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Technical Specs and Minimum System Requirements for Online Classes

Sufficient technology and Internet access is required to complete online coursework when you take an undergraduate college course at DeVry, including a student-provided personal computer at DeVry. The following list will help verify that you are adequately equipped for online classes.

DeVry uses the leading trends in technology available to online schools to give students an optimal online learning experience.

Technical requirements for completing DeVry undergraduate online classes that require a student-provided personal computer.

Sufficient technology and Internet access is required to complete online classes when you take an undergraduate college course at DeVry. The following list will help verify that you are adequately equipped.

NOTES: Specific curricula for college courses may require additional software purchases. Any additional software requirements will be provided in the syllabi for your courses.

Computer specifications are reviewed and revised every six months to accommodate changes in technology. While every attempt is made to ensure that these specifications satisfy all curricular needs for students completing courses, DeVry reserves the right to require upgrades in the event of technology changes. Students will be given 90 days notice before such changes are implemented.

Not all functionality of coursework can be completed using iPhones and mobile devices.

Students who need assistive technologies will have different computer and technology requirements. Please check with your Student Services counselor to determine the requirements for the specific technologies needed to support your online classes.

For questions regarding these requirements, please phone the Help Desk at 877-784-1997.

Minimum System Requirements — Undergraduate

(Need Online Graduate Degree Programs Tech Specs?)

Following is the hardware and software needed to complete your undergraduate online classes at DeVry:

Supported Operating System:

  • Windows XP (service pack 3 for 32-bit, service pack 2 for 64-bit), Windows 7 (recommended)
  • MAC OS X is supported for most online course materials, but there may be applications that require the Windows OS. You should be prepared to run the Parallels desktop and a Windows OS if you elect to use a MAC system.

We highly recommended 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 online class materials from your company's network.

Productivity Tools:

Microsoft Office (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 is also available at no charge through DeVry's online lab environment.)

Internet Access:

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

Supported Browsers

The following are supported browsers. Major releases of supported browsers are generally supported within 30 days of their public release date. A major release ends with the numbers "0" or "5". Due to the rapid release cycles of some supported 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 Users
    • Microsoft Internet Explorer
    • Google Chrome
    • Mozilla Firefox
  • Mac OS Users
    • Apple Safari
    • Google Chrome
    • Mozilla Firefox

Other browsers are NOT currently supported for some components of your coursework. You may use AOL for your ISP, but you should use either IE or Firefox browser versions listed above. As new browser versions are released, announcements will be issued to notify students when the new versions have been tested and may be used safely.
See below for required Browser settings.

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:

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.

Minimum PC Specs for Technical Programs

The following minimum technical PC specifications apply to students in technical programs (CIS, EET):

  • 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 min
  • 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:
    • Required: Integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X4500HD or equivalent Recommended for optimal experience: Capability of running dual

Minimum PC Specs for Business and Management

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

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

  • Recommended: LAN, Cable, or DSL connection. Highly recommended for optimal student experience. Required for all technical programs.
  • Satellite and/or Wireless Internet connection. Satellite and wireless connections are not recommended. Performance may be suboptimal due to latency and signal instability.

If AOL is your ISP, you must use the Internet Explorer or Firefox browser, rather than the default AOL browser, to complete coursework in a college course online. Simply launch the appropriate browser after logging onto your AOL account.

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.

Email Account

A valid email address, which is checked frequently, is required for participation in components of your coursework. All students are provided with an email address that we recommend you use. This will avoid issues with Spam blockers and other problems that may prevent you from receiving email from your instructors. 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 DeVry Student Services. You can access your university student email account by logging in to the student portal and clicking the My Student Email link.

Computer and Internet Security

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 floppy disks, CDs or a network. Email attachments are particularly vulnerable.

Anti-virus packages, such as AVG-Free (http://download.cnet.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-Free-Edition-2012/3000-2239_4-10320142.html?part=dl-avg_free_us&subj=dl&tag=button), protect your computer from viruses and other types of computer threats. Since an anti-virus 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.

Along with keeping your antivirus updated, it is equally, if not more important to also ensure that your Windows critical updates are current. As Microsoft finds 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. You can learn more about Windows updates here. Your Windows updates should be checked on a weekly basis.

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