PGSP's Distance Learning Program Timeline

When Does It Happen?

Students start once a year, in September. Students cannot enter the program once classes have started. Classes end in mid-June.

The only synchronous part of the courses is the chat rooms. For those classes that use chat rooms, the individual instructors will schedule chat times that work for their classes. Scheduling chat times can be complicated when students come from around the world. Chat times will generally occur sometime between 8:00 A.M. and 7 P.M. Mondays through Thursdays and/or between 8 A.M. and 5 P. M. on Fridays. These times are all local times for San Francisco. Every reasonable effort will be made to schedule them at times that allow everyone to attend. If that is not possible, alternative arrangements will be made.

Where Does It Happen?

The program happens where you live. Because it is web based, you do not have to leave your current home or job and relocate to Palo Alto, California. You can also maintain your current work situation. Those factors represent a tremendous cost savings to you.

We currently have (or have had) students from across the US, Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. Because much of the work is asynchronous, differences in location are not much of a problem. It only becomes an issue when we scheduled synchronous activities (e.g., chat rooms). At that point we find times that work for students wherever they live.

We have an on-line orientation for beginning students in September. This orientation is required so that students can get the basics before classes begin.