• FAQs
• Vision
• Mission
• Advising Information
• Cost Information
• Refund Policy
• Staff

FAQs

Is a diploma program available?
Yes.

Who may enroll in UM’s independent study diploma program?
Students younger than 18 who are residents of a school district in the United States may enroll in our diploma program
if they supply the following information to our academic adviser:

• an official transcript of all previously completed high school course work beginning with grade nine; and
  the name, title, address, and telephone number of a person qualified to supervise course work.
  
• Parents/legal guardians must ensure that their child (children) complies with their state’s compulsory attendance laws.

Students living outside the United States may enroll in our diploma program if they provide our academic adviser with an official transcript of all previously completed high school course work beginning with grade nine and the name, title, address, and telephone number of a person qualified to supervise course work. An English translation must accompany a non-English transcript.

Students 18 and older may enroll in our diploma program if they provide the following information to our academic adviser:

• official transcripts of previous high school courses and/or scores from the General Educational
  Development Test (GED); and
  
• the name, title, address, and telephone number of a person qualified to supervise course work.
  

What are the graduation requirements?
All students who enroll as UM-ISHS diploma students must earn a minimum of 23 Carnegie units before they will be granted a high school diploma from the UM-Independent Study High School. Graduation requirements are based on state and regional accreditation requirements. Most UMIndependent Study High School courses are a 1/2 Carnegie unit and are semester-length courses.

If I have completed many courses at another school, may I receive a diploma from UM’s Independent Study High School?
Yes, you may. However, students receiving a diploma from UM’s Independent Study High School must successfully complete 2½ Carnegie units through our program, regardless of the number of credits accepted for transfer from other schools.

How many UM-ISHS courses must I enroll in to be a full-time student?
Students who are enrolled in 2½ Carnegie units or more per semester are considered to be full-time students.

May credits earned elsewhere be transferred to UM’s Independent Study High School?
Yes, academic credits earned at other schools may be transferred into our school. All credit issued by accredited secondary schools as high school credit is accepted toward meeting UM’s Independent Study High School graduation requirements.

An accredited school is one that has state accreditation from the state in which it is located and/or regional or national accreditation. The accredited school must be able to provide an official high school transcript.Our UM-ISHS adviser reviews each transcript as it arrives at the high school to be sure it meets our transfer requirements. It would be appropriate for transferring schools to provide a cover memo with the official transcript, identifying the accrediting agency from which they received their accreditation.

Students transferring credits from foreign or non-accredited domestic high schools must provide a transcript. In some cases students may be asked to take the Iowa Tests of Educational Development (ITED) to validate their credits. Note that the ITED tests are not subject-specific, grade-level placement tests. The ITED tests must be ordered from us. The student’s supervisor administers the tests. There is a $25 fee for the ITED tests and evaluations.

Academic credits may be validated in mathematics, social studies, English, and science. We will accept a total of 5 Carnegie units per academic year for core and elective courses combined.

High school students who have been home-schooled follow the same procedure as students from non-accredited domestic schools. Their transcripts of record must include a listing of the subjects taken at each grade level. Each subject should be accompanied by a listing of the major textbook (title and publisher) used in the course. Home-schooled students may be asked to take the ITED to validate their credits.

Vision

The University of Mississippi Independent Study High School is committed to providing a virtual high school of independent learning to students in the state, region, and nation.

Mission

The University of Mississippi Independent Study High School (UM-ISHS), exists to enhance the educational opportunities available to students in the state, region, and nation by delivering a comprehensive high school academic experience that can compliment offerings in local districts or provide courses leading to an UM-ISHS diploma.

Advising Information

What advising services are available to students?
UM-ISHS offers individual academic advising for students who want help planning an educational program that includes independent study courses. If you have questions about high school courses, contact our academic adviser: phone (662) 915 -1296, fax (662) 915-5138, e-mail dena@olemiss.edu, or write the Office of Independent Study High School at P. O. Box 7959, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677-7959.

