Getting Started in Graduate Education at Asbury

Welcome to Asbury University!

This document is designed to provide pertinent information about the program, the technology and your student account with Asbury.

The Graduate Education program offers a unique learning platform that allows students to attend class remotely in a live, synchronous web environment. Students will experience the benefits of the face to face classroom experience with the flexibility of an entirely online program.The GradEd programs at Asbury include Master of Arts, Master of Arts in Teaching, and Educational Leadership.

What You Need To Know To Get Started

What You Need to Know to Get Started

Sharon Bixler, Ph.D.

Dr. Sharon Bixler is the Dean of the School of Education. She has a PhD in STEM Education, a MA in Education with an Instructional Technology Endorsement, and a BA in Mathematics.

Asbury University Email

All students are assigned an Asbury University Email address that is identical to your Network Account login. This Email account is accessible on and off campus at office.asbury.edu from a web browser of your choice. You must enter your full Email address when logging into office.asbury.edu. Email is the official means of communication at Asbury University. Please check your Asbury Email daily!

Your Asbury email and username will be formatted as follows (unless otherwise noted): firstname.lastname@asbury.edu

Example: john.smith@asbury.edu
Note: If you have a longer or hyphenated last name, please check with I.T. Services to verify your username.

How To Add Your Asbury Email To Your Phone, Tablet, Or Computer

Your Asbury Email account is an Outlook Exchange account and can be added to the Microsoft Outlook application on your computer, and your phone/tablet, or you

Your Asbury email account is an Outlook Exchange account and can be added to Microsoft Outlook on your computer and/or mobile devices. It can also be accessed (as stated before) at office.asbury.edu from a web browser of your choice. Learn how to add your Asbury email account to your computer and/or mobile devices using the links below:

Microsoft Outlook 365 for macOS

Microsoft Outlook 365 for Windows

Adding AU Email to Microsoft Outlook for macOS Adding AU Email to Microsoft Outlook for Windows

Microsoft Outlook for iOS

Microsoft Outlook for Android

Adding AU Email to the Outlook App on iOS Adding AU Email to the Outlook App on Android Adding AU Email to Your iPhone (Using the Apple Mail app) Adding AU Email to your Android Devices (Android 7.0)

For more details about how to use your Asbury email, read our solution The basics of accessing your Asbury email online (O365)

How to Reset Your Asbury Password

Should you forget your password, or otherwise feel the need to, you can reset/change your Asbury password (or unlock your account) at any time online at password.asbury.edu. Changing your password will change it for all Asbury sites, including Discovery, Portal, etc.

Before you can change your password or unlock your account, you need to enroll in the password reset service. When you first log-in to your account, you will be automatically prompted to set up verification methods for the password rest service. You will not be able to change a forgotten password if you have not already enrolled. If you have not enrolled, but have forgotten your password, contact the Service Desk for assistance.

Learn more about your Asbury Account password here:

Password Requirements

Passwords MUST be twelve characters or more in length. They must contain three of the following:
- Number, Uppercase Letter, Lowercase Letter, & Symbol
You will be prompted to reset your Asbury account password every twelve months.
If you enter your password incorrectly three times, your account will be automatically locked. In order to unlock your account please refer to the following article - How To Reset Your Password, Unblock, or Unlock Your Asbury Account. If you are still experiencing issues, please contact the Service Desk, or you can wait one hour for your account to unlock automatically.

Note: Please remember that when you change your password for your Asbury email account it will automatically change your password for Discovery and Portal. If you have been issued a computer by Asbury I.T. Services, the password you use to access that machine will also be changed automatically. If you are experiencing any access issues after changing your password, please contact the Service Desk for assistance.

Accessing Your Student Portal

You can find the student portal at portal.asbury.edu. Through your Student Portal you can register for classes, complete your financial registration, see your student bill, view your unofficial transcript, update your emergency contact, and more. In addition it displays your classification, advisor, major, and any minors that you have declared.

Please see the section on Registering for Classes for more information on class registration.

Learn more about accessing your Student Portal here - Accessing Your Student Portal

Registering for Classes

You can register for your in-person and online classes through your Student Portal. You will receive an Email from the Registrar's office detailing your registration period. During this time, you can add and drop classes through your Student Portal.

Learn more about registering for classes here - How to Register for Classes in Your Student Portal

Completing the Financial Aid Process

Federal aid may be available to eligible students taking five or more credit hours each semester. To receive financial aid determination at Asbury University, students must complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) for each academic year.

