Request form in the ANGEL Help menu.
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Changing Courses and Programs
Courses may be switched if:
1). Access has not been given or
2). The change occurs within the first week of course access and no exercises have been submitted.
Note that tuition may be owed by Sessions.edu or due to the student because of the difference in tuition between an original course and a new course. A change in programs may require a re-evaluation of the student's account. Contact advisor@sessions.edu to make course or program changes.
Restrictions on Registration
Anyone age 18 or over is eligible to take our courses regardless of prior education or occupation experience as long as he/she has a good command of the English language and meets the prerequisites set forth in each course. Students who wish to enroll in a certificate program must be able to provide documentation of attaining a high school diploma or equivalent or higher level of education (such as a college degree). Students who are under the age of 18 will not be permitted to enroll in courses or programs.
Sessions does not discriminate based on race, color, gender, sexual orientation or national origin. Sessions courses and programs do not replace elementary, high school or equivalent compulsory education. Sessions does not provide job placement assistance to students; it is understood that the school cannot and does not promise or guarantee employment to any student or graduate.
Questions concerning registration may be directed to admissions@sessions.edu.
English Language Proficiency
A good command of the English language is essential for online education. Students whose native language is not English can write to englishtest@sessions.edu for information on the Sessions.edu English Proficiency Test.
Privacy Policy
Sessions.edu protects the privacy of its students. Any personal information that students provide is used only for internal identification or administrative purposes and is accessed only by authorized Sessions.edu personnel. Personal student information is not shared with third parties. Information on a student's academic performance is protected in a similar fashion. It may however be disclosed under certain circumstances to parties with a reasonable interest in such information (such as parents or partner school administrators).
Receipts and Documentation
All students automatically receive an emailed receipt upon registration. If a student requires an email or a hard-copy receipt, he or she should write to admissions@sessions.edu. If a student requires an email or printout of his or her student record and transcript, he or she should write to advisor@sessions.edu.
Tuition and Fees
To view current program tuition, please navigate to this page: http://gameart.sessions.edu/enrollment/registration.asp; to view current class tuition, please navigate to this Sessions Online School of Design page http://www.sessions.edu/courses/game_art.asp.
There are no additional registration fees or requirements to purchase additional study material when taking a course at Session.edu. Some courses require that you have or have access to certain software prior to taking a class. Each course syllabus in the course catalogue has information on required software. Contact support@sessions.edu for more information.
How to Pay
Payment can be made via check, money order, bank-wire transfer, or credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex). If paying by credit card, registration and payment may be made online through Sessions.edu's secure server. Click here for registration and payment information.
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Financial Aid
Currently, financial aid falls into 2 categories: Loans and Payment Plans.
Loans
Sessions.edu has entered into a partnership with the Sallie Mae Corporation whereby Sessions.edu students can apply for Career Training loans. For information on how to apply, visit http://gameart.sessions.edu/enrollment/sallie_mae.asp. Sallie Mae loans are only available to United States permanent residents or citizens.
Payment Plans
Click here for more information. To arrange for a payment plan, students should contact bursar@sessions.edu. Payment due dates will be determined with the student.
Failure to make necessary payments on time will result in a written warning to the student. If payment has not been remitted within a given amount of time, the student's course access may be suspended.
By choosing the payment plan method of paying for your tuition you agree to the following:
A) A plan charge. The plan charge is $12 per month enrolled.
B) Charged same time each month. Once a student signs up for payment plan, student agrees to pay agreed amount on the same day each month as initial registration and payment date. (If students signs up on the 5th of January, their subsequent payments are due the 5th of every month till agreed duration of payment is satisfied.)
C) Student notifies financial department . Student agrees to notify Sessions.edu financial department immediately if for any reason student cannot adhere to agreed payment plan.
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Enrollment Agreement
This is a legal agreement (the "Agreement") between you and Sessions.edu, Inc. ("Sessions") governing your enrollment at Sessions Online School of Design. In order to complete your registration, you need to carefully review this information and accept its terms. A Sessions admissions agent will review your enrollment agreement and confirm your registration.
All courses and programs are owned by Sessions and are protected by United States copyright laws and international treaty provisions. Therefore, you must treat Sessions Course Material like other copyrighted material (e.g. a book or musical recording). Your course is limited to your personal use and you are prohibited from sharing your password or any of the Course Materials.
You may not rent or lease the Course Material, nor may you modify, adapt, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, or dissemble them. If you violate any part of the Agreement, your right to take Sessions’ courses terminates immediately and your password will be deactivated.
