Online Self-Study courses are presented strictly in an online format (no printed materials) and are implemented through a learning management system. The NMLS does not approve courses to be taken on a mobile device. This course is not compatible with any mobile device and must be accessed on a desktop or laptop. Attempting to complete this course with any mobile device may disrupt the learning experience. Additionally, it is required to use a modern web browser.
The course material is divided into sections or instruction modules, followed by knowledge checks to ensure the student understands the subject matter. The learning management system will track the progression throughout the course to verify modules are completed. The student may progress through the course, containing timed presentation slides that can be completed at any time, and progression is saved. The course will consist mainly of audio and video components in the 7/8-hour OSS courses. Upon logging out of the course, the system will save their progress and, upon logging back in, will prompt the student if they wish to resume the module. Modules cannot be skipped and must be completed in the order presented.
Note: There is no audio or video components in the state-specific courses.
Once a module has been completed, the progress will be updated to “completed.” These modules must be done in sequential order and must state completed in the progress column to advance to the next module:
Online Self-Study courses need to be interactive, so the program will direct the student to interact with the slide by clicking on buttons, images, etc. If the interactions are not clicked, a message will pop up advising the student:
All slides have a mandatory-minimum timing requirement. If a student is inactive for six or more minutes, the system automatically logs them out. When the student logs back in, they can resume where they left off. However, they will not earn credit for their idle time. A student cannot move to the next slide until the minimum timing requirement is met and all interactions are completed. The “next” button will not be available until the progress bar is full:
The progress bar is at the bottom of each slide, and a visual indicator will show the progress of the slide and how much time is left. Once the progress bar is complete, the Next button will be activated to move to the next slide.
There is a menu option at the top left of the slide for the course navigation panel. This will show all the slides within the module. The completed slides will have a check next to them, and a non-completed slide will have a lockbox. All slides must be completed in sequential order when first completing the module. After completion, a student can go back and review any slide that has been completed and can even type in the search field for key terms within the module.
Per NMLS requirements, in accordance with the SAFE Act and to receive continuing education credit, the entire course must be viewed and interacted with. Successful completion of interactive exercises, case studies, knowledge checks, and a final examination are required throughout the course.
Knowledge checks occur at the end of each course section and are designed to test the understanding of the material within the module. A 60% or higher score is required to move forward to the next module, and there are unlimited attempts. After submitting the knowledge check quiz, students can review questions they have answered incorrectly.
Once all modules are completed, a course final exam must be passed with a 70% or higher to receive credit for the course. A student has six attempts to pass the course final exam. After six attempts, students must pay and re-enroll in the course (minus the NMLS reporting fee).
Once all the modules show the progress column of “completed,” the course will state all the required sections of the course are completed:
We will process the completion in the enrollment system. An e-mail with the certificate of completion will be e-mailed to the student within two business days for any courses completed within that given day.