Student Support Services

Students taking courses online who live within a proximity of Macon or Atlanta campus are free to use student services and/or attend student events on either campus. This includes use of recreational facilities, campus life programs. and attendance to athletic events (stipulations on ticketed or limited access events may apply and students may be required to present an active Mercer identification to access the event or facility).   Students are also free to communicate directly with student service areas via e-mail or telephone  for advice and consultation as needed.   Some limitations may apply depending on the service.   Please consult the Mercer website for a complete listing of student services and  to obtain contact information for any of these offices.  

Academic Advising

Upon acceptance, each student is assigned an academic faculty advisor who makes recommendations for course registrations and degree planning. Students are able to identify their advisors by logging into the Mercer University Student Portal and may communicate with their advisors via email, phone, and/or web conferencing. Students are encouraged to refer to the academic and degree requirements posted in the University Catalogs and Student Handbooks. Distance learning students who wish to visit campus may meet with their academic advisors in person during office hours or by appointment.

Library Services

Distance education students have access to all library resources that on-campus students enjoy through the University's Library website. The University Library strives to make as many of its resources and services available to distance learners as possible regardless of which campus they attend, or if they are working from off campus.

In Brief:

• Students can use most of the resources from the Discovery search tool on the University Library home page.
• Distance education students can access reference and research helming from professional librarians via the the Library’s Ask a Librarian page.
• The Library maintains a Distance Learning support page that covers common questions and services.

Academic Support Services (Academic Resource Center)

Distance learning students have access to writing tutoring through the Academic Resource Center's Online Writing Lab (OWL). Staffed by professional writing tutors, the OWL is a self-enroll system open to distance education students through the Canvas platform. The lab is generally open for submissions 24 hours a day when classes are in session, and students can expect a tutoring response within 24-48 hours after submission.  Distance learning students who wish to travel to campus may also utilize the Academic Resource Center services in Macon, Atlanta, Douglas County RAC, Eastman RAC, Henry County RAC,  and Newnan RAC.

Personal Counseling Services

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) does not provide counseling via email, phone or other technology, however, a distance learner can schedule in person counseling by calling (678) 547-6060 for the Atlanta campus or (478) 301-2862 for the Macon campus. Distance learners may also visit the CAPS website for self-help resources.  When possible, assistance with local community referrals is provided for students who are unable to come to campus. Phone consultations are limited to assisting distance learning students in identifying local resources.

Center for Career and Professional Development

The Center for Career and Professional Development provides customized, innovative and comprehensive career resources to Distance Learners. We have offices on the Atlanta and Macon campuses as well as at the Henry County Regional Academic Center.

An online career development platform called Handshake (See: what is Handshake or access your account) is provided to Mercer students and alumni, free of charge. Handshake is where students, employers, and the career center staff come to connect and share opportunities. To leverage all that the career center has to offer, Distance Learners should activate their Handshake account and complete their profile soon after enrolling. In addition to listing career fairs, events and plentiful resources, jobs and internships are posted in Handshake daily by trusted employers across the nation.

Individual career consultation appointments are available to Distance Learners, free of charge. Convenient appointment options are offered:

• in person at one of the career center locations
• via phone
• via video conferencing (Webex or Zoom)

Students should use the online scheduling interface offered in Handshake to book appointments. 

Disability Services

The ACCESS and Accommodation Office (AAO) at Mercer University works to improve the accessibility of University Programs, Services and Facilities for persons with disabilities and ensures institutional compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.  As required by law, students requesting accommodations for a disability must initially self-identify as a student with a disability by registering with the ACCESS and Accommodation Office (AAO). Only students registered with AAO will be eligible to request accommodations and be recognized by the institution as a student with a disability. Distance learning students can register and request accommodation by phone, fax or email.  Accommodations are approved by the ACCESS Coordinators or a Disability Petition Committee on a case-by-case basis and may require additional or updated medical documentation to be submitted.

It is assumed that students will have the technology and accessibility needed for online courses with their home computer. Alternative textbooks are computer-based and require a computer with Adobe Reader or other reader software from the Georgia Alternative Media Access Center (AMAC). Students who need assistance with accessing Mercer Canvas content, Mercer website content or using campus-based computers should contact the ACCESS Coordinator, the course instructor and the Mercer IT HelpDesk to resolve the problem.

To register for disability accommodation, please complete applicable forms for new students (link) and contact the appropriate ACCESS Coordinator below:

Bookstore and Textbook Services

Mercer's Official Bookstore carries the required textbooks for classes.  Students can search for textbooks here and request shipping to their home or the campus or Regional Academic Center of their choice.  Mercer utilizes the Yuzu platform for E textbooks.  Information about using E textbooks for class is found here.