The FAFSA is available from October 1st and should be submitted as soon as possible for optimum consideration.
The Asbury University School Code is 001952.
Visit the FAFSA Website here to apply - http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

Graduate Aid Application

All Graduate students wishing to be considered for federal financial aid must complete a Graduate Aid Application annually. The GAA form will automatically be added as a checklist item in your application portal if you indicated that you will be using financial aid on your application. You can fill this out within your application portal, and it will automatically be submitted to the financial aid office for you. This form, along with the FAFSA, will enable us to determine your financial aid eligibility.

Note: If you did not indicate on your application that you plan on filing the FAFSA please contact the Financial Aid office (financial.aid@asbury.edu).

Using Discovery

Discovery is the learning service Asbury uses for online class management. Students taking online classes will find all of their course content, assignments, and syllabi on Discovery. Professors teaching in-person classes may also use Discovery to upload their syllabi and provide a place for online submission of assignments. As a student at Asbury, you will be required to frequently check Discovery to stay up-to-date on your classes.

All Online classes at Asbury use Zoom for virtual class sessions. Learn more about Zoom and your classes here - Asbury Live - Zoom for Students
You can also access your course through the Discovery Pulse app for iPhone and Android phones. Learn more about installing and using the Discovery Pulse app here - Configuring the Discovery "Brightspace Pulse" App
Learn more about the basics of using Discovery here - Discovery Basics for Students

Finding and Ordering Textbooks

Students may order their textbooks online through the Asbury University Student Bookstore, or by using your Student Portal. When ordering textbooks online through either of these avenues, students may pay for textbooks using a Student Voucher. Selecting the Student Voucher payment method will place textbook charges on your student account at the University. This will allow you to pay for the textbooks at a later date, or use loans/grants/scholarships to pay for the textbooks. Students may also pay for textbooks with a credit card.

Note: Vouchers may only be used three weeks prior to classes starting, and two weeks after they begin. It is best to order all textbooks prior to the start of the semester.

If you wish, you may purchase your textbooks outside of Asbury University. Please note, when purchasing textbooks and materials outside of the institution, make sure that you are securing the correct required textbook editions and materials. The best ways to ensure that you are securing the correct textbooks and materials is to access textbook information through the Asbury University Online Bookstore at asburyu.ecampus.com and to use the book's ISBN number when searching for a textbook online.

Learn more about how to find and order textbooks here - How to Find and Order Textbooks

Accessing Your Asbury Decision Letter

You can log in and view your Asbury Decision letter at start.asbury.edu/status after you complete the application process.

Learn more about accessing your Decision Letter here - How to Access Your Asbury Decision Letter

Technology Requirements

We live in a technology world. As such you really need a smartphone on campus that you can use to utilize several essential apps. The most critical app is the Microsoft Authenticator app. This app implements two-factor authentication to keep your Asbury accounts safe from malicious intrusion and hackers.

Asbury University has requirements/recommendations for student computers that will be brought to campus or used by online students. The documentation lists these as well as other frequently asked questions about computers at Asbury, the computer labs, discounts, and other software questions.

Learn more about student computers on Asbury Universities campus here - Frequently Asked Questions about Computers at Asbury

Title IX Training

Asbury University is committed to providing a safe learning, living, and working environments for all members of the University community. Consistent with these values and applicable law, the University maintains a comprehensive program designed to protect members of the University community from discrimination on the basis of sex or gender, which includes Sexual Harassment under Title IX and Sexual Misconduct.

One aspect of this program includes required Title IX Sexual Harassment training for all students, including those who live off campus and study online, regardless of full-time or part-time status. The training consists of watching a 60-minute video and responding to 10 questions. Note that you must watch the entire video and receive a minimum 70% quiz score to successfully complete the training. (DO NOT fast forward the audio/slides or you will not fulfill the content requirement.) Also, please remember that our Title IX policies are meant to be understood in the context of the University’s community standards.

Below are some additional tips for successful completion of the training:

For the best experience, please use a computer or tablet rather than a cell phone.
Create your account using your Asbury email address.
Select the box to “remember me” in case you need to come back to the training later.
Make sure you have cookies enabled and pop-up blockers turned off.
Once you have satisfied each of the three requirements (audio listened to, slides viewed, and quiz passed), the red COMPLETION CRITERIA: NOT MET bar on the left side of your screen will change to a green COMPLETION CRITERIA: MET.
Download and save your completion certificate using the download button in the green highlighted area.
Upload your completion certificate to the Title IX Training area on your Asbury checklist before the first day of classes.