ADMISSION
REQUIREMENTS 
ECTS requires that a
student graduate from a recognized high school or have a
General Equivalency Diploma (GED.), complete an admissions
enrollment form, complete and sign an enrollment agreement
or certificate course application. Students should
possess a reading level commensurate with that of the
average high school graduate.
Students seeking the High School Diploma should refer to
the requirements found in the High
School material using the "Diploma Link".
APPLICATION
PROCEDURE
To apply for enrollment in
a "Diploma Program" , an application form
(found in the download section), available at the school,
mailed upon request or downloaded from our web site (www.ectschool.com),
must be completed and submitted with the deposit of
$150.00.
To apply for enrollment in a "Certificate
Course" , the course
application form (found in the download section),
available at the school, mailed upon request or downloaded
from our web site (www.ectschool.com), must be completed
and submitted with the full payment of $189.00 plus $14.00
shipping and handling.
Educational Correspondence Training School
3520 West 26th Street,
Erie, Pennsylvania, 16506.
GRADING
SYSTEM & GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Courses will be evaluated
through a series of lesson tests as described in the Study
Guide for each course of study. Tests will consist of
True/False, Fill-in Blank - Matching and some essay
questions. Grading policies are established as follows:
Grade Pt. Value grade:
A 92 - 100% 4.0
B 81 - 91% 3.0
C 75 - 80% 2.0
D 70 - 74% 1.0
F Below 70% 0
When the course work is completed, a grade will be issued.
The student's record will be reviewed by their advisor, to
determine whether he / she is making satisfactory progress
when the course work has been completed.
To be eligible for graduation, a student must successfully
complete all courses and lessons designated in his / her
curriculum, having maintained a passing grade in all
course work.
CANCELLATION
/ TERMINATION POLICY
Educational Correspondence
Training School will not cancel any course or program once
the signed enrollment agreement is received and accepted
by all parties. If a student is terminated as a result of
inadequate Academic Progress as explained, the termination
will be made in writing by the school explaining the
reasons for such termination. Students may file an appeal
with the Director of the Educational Correspondence
Training School.
If it is found that any other person other than the
students submitted any test or research paper, the student
will be terminated immediately and will not be permitted
to take any further courses from the Educational
Correspondence Training School.
Refunds for terminations will be calculated using the
provisions in the Withdrawal and Refund Policies of ECTS.
WITHDRAWAL
AND REFUND POLICY
Educational Correspondence
Training School charges tuition and fees for each Program
of Study. All withdrawn or terminated students that have a
tuition obligation to the school will be processed in
accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Education,
State Board of Private Licensed School, 22 Pa Code,
''73.132 - 73.137 in the following manner: The school
shall pay any refund due within 30 days after the date of
withdrawal if the student officially withdraws or is
dismissed. Written notification of withdrawal is not a
required condition for making refunds
Refunds will be made on the following schedules:
Cancellation Period - A student canceling before
the 7th calendar day following the date of enrollment
(date which the student signed the enrollment agreement)
but prior to receipt by the school of the first completed
home study lesson, all monies paid to the school shall be
refunded.
After the Cancellation Period - After the
cancellation period had passed, but before you have
submitted any lessons to the school for correction, you
will be charged a "registration fee" of 15% of
the total program tuition or $150.00, which ever is less.
After Submission of First Lesson - If a student
enrolls and withdraws or is discontinued after submission
of the first completed lesson, but prior to the completion
of the program, minimum refunds will be calculated as
follows:
Students will be assessed the "registration fee"
as explained above in the "After the Cancellation
Period" paragraph and then
• Up to and including completion of the first 10% of the
program, you are obligated for 10% of the total tuition
• Beyond completion of 10% of the program and up to and
including completion of 25% of the program, you are
obligated for 25% of the total tuition.
• Beyond completion of 25% of the program and up to and
including completion of 50% of the program, you are
obligated for 50% of the total tuition
• Beyond completion of 50% of the program, you are
obligated for the full tuition.
The percentage of the program completed is determined by
comparing the number of completed lessons received for
correction services by the school to the total number of
lessons in the program. If the student has paid for the
program using Master Card or Visa, cash refunds are not
available. The school will credit the appropriate Master
Card or Visa account.
