CoralRealm University - Student Assistance

Frequently Asked Questions Here are a few Frequently Asked Questions concerning CRU Online. If you have other questions than those listed here, please send us an email using our Contact Form.

Q:  Most on-line educational resources require a fee per course. Does CoralRealm University charge for their courses?
A:   All of the courses currently offered by CRU are free to subscribing CoralRealm.com members. An annual membership to CoralRealm.com is only $29.95 and allows you access to all of our online, resources. This includes courses offered by CoralRealm University. New content and courses are added continually, making it one of the best educational resources on the Internet today.

Q:   Is CRU affiliated with any U.S. University and do you offer credits for the courses you offer?
A:   No CRU is a totally virtual campus and is not affiliated with a "bricks and mortar" institution. CRU does not offer college "credits" but works on a "point" system that allows you to earn a CRU degree. While we hope that CRU students consider formal degrees in marine biology from accredited institutions, our mission is to develop a person's appreciation for our delicate coral reef environment that may lead to greater appreciation for these resources and a desire for conservation and preservation.

Q:  Do you offer scholarships to CRU?
A:  CRU plans to offer a limited number of scholarships to individuals based on specific qualifications and application. This scholarship program is intended to serve two primary audiences: young adults considering marine conservation careers and conservation officers in countries with emerging, eco-tourism programs. We will have more information about the CRU scholarship program in late 2001.

Q:   Who designs the courses offered at CRU?
A:   All courses are designed by a team of internationally recognized marine biology experts, writers, website developers and information technology professionals. CRU is committed to maintaining only the highest quality content and course delivery.

Q:   How long can I be a student at CRU?
A:   You can be a student at CRU as long as you maintain your annual membership to CoralRealm.com. Courses are self-paced and can be taken whenever it is convenient for you - CRU remains on-line 24 hours a day, seven days a week!

Q:   How long will it take for me to complete a basic degree at CRU?
A:   You must earn a minimum of 250 points to gain a BSF degree from CRU. How long this will take depends on how much time you want to spend online studying course content and taking course quizzes. A student who earns and records 10 points on every quiz (he or she gets 100% of the questions correct) will earn a degree faster than a student who decides to accept and record a less than perfect score. During CRU's first year, students can expect to earn a degree within 12 months -- as new courses are offered each month. After the first year, students could potentially earn their basic degree in weeks or months!

Q:   What do I need to identify myself as a CRU student?
A:   The only thing you need to do to access CRU resources is to subscribe to CoralRealm.com as an annual member. After that, you simply need to login with your CoralRealm.com username and password, go through a very short CRU New Student Orientation and pass a short enrollment quiz. Then, you're free to visit CRU Online as often as you wish. CRU Online also creates a Student I.D. card that you can print out and keep with you.

Q:   Do you have a school mascot?
A:   At the current time, we are having a difficult time deciding on a mascot from an ocean of possibilities! However, we must make a decision very soon since we plan to offer CRU licensed apparel for students.