How do UM-ISHS students apply to take college admission tests?
First, students should contact the college or university of their choice for information about the examination required for entrance to that institution. Then they should telephone, fax, or write directly to one of the following organizations to find out when and where the examination may be taken:

The American College Testing Program (ACT)
Test Administration
P. O. Box 168
Iowa City, IA 52243-0618
Phone: (319) 337-1270
Fax: (319) 339-3032
Web: www.act.org

Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and Achievement and
Advancement Placement Tests College Entrance
Examination Board
College Board SAT Program
P. O. Box 6200
Princeton, NJ 08541-6200
Phone: (609) 771-7600
Fax: (609) 771-7773
Web: www.collegeboard.org

Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) and
National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT)
National Merit Scholarship Corporation
1560 Sherman Avenue, Suite 200
Evanston, IL 60201-4897
Phone: (609) 771-7070
Fax: (609) 530-0482
Web: www.collegeboard.org

Please note that to qualify for a National Merit Scholarship, you must take the PSAT in your junior year.

How do students obtain a UM-ISHS transcript?
A request for an official UM-Independent Study High School transcript must be submitted in writing. Please send your requests via regular mail or fax. You may use the Student Record Release Authorization Form provided in this bulletin on Page 43. Any request from a student under 18 must be signed by a parent or legal guardian. The students themselves must sign requests if they are 18 or over.

One transcript is provided at no charge for UM-ISHS students. A $5 charge will be assessed for each additional copy provided. Payment must accompany the transcript request. Mail request to Office of Independent Study High School, P. O. Box 7959, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677-7959.

NOTE: UM-ISHS will provide transcripts upon request by a high school official if a student is seeking to enroll in or is currently enrolled in that school. In these cases, students and parents/legal guardians do not have to submit a written request.

Cost Information

1. Special shipping requirements: If you want your materials sent by a method other than UPS Ground, Federal Express Ground, orequivalent within the contiguous 48 states, please provide us with specific shipping instructions, any special delivery directions, and your telephone number.

NOTE: You will be charged for the costs of shipping by the specified method.

2. Shipping outside the contiguous 48 states: Materials are sent via an air package service (such as DHL overseas) to students not residing within the contiguous 48 states. You will be charged the costs of shipping the materials via the air package service.

NOTE: You will be responsible for all customs’ duties.

If you wish materials sent by a method other than the selected air package service, please indicate your choice and any other needed information on the enrollment form.

NOTE: You will be charged the costs of shipping materials by the specified method.

3. Course materials: Each course description lists the materials required to complete each course as well as any materials that are suggested as supplements or to provide additional help. An itemized listing of the costs of needed materials (if any) is also included as part of the course description. In some cases, used textbooks have been selected to lower the costs of the course materials. For those courses, the price reflects the cost of the used book. UM-ISHS requires that each independent study student purchase the course syllabus and/or handbook through UM-ISHS at the time of (or prior to) enrollment in a course. Schools or agencies that are exempt from sales tax must provide a tax exemption number on the enrollment form and attach written documentation to the order form.

Refund Policy

A refund is allowed if no more than one month has elapsed since enrollment. The date of enrollment is the date the course fee payment is processed in the Office of Independent Study High School. The amount of this refund is 80 percent of the enrollment fee submitted, less a $20 charge for each lesson graded. Refunds are made only under the conditions previously stated and with the understanding that the student will pay the full amount of the fee if the student should ever again enroll in a UM-ISHS independent study course.

To qualify for a refund, course materials must be unused by the student and in good condition. They must be determined to be acceptable for future use by the representatives of the UMIndependent Study High School. Science, mathematics, and art kits must be returned in their original packaging, complete and unused.

Return all course materials to Office of Independent Study High School, P. O. Box 7959, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677-7959.

NOTE: Materials shipped to UM-ISHS that do not meet refund requirements will not be returned to the sender.

For additional information on the refund policy, please contact the Office of Independent Study High School or refer to the Refund Information Sheets inserted in your order shipment.

