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:: Technology Requirements for COPH Online Courses

Students in all online public health courses are expected to meet the following requirements to successfully participate in their courses. Failure to meet these requirements may cause problems accessing the course materials.  It is the student's responsibility to ensure all requirements are met prior to the start of the semester.

At a minimum, you must have regular access to a computer with Internet connection (preferably broadband) and a web browser. Students are expected to be knowledgeable in basic computer skills such as word processing, spreadsheet and email programs.

Please review hardware and software technology requirements for online courses below.

Step 1: Check Hardware Requirements

PC Users: Pentium II 300 or equivalent with 96 MB memory, CD ROM, Monitor,  Sound Card and Printer. Operating System Windows XP or higher

Mac Users, please note: Coursework should be accessible via Macintosh although the University of South Florida primarily uses PC. Limited support is available for Mac users.

 

Step 2: Check Internet Connection Requirements

Subscription to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) is required (broadband access is highly recommended). Broadband access can be cable modem, digital subscriber line (DSL), T1 Connection or LAN connection or its equivalent. It is the student's responsibility to clear any firewall and/or security issues if access to the USF Portal is via a workplace network.

Note for AOL Users: If you use America Online (AOL) for Web access, you will need the latest version of AOL software and the Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher browser. If you have an older version of the AOL client, you will need to connect through AOL, minimize the AOL client to maintain the connection and use one of the recommended browsers outside of the AOL client.

 

Step 3: Check Web Browser

Optimize Your Experience!
Make sure you have the best online experience by upgrading your browser to the latest versions. We recommend that you use Firefox.

 

Step 4: Access to MyUSF

Learn more about

 

Step 5: Download and install the additional required (free) plug-ins. (Click icon to go to website.) Note: These courses require the latest version of these players to be installed.

Adobe Acrobat Reader
(required for viewing adobe pdf document)

Windows: Adobe Acrobat Reader for Windows (required for viewing adobe pdf document)

Mac: Adobe Acrobat Reader for Mac (required for viewing adobe pdf document)

 

Flash Player
(required for narrated presentation)

Windows: Get Flash Player for Windows (required for narrated presentation)

Mac:

 

Windows Media Player
(required to play streaming media)

Windows: Windows Media Player (required to play streaming media)

Mac: Windows Media Player for Mac (required to play streaming media)

 

Java
(required for a variety of web applications - verify if you have the most recent version of Java)

Windows: Java for Windows

Mac: Java for Mac

 

Additional software such as Microsoft Office is required to view course materials, complete course work etc. The USF Computer Store offers discounted software for registered students, including MS Office for both Windows and Mac. For more info, http://www.computerstore.usf.edu/

Step 6: Test your software

View/Print Documents/Files

Open a .pdf file with Adobe Acrobat reader
Open a .doc file with Microsoft Word

 

Listen/View Audio Presentations and Streaming Movies
Note: There is audio in these test demonstrations

Open a narrated presentation using Flash.
Open a streaming movie using Windows Media player.
Open a streaming movie using Quicktime .

 

Listen/View Audio Presentation
Note: There is audio in these test demonstrations

Open a narrated presentation using Articulate.

 

Need Help?

If you continue to have problems and you have followed the above steps,

go to Technical Assistance page for students.