Under no circumstances shall Sessions be liable for any incidental, special or consequential damages that might result from the use or inability to use the Course Material or related documentation.
The Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York. If for any reason a court of competent jurisdiction finds any provision of the Agreement, or portion thereof, to be unenforceable, that provision of the Agreement shall be enforced to the maximum extent permissible so as to affect the intent of the parties, and the remainder of the Agreement shall continue in full force and effect.
Sessions Course Material and related documentation are provided with RESTRICTED RIGHTS. Use, duplication, or disclosure by the Government is subject to restrictions as set forth in Subdivision (b)(3)(ii) of The Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause. Responsible developer is Sessions.edu, Inc, 350 Seventh Ave. Suite 1203, New York, NY 10001. Phone 212 239 3080, Fax 212 239 3084.
Admissions Policy
Anyone age 18 or over is eligible to take Sessions courses regardless of prior education or occupation experience as long as he/she has a good command of the English language and meets the prerequisites set forth in each course. Students age 14-17 may enroll in individual Sessions courses, provided that they can provide both a letter of consent from a parent, guardian, or other responsible party, and a letter of release from an official at the enrollee’s school stating that studying at Sessions will not interfere with the enrollee’s compulsory education. Both letters must be submitted to admissions@sessions.edu or by fax to 212 239 3084 prior to course enrollment.
Students who wish to enroll in a certificate program must be able to provide documentation of attaining a high school diploma or equivalent or higher level of education (such as a college degree). Students who are under the age of 18 will not be permitted to enroll in certificate programs.
Schedule
Instructional hours are based on an estimated course completion time of 5 hours per lesson. All students have 24/7 access to course materials in an online learning environment. Hours of School Operation are 9:00 a.m-6:00 pm, Monday-Friday. Instructors are expected to grade all student assignments and respond to student inquiries within 1-2 business days.
Refund Policy
A student who cancels a course or program within 5 days of enrolling is entitled to a full refund of tuition. After 5 days, if you cancel this contract, the school may keep only five percent of the cash price, but not to exceed fifty dollars, and a portion of the contract price based upon the lessons or services you have used. Students withdrawing from a course or program can request a refund in any manner, by mail, fax, phone, or email:
Email: Bursar@sessions.edu
Fax: 1-212-239-3084
Phone: 1-212-239-3080
Mail: ATTN: Bursar
Sessions.edu, 350 Seventh Ave. Suite 1203,
New York, NY 10001, USA
Refunds will be assessed based on the number of lessons and courses completed. The refund policy is a pro rata refund policy that meets the requirements of the New York State Personal Property Law, section 412-a. Within 30 days after a contract for future consumer service has been canceled, Sessions shall tender to the student any refund that is due. Any questions regarding the refund policy may be directed to bursar@sessions.edu.
The terms of the enrollment agreement from date of enrollment are as follows:
Course/Program Contract
Individual course enrollment 6 months
Foundation Certificate Program 10 months
Advanced Certificate Program 15 months
Master's Certificate Program 20 months
Game Art Certificate Program 12 months
After the expiration of the above time periods, the enrollment agreement is void and no refund will be due. Students who wish to continue enrollment beyond the expiration of their enrollment agreement may do so at the approval of the school, which may require a re-enrollment fee, dependent on the progress of the student.
The Tuition Reimbursement Account
The New York State Education Department provides our students the following protection in the event of a school closure:
"The Tuition Reimbursement Account is designed to protect the financial interest of students attending proprietary schools. If a school closes while you are in attendance prior to the completion of your educational program, then you may be eligible for a refund of all tuition expenses which you have paid. If you drop out of school prior to completion and you file a complaint against the school with the State Education Department, you may be eligible to receive a tuition refund if the State Education Department is able to provide factual support that your complaint is valid and to determine that there was a violation of Education Law or the Commissioner's Regulations as specified in Section 126.17 of the Commissioner's Regulations. To file a claim to the Tuition Reimbursement Account, you must first file a complaint with the Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision, New York State Education Department, 116 West 32nd Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10001 telephone (212) 643-4760. The staff of the State Education Department will assist you in the preparation of a tuition reimbursement form (a sample of this form should have been provided to you upon enrollment)."
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Academic Information:
Administration
The Sessions Management team is as follows: Doris Granatowski, Chief Executive Officer/President; Gordon Drummond, Chief Learning Officer; Bob Timm, Chief Operating Officer; Scott Chappell, Chief Marketing Officer.
Instructors
Instructors are design professionals who help guide students through the courses and who receive, grade, and critique the students' submitted work and field questions on the course material and assignments.