Staff

	Margaret Lynn Murchison. Dr. Murchison holds a Ph.D. in English from The University of Mississippi. She taught AP English for 25 years at Oxford High School and has taught several courses at the University including English 321, Liberal Arts 102, and Accounting 525, professional writing. In addition to her experience in the classroom, Murchison also has over 20 years teaching in the Ole Miss Summer College for High School Students. She also teaches an annual summer workshop for teachers, English 501 and 507 , Teaching Grammar and Composition. Currently, Murchison works as the Director of Credit Programs in the UM Division of Outreach and Continuing Education.
	Dena Shores is the Project Coordinator. Raised in the Chicagoland area Dena moved to Mississippi in December 2003. She worked for the University for a brief period in 2004 and moved to the New Orleans area in 2005. Dena moved back to Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina. She’s been with the division of Outreach and Continuing Education since April 2007. Dena is currently working towards her BA degree in Business.
	Lynndy Hurdle graduated from Oxford High School and attended Mississippi College on a basketball scholarship. She majored in history and minored in business. She received her degree from Mississippi College in history/pre-law. She has worked in the Human Resources department of a local corporation and has taught eighth grade U.S. history. She is certified by the Mississippi Department of Education to teach history, business, and English. Besides being a teacher for the Independent Study High School, her most important jobs include that of wife and mother.
	Dr. Sarah Lacy, daughter of Eugene Rivers and Mary Alice Trotman, was born on September 16, 1947 in Lexington, Mississippi. She has two sons–Brooks Trotman Lacy, a graduate of the University of Mississippi, and Stuart Merrell Lacy, a sergeant in the United States Army stationed in Germany. She graduated as valedictorian of her class at Lexington High School in Lexington, Mississippi, in 1965. She received her Bachelor of Science degree with a major in mathematics and a minor in biology from Mississippi State College for Women in 1968. In 1971 she received her Master of Science in biology from the University of Mississippi. Her thesis was title “A New Allele of Dystonia Musculorum in the Mouse.” Her teaching experience in public education includes 34 years of teaching experience all of which have been the Oxford School District, Oxford, Mississippi. She has taught biology, genetics, human anatomy and physiology, and advanced placement biology at Oxford High School since the fall 1987. Previously she taught mathematics, physical science, and biology at Oxford Junior High. She was named Star Teacher and selected by a Presidential Scholar to be his teacher in 1999. She was named teacher of the year for the Oxford School District twice, 1987 and 1997. In 1999 she earned her National Board Certification in Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Science. She has been statistician for football, basketball, volleyball, and baseball since 1972.
	Dr. Susan S. McClelland. With experience as a teacher, principal, and assistant superintendent, Dr. Susan McClelland has an enthusiasm for children, learning, and educational leadership. She has extensive experience as an educational practitioner having taught English in grades 7 - 12 as well as gifted education and special education. While most of her experience has been in the classroom, Dr. McClelland has also served as an assistant principal, high school principal, and assistant superintendent. As a consultant, Dr. McClelland has worked in school districts across the state for the University of Mississippi Writing Project, the Mississippi State University Writing/Thinking Institute, the Northeast Mississippi Educational Consortium, and Education Resources. Dr. McClelland now works with the K -12 Educational Leadership program at the University of Mississippi where she works with future educational leaders.
	Julie Mattox  Born and raised in Kansas, Julie moved to Mississippi where she attended Tupelo High School. After graduating with a BFA at Mississippi University for Women, Julie moved to Tallahassee to complete a Masters of Education at Florida State University. Fifteen years ago she returned to Tupelo to marry her high school sweetheart and teach at Tupelo High School. During her career Julie has spoken at National Art Education Conferences, received a National Board Certification and been published in the National Art Education publication. In 2000, Julie established the Advanced Placement Art History course which she also currently teaches at THS.

P. O. Box 7959 • University, MS 38677 • Telephone: 662-915-1296 • Fax: 662-915-5138 • Email: dena@olemiss.edu