How MS-DS Uses Virtual/Remote Proctoring

Some for-credit MS-DS courses feature a proctored experience at the end of the course. This is generally an exam, but may also be a project-based experience. The University of Colorado Boulder takes academic integrity seriously, and is committed to ensuring that your MS-DS degree accurately represents your competency and retains its value in the marketplace. Protecting the integrity of the course exams is part of this process.

The stakes of the proctored experiences in MS-DS courses are high. When you gain access to these protected items on the Coursera platform, you are no longer eligible for a tuition refund if you decide to drop the course, and you are no longer eligible for a course withdrawal. Accessing the protected examination means that you will only be eligible for an earned grade based on performance.

What is ProctorU?

ProctorU is a live online proctoring service that allows students to complete exams or project-based assessments online. This service ensures exam integrity and accountability for any test-taker with internet access using only a computer and a webcam. ProctorU monitors exam takers in three ways:

  1. By using secure identity verification to ensure that the person taking the test is the correct student.
  2. By employing a human proctor to monitor the test taker through a webcam. You’ll be connected to a real person to guide you through the process.
  3. By having a proctor watch the students’ screen in real time and see everything the student is doing.  

ProctorU is available 24/7. However, you must schedule your proctoring session at least 72 hours in advance of your exam. We also highly recommend you test your connectivity at least 72 hours in advance of your exam. 

In order to use ProctorU, you will need a reliable high-speed internet connection, a webcam (internal or external), a Windows or Apple operating system and a government issued photo ID. Please note you will not be able to use Linux systems to access ProctorU.

    Equipment Requirements

    You will need:

    • A computer
    • A reliable internet connection – if connectivity is lost during an exam, you may not be able to regain access.
    • A webcam
    • A microphone
    • Two forms of photo ID – one form should be a government-issued photo ID; the second form of ID is recommended though not required
    • A reflective surface handy

     

    Type

    Minimum

    Recommended

    Web Camera

    640x480 resolution

    1280x720 resolution

    PC Users

    Windows Vista

    Windows 10 (10 S is not supported)

    Mac Users

    OS X 10.5 or higher

    OS X 10.13 High Sierra

    Internet Download Speed

    .768 Mbps

    1.5 Mbps

    Internet Upload Speed

    .384 Mbps

    1 Mbps

    RAM

    1024 MB

    2GB

    Additional Requirements

    • Test your equipment
    • A functioning microphone (some web cameras have them built-in)
    • A compatible browser: Google Chrome (preferred), Mozilla Firefox, or Safari
    • Adobe Flash

    Not Supported

    • Google Chromebooks (supported for G Suite Certification and G Suite Administrator exams)
    • Tablets (Nexus, iPad, Tab, Note, etc.)
    • Linux operating systems
    • Windows 10 S or Surface RT
    • No running inside a virtual machine. You will be asked to reconnect using your host operating system to take your exam

    Reference: ProctorU Live Resource Center

     

    How to Use ProctorU

    1. Create An Account

    Creating a ProctorU account is simple. Click here to get started.

    2. Test Your Equipment

    Visit ProctorU's Test It Out site as soon as possible (at least 72 hours prior to your proctoring session) to test your equipment.

    • Click on the “connect to a live person” button to fully test your equipment.
    • We recommend using the Google Chrome browser and downloading the ProctorU extension. (If you’re not using Google Chrome, make sure you are using the current version of the Firefox browser and have downloaded the ProctorU extension.)
    • Please also visit the Test-taker Resource Center to review helpful information from ProctorU to help you prepare for your proctored exam.

    Generally, the startup process with the proctor takes about 10–15 minutes if you have completed the system testing beforehand. Otherwise, expect to spend up to an hour completing the process. Please feel free to direct any questions to the student support team via the live chat within your account.

    3. Schedule Your Exams

    We strongly recommend that you do not start the proctored exam process until you are ready to take the exam and complete the course. Find more details about the relationship between proctored experiences and course drops/refunds in the MS-DS on Coursera Student Handbook.

    • You will be able to take final exams for MS-DS courses using the ProctorU remote proctoring service between 9:00 am Mountain Time on the day your class session starts and 4:50 pm Mountain Time on the day your class session ends. 
    • You must schedule your exam at least 72 hours in advance of your desired day and time. For example, if the exam availability window closes at 4:50 pm on a Friday, the last time you could schedule an exam would be that Tuesday at 4:50 pm.
    • To secure your desired exam session time, log into ProctorU and schedule your session as soon as you know your desired exams session date and time. 
    • View the Academic Calendar for your session to see final exam availability.
    • See Coursera's Third Party Tools and Exam Proctoring in Degree Programs Learner Help Center article for additional proctored exam recommendations.

    4. Know What to Expect

    The following resources will help you better understand what to expect:

    Privacy Policy

    This program adheres to the University of Colorado Boulder’s commitment to the protection of individual privacy. Please see the CU Boulder privacy statement. 

    In order to preserve the integrity of this program, exams will have live proctoring managed by ProctorU. Please read ProctorU’s privacy policy before you take the exam.