Minimum System Requirements for Online Classes

Following is the hardware and software needed to complete your undergraduate online classes at Savannah State University:

Supported Operating Systems

• Windows 7 (recommended), Windows XP (service pack 3 for 32-bit, service pack 2 for 64-bit), also supported
• MAC OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) and higher is supported for most online course materials,but there may be applications that require a supported Windows Operating System. You should be prepared to run a virtual machine environment such as Parallels desktop, vmWare fusion, Oracle VirtualBox with an installed and supported Windows Operating System (as mentioned above) if you elect to use a MAC.

We highly recommend that you have administrative rights to the computer used for college coursework. If you must use a computer over which you do not have administrative rights (such as a library computer or a workplace computer), you may experience difficulties with needed functions, such as installing plug-ins. Students using library or workplace computers will have limited support options due to access limitations on such networks. Check with your workplace IT department to ensure that you may access course materials from your company's network.

Productivity Tools
Microsoft Office 2010 (Windows) or Microsoft Office 2011 (MAC). (NOTE: This software will be available to matriculating students at deeply discounted pricing through the Student Software program after you have begun taking courses. Office 2010 is also available at no charge through Savannah State's online lab environment.)

Internet Access
ISP account for Internet access and email address. (See more on Internet connectivity specifications below.)

Email Account
A valid email address, which is checked frequently, is required for participation in components of your coursework. All students are provided with a University supplied email address which is our preferred and recommended option. This will help you avoid issues with Spam blockers and other problems that may prevent you from receiving email from your professors. It will also enable you to participate in special student offers that are available only to students with a ".edu" email address. If you change your email address, you must supply the correct address to Savannah State Student Services. You can access your University supplied student email account by logging in to the student portal and clicking the My Student Email link.

Supported Internet Browsers:

The following are supported browsers. Major releases of browsers are generally supported within 60-90 days of their public release date. Due to the rapid release cycles of some supported Internet browsers, the two latest releases of each browser are supported. When using older versions of a browser, users risk running into problems with the course software.

• Windows OS Users
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer
  • Google Chrome
  • Mozilla Firefox
• Mac OS Users
  • Apple Safari
  • Google Chrome
  • Mozilla Firefox

Internet Browsers not mentioned above are NOT currently supported and may not meet all requirements of your coursework.

Internet Browser Settings

Please refer to your browser's Help features to check these settings.

• Pop-Up Blocker should be disabled
• Java Script should be enabled
• Java should be enabled
• Cookies should be enabled

Plug-ins
The most recent version of the following plug-ins are required for many of the resources available in your online courses:

• Adobe Flash Player
• Adobe Acrobat Reader
• RealPlayer (Basic)
• Apple QuickTime Player
• Java v7 or higher
• Citrix Online Plug-in/Receiver

All plug-ins needed to participate in components of your online classes are available at no additional cost. It is recommended that you review the list of plug-ins and install them prior to beginning your coursework.

Screen Settings
Your screen resolution (size) should be set at minimum 1024 x 768 or higher.

The following minimum technical PC specifications apply to students in technical programs (BMET, CET, ECT, EET, CIS, GSP, WGD, MDD, NETW, NSA):

• Intel Core 2 Duo 3.16Ghz, 6MB L2 cache or AMD equivalent. 4 GB of RAM (8 recommended)
• DVD-ROM drive
• Hard drive: 250GB min (500GB recommended) / 7200 RPM
• Video/graphics - Open GL® capable 3D graphics card recommended (SVGA resolution video adapter with 1024x768)
• Stereo sound card, speakers and/or headset, microphone
• Monitor - 1024 x 768
• A Webcam may be required in courses in some programs. Check with your academic advisor.
• Required for all online electronics students:
  • USB 2.0 port(s), min USB 3.0 preferred
  • A Webcam with still camera capabilities
• Required for all Game and Simulation Programming* and Graphic Design students:
  • Integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X4500HD or equivalent Recommended for optimal experience: Capability of running dual screen or wide screen that can run in split mode. Number pad on keyboard.
  • Digital Camera
    • 5 megapixel minimum
    • Video recording, HD (1080p) up to 30 frames per second with audio
  • Flatbed Scanner
    • Resolution: 4800 dpi optical; 12,800 dpi interpolated
    • Bit Depth: 48-bit (color); 16-bit (grayscale)
    • Maximum Document Size: 8.5" x 11.7"

* Because game and simulation technology changes more rapidly than technology in other fields, GSP students may be required to upgrade their PCs during the course of their program.

The following minimum technical PC specifications apply to students in business and management programs:

• Intel Core 2 Duo - or AMD - 3 GHz processor
• 3 GB of RAM (4 GB recommended)
• CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive - Note that some software may require a DVD drive for installation
• Hard drive: 160 GB minimum
• Graphics card and monitor capable of 1024x768 display
• Stereo sound card, speakers and/or headset, microphone
• A Webcam may be required in courses in some programs. Check with your academic advisor

Internet access is required to participate in online components of your college courses at Savannah State. An Internet Service Provider (ISP) will provide you with the software and access necessary to utilize the Internet in order of preference:

• Broadband: (LAN, Cable, or DSL) connection is highly recommended for optimal student experience and is required for all technical programs.
• Satellite and/or Cellular (3G/4G) may also be used.

If you connect to the Internet through your company, you may need to ensure that appropriate plug-ins and access rights are available to you. Check with your IT department to ensure that you may access course materials from your company's network.

The ease and convenience of accessing educational materials through the Internet brings with it the need to ensure that our computers do not become targets of unwanted and often malicious attacks and intrusions by computer viruses and/or hackers.

To prevent this, we recommend using an anti-virus package and a firewall. Your computer is subject to virus attack whether you're surfing the Internet or getting information from USB drives, DVDs or a network. Email attachments are particularly vulnerable.

We recommend obtaining anti-virus/anti-malware software from one of the major vendors; such as McAfee (available through the Student Software Store program), Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows, or similar to protect your computer from viruses and other types of computer threats. Since an anti-virus/anti-malware program is no better than its virus definitions, virus definitions should be updated regularly, preferably on a weekly basis.

Personal firewalls are another means to protect your computer from malicious activity when you are connected to the Internet. Windows comes with a built-in personal Firewall. It is recommended that you enable the Windows Firewall and learn how to use this application. A firewall can help prevent hackers or malicious software (such as worms) from gaining access to your computer through a network or the Internet. A firewall can also help stop your computer from sending malicious software to other computers. Most of the major anti-virus vendors also supply firewall software along with their anti-virus/anti-malware options.

Along with keeping your anti-virus updated, it is equally - if not more important to also ensure that your Windows and MAC updates are current. As Microsoft & Apple find weaknesses in their Operating Systems, they post updates that can be downloaded and installed. These updates can be set to occur automatically, but they may at times require user input to complete the update. Your Operating System updates should be checked on a weekly basis.