On average, CIE students complete 2-3 lessons a week. This is an average, though, and completion times for different lessons vary quite a bit. The introductory lessons at the beginning of most of our courses do not take much time to complete. But the calculus lessons in the AAS courses take a little longer. This is the main reason why the lessons have different credit hour weights. An introductory lesson may count as .1 or .2 credit hour, but the calculus lessons count for about .8. Accordingly, we expect students to need more time to complete them than they do for the introductory lessons.
If you are a beginner in electronics, you have two options: A. You can enroll in Course 1B first. It is a lab course and is designed to teach you theory and to give you the skills required of an electronics technician. Upon completion of 1B you can then re-enroll into any of CIE's other lab courses or the A.A.S. Degree Program and receive 100% credit for all the work you did in Course 1B. B. If you are sure you want to get a diploma from a more advanced course or an A.A.S. Degree, you can enroll in that course from the start. You can enroll in 11, 14B or the A.A.S. Degree course without taking course 1B first. This is a faster route to the advanced diploma or to the A.A.S. Degree. In the case of the A.A.S. course, you can save the total cost of the course, since you only pay for the terms it takes you to complete the course.
Credit may be granted for previous education with A.A.S. Degree students only. A maximum of 53 credit hours, out of the total 106 required for the degree, may be given. If you apply for academic credit, indicate that you want advanced standing when you fill out your Enrollment Agreement. Include transcripts or other documentation (such as your DD214 or DD295 from the military) and CIE will evaluate them for credit. Credit is granted by removing certain lessons from the total 254 required for the A.A.S. Degree. If you have any questions regarding academic credit, contact us at our toll-free number: 1-800-243-6446.
If you have a legitimate medical or personal reason that prevents you from studying for a period, CIE may be able to extend your course for a nominal fee. Such extensions are solely at CIE's discretion, and will be kept in complete confidence.[
Course prices and terms of payment are listed on the Enrollment Agreement.
Most employers are looking for someone they can train on their equipment. They expect you to know the principles and have the skills of a technician when they hire you. That's what CIE courses are intended to give you.
Transfer credit from CIE to another educational institution is entirely at the discretion of the other institution, and CIE does not guarantee complete transfer or credit.
The equipment that comes with all CIE lab courses is of good quality and is sufficient for the work done in the experiments. For students who prefer instruments with upgraded specifications, these are available through CIE's bookstore.
If you intend to enroll in Course 2, 4, 5 or 6, we recommend that you have some previous training in electronics. If you do not have any previous training, or if you do not possess troubleshooting skills (such as using test equipment, soldering or reading schematic diagrams) we recommend, but do not require, that you first take course 1B. After graduating from 1B, you can then enroll in one of these more advanced courses at a substantial discount. This will ensure that you have the most complete training required for jobs in these areas.