Information regarding the instructor of a course (their name and internal email address) will be given to the student via email when the access date for a course is confirmed (see above on access dates). This information is also contained in the foundation welcome email sent to new students. This information should be kept by the student for future reference.
General information about the instructors and course developers are accessible in the course syllabus pages and on the faculty page of the Sessions Web site.
Coursework evaluation
Courses are assessed on a O=Outstanding (95-100), S=Satisfactory (65-94), and U=Unsatisfactory (0-64) basis.
To pass the course, students must complete and pass all graded exams (Midterms and/or Final Exams) with a score of 65 or higher (S or O) and achieve a course average of 65 or higher (S or O). To pass an exercise, students must receive a(n) (S) Satisfactory or (O) Outstanding assessment. Course exercises that are deemed (U) Unsatisfactory must be resubmitted for instructor evaluation (a maximum of 3 times). Students that score less than 65 on the Midterm or Final Exam may retake the exam.
Click here to view the policy in greater detail.
What Grades Are Based On
The Sessions.edu grading policy takes into account the following factors:
1. Did the assignment fulfill the learning objectives of the exercise?
2. Was the assignment a creative solution to the design challenge?
3. Did the assignment demonstrate a satisfactory level of research and preparation for the project?.
4. Was the assignment presented with adequate communication skills?
Emphasis on these factors may vary depending on the class (Intro, Software, Core, or Advanced) or the assignment (written or hands-on).
Any form of plagiarism, whether from another student or from established print or electronic media will lead to an automatic "U" from a course and will be documented in a student's transcript.
Each individual course must be completed in less than 6 months from the date of enrollment. Extensions may be provided on request.
Each certificate program must be completed in the maximum allotted time from the date of enrollment. Extensions may be provided on request.
Certificate students must receive passing grade of over 70 in all of the courses in the certificate program in order to successfully complete the certificate program.
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Progress Reports
Academic progress reports are available at any time during the student's program. A Success Tracker feature within the learning environment indicates all the student's course schedule, courses completed, start and completion dates, grades, and scores. Academic transcripts are available from student services upon request.
Leave of Absence (LOA)
If a student knows that he or she cannot work on his or her coursework for an extended period of time (between one and three months), he or she must file for a leave of absence. To file, the student must contact support@sessions.edu, and specify an estimated return date. Following the leave of absence, the student will be contacted by Student Services to resume his or her studies. Requesting a leave of absence will have no adverse effect on the student's academic standing.
Leaves of up to three months may be requested for the following reasons: Personal/family emergencies, job-related necessities.
Transferring Credits from Other Institutions:
At this time, Sessions.edu does not accept transfer credits.
If a student can demonstrate that he or she has had previous professional experience, education, and or training in Graphic, Web, Multimedia, Digital Arts or Business Marketing design, he or she may waive the Introductory course in those particular disciplines and replace them with an Advanced course pertaining to the same subject. Demonstrations include resumes, degrees, or portfolios, samples of which may be presented to advisor@sessions.edu.
The Enrollment Agreement
This is a legal agreement (the "Agreement") between you and Sessions.edu, Inc. ("Sessions") governing your use of Sessions' course material (the "Course Material"). By registering in Sessions' courses, you are accepting the following terms of the Agreement.
All courses are owned by Sessions and are protected by United States copyright laws and international treaty provisions. Therefore, you must treat the Course Material like other copyrighted material (e.g. a book or musical recording). All courses are strictly personal and you are not allowed to share with others your password or the Course Material.
You may not rent or lease the Course Material, nor may you modify, adapt, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, or dissemble them. If you violate any part of the Agreement, your right to take Sessions' courses terminates immediately and your password will be deactivated.
Under no circumstances shall Sessions be liable for any incidental, special or consequential damages that might result from the use or inability to use the Course Material or related documentation.
The Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York . If for any reason a court of competent jurisdiction finds any provision of the Agreement, or portion thereof, to be unenforceable, that provision of the Agreement shall be enforced to the maximum extent permissible so as to effect the intent of the parties, and the remainder of the Agreement shall continue in full force and effect.
Sessions Course Material and related documentation are provided with RESTRICTED RIGHTS. Use, duplication, or disclosure by the Government is subject to restrictions as set forth in Subdivision (b)(3)(ii) of The Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause. Responsible developer is Sessions.edu, Inc, 350 Seventh Ave, Suite 1203, New York , NY 10001. Phone 212 239 3080, Fax 212 239 3084.