DATE
OF DETERMINATION
The date of determination
of termination, for refund purposes, will be the date that
the Educational Correspondence Training School receives
the request of cancellation or withdrawal from the
program. Withdrawals and cancellations do not need to be
in writing. The date of determination may also be the date
which the student is terminated, in writing, by the
Educational Correspondence Training School. Termination of
a student by the Educational Correspondence Training
School may occur for any of the following reasons:
- It is found that another
person is completing the students lessons.
The student has failed to make tuition payments if the
tuition installment payment option has been elected.
- The student fails to
maintain academic progress as described in the
Academic Progress section of the school catalog.
All refunds will be made
within thirty days (30 days) of the students last day of
enrollment or from the date of termination.
EMPLOYMENT
ASSISTANCE
The Educational
Correspondence Training School neither guarantees nor
provides employment assistance.
REPETITION
OF COURSES
If it is necessary for a
student to repeat a course, the second grade will replace
the first grade. The second grade will be used in
determining the grade-point average. Repeated courses will
be included in the calculation for credit hours earned /
attempted for satisfactory progress. The student will be
not be financially responsible for repeating a course,
however, if the second attempt also results in a failing
grade the student will be charged a rate of $150.00 per
additional attempt. After a second failure, another
textbook may be assigned. Students who fail a course may
move onto the next sequence of lessons, but the failed
course must be brought to a passing grade to meet the
graduation requirements.
DISASTER
CLAUSE
In the event of natural
disasters affecting operations (i.e. fire, flood,
hurricane, tornado, etc.) the school reserves the right to
suspend training for a period not to exceed 90 days,
providing the school evidences positive effectiveness
every 30 days to reactivate the school.
DEFINITION
OF PROGRAMS AND COURSES
Programs are a series of
lessons grouped into specific courses, which will lead to
either a certificate or a diploma.. Programs are designed
to lead the student to a new career opportunity, although
the Educational Correspondence Training School does not
guarantee employment after completing the desired program.
Courses are individual courses that a student may wish to
take for many reasons. Students taking a course, which
also may be one found within a program, will receive a
“certificate of completion” upon successfully passing
the particular course.
DEFINITION
OF LESSONS
Course are listed generally
by title and then by the number of lessons. Each course
has specific chapters of study and a corresponding test.
The individual chapters and test are classified as
lessons.
DEFINITION
OF THE CLOCK HOUR
The clock hour consists of
50 minutes of active course activity. Each course offered
by the Educational Correspondence Training School is
calculated to take the equivalent of 45 - 60 clock hours
(or 3 to 4 credit hours) to complete.
DEFINITION
OF THE CREDIT HOUR
The credit hour is the
equivalent of 15 clock hours.
RE-ENTRY
PROCEDURE
- A student must apply for
re-admittance to the school after being withdrawn or
dismissed. The re-admittance policy is as follows:
- The student must
complete a new Application for Admission. The student
must re-enroll under the current tuition / fee and
program requirements.
- The student must obtain
permission from the School Director to re-enroll.
- The School Director
determine what previously completed courses from ECTS
will be accepted to the original or new program of
study.
- The student must consult
with the Business Office to verify all financial
obligations to the school have been met. If the
student has been out of school for more than one year,
a re-entry fee of $150.00 must be paid.
CURRICULUM
CHANGES
ECTS may from time to time
have to adjust curricula to stay abreast of the
requirements of the business community at all times. This
entails periodic revision to the courses and programs
offered by the school. Any modification to the original
enrollment agreement will be made in writing and agreed to
and signed by both the student and the school.
CREDIT
FOR PREVIOUS EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Appropriate tuition credit
may be given for comparable previous education and
training and the training period will be shortened
accordingly upon review of academic transcripts from
another institution. The acceptance of credits from a
previous education institution must be completed prior to
the start of the training program.
Credits transferred into ECTS must be completed with a
grade of a C or better. The maximum number of credits
transferable into ECTS are:
Two Year Program - 9 Credits
One Year Program - 4 Credit
All transfer credits are assessed on a course-by-course
basis. Transferability of credits to ECTS may be affected
by the age of the credits and by the program to which
related technology has changed since the student earned
the credits. All courses challenged by a student must be
completed prior to the start of the program.