Anyone age 18 or over is eligible to take our courses regardless of prior education or occupation experience as long as he/she has a good command of the English language and meets the prerequisites set forth in each course. Students who wish to enroll in a certificate program must be able to provide documentation of attaining a high school diploma or equivalent or higher level of education (such as a college degree). Students who are under the age of 18 will not be permitted to enroll in courses or programs.
Sessions does not discriminate based on race, color, gender, sexual orientation or national origin. Sessions courses and programs do not replace elementary, high school or equivalent compulsory education. Sessions does not provide job placement assistance to students; it is understood that the school cannot and does not promise or guarantee employment to any student or graduate.
Behavior and Conduct
Students are expected to behave with respect toward their instructors and fellow students. It is every student's right to be treated with respect.
Students who enroll at Sessions must agree to abide by the DETC Student Code of Conduct.
Actions which demonstrate failure to respect include:
1. Plagiarism
2. Posting obscene material to discussion groups or to one's instructor
3. Verbal hazing and/or derogatory remarks degrading an individual's gender, race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or disabled status
4. Email flaming
5. Privacy infringements
Committing any of these actions will subject the student to disciplinary action.
Note that it is not Sessions's intention to limit students' free expression. Work will be considered obscene if it is determined by Sessions that the aesthetic function of the work in question has been subordinated to a pornographic impulse.
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Disciplinary Action
A student who commits an infringement against the Enrollment Agreement or commits any of the infractions mentioned in the Behavior and Conduct section will be subject to the appropriate disciplinary action:
Legal action (when necessary to protect the legal rights of Sessions or its students with regard to copyright infringement or civil rights abuse).
Dismissal from Sessions.edu-students who have been dismissed for disciplinary reasons will not be allowed back into the Sessions.edu learning community.
Suspension from course access.
Written or verbal warning to discontinue the inappropriate activity. If the activity does not end, a more severe action may be required.
Grievances regarding disciplinary actions taken against a student can be addressed to support@sessions.edu. Every effort will be made to make disciplinary procedures fair and just.
Registration after Disciplinary Dismissal
If a student has been dismissed from Sessions.edu for disciplinary reasons, he or she cannot re-enroll in a Sessions.edu course.
Registering Complaints:
Internally
Students may register complaints by calling Sessions Student Services at 1.800.258.4115. A Student Services representative will be assigned to the complaint and every effort will be made to address the complaint within one business day.
Complaint resolution may require contacting the instructor, another student, or any individual involved to ascertain different facts and perspectives. Upon completion of such an investigation, a Student Services representative will contact the student with a resolution. All complaints are recorded and should be made within one month of an incident.
With the New York State Education Department
If you are or were a student or an employee of a Licensed Private or Registered Business School in the State of New York and you believe that the school, or anyone representing the school, has acted unlawfully, you have a right to file a complaint with the New York State Education Department.
You may make complaints about the conduct of the school; advertising; foundations and methods of instruction; equipment; facilities; qualifications of teaching and management personnel; enrollment agreement; methods of collecting tuition and other charges; school license or registration; school and student records; and private school agents.
The steps you must take to file a complaint are:
1. Write to the New York State Education Department, Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision, 116 West 32nd Street, 5th Floor, NY, NY 10001 or telephone the Department at (212) 643-4760, requesting an interview for the purpose of filing a written complaint. Bring all relevant documents with you to the interview including an enrollment agreement, financial aid application, transcripts, etc. An investigator from the Department will meet with you and go through your complaint in detail. International students may write to the Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision via email at bpss@mail.nysed.gov.
2. If you cannot come for an interview, send a letter or call the office to request a complaint form. You must complete and sign this form and mail it to the office. Please include with it copies of all relevant documents. You should keep the originals. You must file a complaint within two years after the alleged illegal conduct took place. The Bureau cannot investigate any complaint more than two years after the date of the occurrence.
3. The investigator will attempt to resolve the complaint as quickly as possible and may contact you in the future with follow-up questions. You should provide all information requested as quickly as possible; delay may affect the investigation of your complaint. When appropriate, the investigator will try to negotiate with the school informally. If the Department determines that violations of law have been committed and the school fails to take satisfactory and appropriate action then the Department may proceed with formal disciplinary charges.
4. In addition to filing a complaint with the Department, you may also try to resolve your complaint directly with the school. Use the school's internal grievance procedure or discuss your problems with teachers, department heads, or the school director. We suggest that you do so in writing and that you keep copies of all correspondence to the school. However, the school cannot require you to do this before you file a complaint with the New York State Education Department. If you do file a complaint with the Department, please advise the Bureau of any action that you take to attempt to resolve your complaint.
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