ACADEMIC
PROGRESS/PROGRAM COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS
The student's progress will
be evaluated at regular intervals and he / she will be
given a progress report at the end of each three-month
period. Records will reflect the progress attained in all
phases of the course and will be kept in each student's
file permanently at ECTS, available to the student upon
request. A student must attain a 70% average. The student
who does not achieve a 70% average will be put on
“academic notice” for the next course and must obtain
an accumulative 70% average in the next course after
receiving such “academic notice”. Failure to correct a
grade deficiencies may result in termination.
Maximum time for course completions is set at 8 weeks.
Based upon this 8 week allocation, the maximum time for
program completion is calculated from the date of
enrollment by multiplying the number of courses by the 8
week time frame. (For example: Police Science = 15 courses
X 8 weeks per course = 120 weeks to complete the entire
program). In the event that the maximum time is exceeded
and no extensions have been granted by the Educational
Correspondence Training School, the student will not be
issued a diploma, and the student will be terminated from
the program. If a student is terminated for failing to
complete the program within the maximum time, he or she
may reapply as a new student and they will be given credit
for the previous course work if the program requirements
have not changed since their initial entry into the
program. If the program requirements have changed since
their initial entry into the school, the student must meet
the new requirements.
Courses are identified within each of the Diploma Program
Descriptions, and all lessons associated with the course
must be completed within the allotted time frame. If the
course is not completed within the time frame allotted,
and no extensions have been requested by the student, ECTS
will notify the student, in writing, that the course must
be completed on a specific date. After the date has
expired and the course has not been completed and received
by the school and no extension requests have been made by
the student and granted by the school, it will be deemed
that the student has withdrawn, and ECTS will then
terminate the student’s enrollment. Any refunds or
tuition outstanding will be determined by the enrollment
agreement and refund policies of the Educational
Correspondence Training School.
Extensions of time may be granted on an individual basis.
The request for an extension of course submission must be
made in writing to the student's advisor or the Academic
Dean. The request must at a minimum state the following:
the reason for the request and the time for course
completion and submission. Approvals or denials will be
made in writing to the student. If the course is not
completed within allotted time, the student will receive a
failing grade, and must retake the course
ECTS
AND IACET
The Educational
Correspondence Training School (ECTS) has been reviewed
and approved as an Authorized Provider of continuing
education and training programs by The International
Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).
This category of approval reflects ECTS’ attention to
quality criteria in all phases of planning and delivery of
its continuing education programs.
According to the Association’s Criteria and Guidelines,
IACET maintains a unique and highly respected position in
the field of continuing education and training. Its broad
membership base contains a wealth of ideas and experience
that cannot be found in any one profession. The
Association’s activities in identifying and
disseminating effective teaching and learning practices
for adults have led to the wide scale adoption of the CEU,
principles of good practice, assessment and evaluation
methods. Many professions, associations, and licensing
boards utilize these criteria and principles to review and
enhance their professional development programs.
According to the Association’s Publication, The
Continuing Education Unit Criteria and Guidelines (August
2000), “the two most common uses of a CEU are: 1. to
supply an employer or prospective employer with
information on continuing education and training
experiences pertinent to an occupational competence, and
2. to provide documentation to registration boards,
certification bodies, or professional and occupational
societies of continuing education undertaken to maintain
or increase professional competence..."
ECTS awards CEU for participation in most courses. This is
based upon ten contact hours per unit. Upon completion of
the course, each participant will be presented with a
certificate on which CEU are printed as a permanent
record.
THE
CEU .
The Continuing Education
Unit (CEU) is a uniform unit of measurement to record
participation in non-credit academic, professional and
vocational programs.
It is based upon attendance at short courses and other
non-credit continuing educational programs sponsored by
organizations following the guidelines established by the
International Association for Continuing Education and
Training (IACET) on the CEU.
It is intended to serve a variety of interests in
non-credit continuing education including both public and
private organizations and is used without regard to age,
educational background, course subject matter, program
format or method of instruction.
The CEU serves a number of purposes:
• a uniform unit of measure for continuing education and
training
• a nationally recognized unit of measure
• a concept that can be used by different sponsors
• a concept useful in a variety of learning formats
• criteria by which the quality of learning activities
are judged
• a systematic means for program development and
delivery
• criteria by which educational sponsors are evaluated
• a requirement for the documentation of learning
experiences
An organization which follows the guidelines of the
International Association for Continuing Education and
Training (IACET) may award CEU.
DEFINITIONS
One Continuing Education
Unit is defined as: 10 contact hours of participation, in
an organized continuing education experience, under
responsible sponsorship, capable direction, and under
qualified instruction.
For organizations to award CEU, they must follow the
criteria and guidelines developed by the International
Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).
A copy of these guidelines may be purchased from the
International Association for Continuing Education and
Training, 1620 I Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006.
The CEU is not . . .
• to be used or awarded for any program or course
carrying any academic credit at any level.
• The CEU is not to be awarded for activities such as
attendance at orientation, internal organization,
on-the-job methods, employee procedures or rights and
other such company-specific programs regardless of their
educational merit.
• Meetings dealing with policy making, committee
activity, delegate assemblies, conferences, professional
societies or other such activities do not qualify for the
CEU.
• Programs in which mass media (radio, TV) are used as
the instructional method do not qualify for the CEU unless
they are an integral part of a program that otherwise
qualifies.
• On-the-job training, apprenticeships, work experience,
individual scholarship or self-directed study do not
qualify unless they are part of an otherwise qualified
program.
• Non-educational activities connected with professional
societies or associations which may be used to qualify for
group membership or certification do not warrant CEU
assignment.
CRITERIA
FOR ASSIGNING CEU
The International
Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET)
has provided the following administrative and program
criteria as a minimum to meet the essential requirements
for awarding CEU.
ADMINISTRATIVE
CRITERIA FOR PROGRAM SPONSORS
• Organization -- The
sponsoring organization must have an identifiable
educational arm with professional staff to administer and
coordinate an organized schedule of continuing educational
programs.
• Responsibility and Control -- The sponsoring
organization must maintain administrative control to
ensure that the educational objectives are met.
• Facilities -- The sponsoring organization must provide
or arrange for appropriate education facilities and a
library or reference materials sufficient for the
specified educational activity.
• Records -- A permanent record of each individual's
participation (based on time attendance) must be
maintained and be made available to the individual on
request.
CRITERIA
FOR EACH NEW PROGRAM OR COURSE
• Definition -- Each
program or course must meet the definitions described in
IACET's Criteria and Guidelines.
• Planning -- The programs or courses must be planned in
response to the educational needs of a specific group.
Inputs must be available from the target group as well as
from experts in the field.
• Purpose -- A clear statement of the program or course
purpose and goals must be prepared before initiating the
program.
• Instruction -- Qualified instructors must be used for
all aspects of the courses or programs.
• Performance -- Specific performance requirements for
awarding CEU must be established prior to the start of the
course.
• Registration -- Sufficient detail must be kept to
certify that individuals have participated in
substantially all of the course for which the CEU are
being awarded and that there is adequate information for a
permanent record.
• Evaluation -- Procedures should be implemented during
the planning stages which can be used to evaluate the
effectiveness of the program. The IACET indicates that
group indices usually suffice, but that provisions for
individual evaluations should be made wherever
appropriate.
• Records -- Within the program there must be a system
for verification of satisfactory completion of courses for
programs attended by individuals and for the transmittal
of such data to the office maintaining permanent records.
HOW ECTS
ASSIGNS CEU
• Number of CEU Assigned
Most of the Programs and
Certificate Courses are assigned CEU in accordance with
guidelines of the International Association for
Continuing Education and Training (IACET). Since most
courses run approximately 45 hours, 4.5 units; are
typically awarded. The number of CEU are registered on
the Certificate of Completion presented to each person
who fully completes a course.
• Records
ECTS maintains a
computerized list of past students so that anyone who
has completed a course can have a Transcript (including
the course title, date, instructor's name and title, and
number of CEU assigned.
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