Technology Requirements
Dear Students
Congratulations from the Information Technology (IT) department on being accepted to Frontier Nursing University (FNU). It is very important to us that you succeed as a student at FNU. In order to be successful you must have the right tools.
As a distance learning program we rely heavily on technology, which is why it is so important to have the right equipment for your student endeavors. FNU requires that all students own a laptop and an iPod Touch, iPad, or iPhone, and have a high speed Broadband Internet connection. Although it is suggested that students obtain the highest quality products available to them, the following are the minimum technology requirements for the program:
Laptop Hardware Requirements
| Component | The "Minimum" requirement is for a student who may already own a laptop. | The "Preferred" specificiation is for the student who is purchasing a new laptop. |
| Processor | Intel Pentium / Core 2 Duo Processor or higher
AMD Athlon II / Turion processor or higher |
Intel Core i5 or higher
AMD Phenom II or higher |
| Memory | 2 GB or more | 4 GB or more |
| Hard Disk | 20 GB of Free Space | 20 GB of Free Space |
| Video Card | 1024x768 resolution or higher; 16-bit color depth or higher with connector for stand-alone display | 256 MB dedicated to video memory with connector for stand-alone (extended desktop) display |
| Laptop Display | 12-inch or better | 15-inch or better |
| CD / DVD-ROM | CD-RW and/or DVD | DVD-RW |
| Sound Card | Any type with microphone and speakers | Any type with microphone and speakers |
| Headset | Analog headset with microphone | USB headset with microphone |
| Webcam | 800x600 resolution; 30 frames per second (fps) | HD or 720p resolution; 30 frames per second (fps) |
| Mouse & Keyboard | Any type | Any type |
| Network Hardware | 10/100 Mbps Ethernet | 10/100/1000 or Gigabit Ethernet |
| Wireless | 802.11g | 802.11n |
| Operating System** | Windows XP SP3 or higher | Windows 7 (32- or 64-bit) |
Laptop Sofware Requirements
| Microsoft Windows (XP, Vista, 7) – FSMFN does not support issues with our systems when run on a Mac OS** |
| Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 or higher |
| Mozilla Firefox Internet Browser http://www.getfirefox.com |
| Microsoft 2007 or higher including Excel, Word, PowerPoint |
| Adobe Acrobat Reader http://www.adobe.com/go/EN_US-H-GET-READER |
| Adobe Flash Player http://www.adobe.com/go/EN_US-H-GET-FLASH |
| Windows Media Player 11 or higher http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/11/default.aspx |
| Apple Quicktime Player for Windows http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/ |
| Apple iTunes for Windows http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/ |
| Antivirus Software |
**For students that own a Mac, please be aware that FNU does not support issues with our systems when run on a Mac OS. You will need to purchase a copy of Parallels (http://www.parallels.com/) and a copy of Windows for your Mac. The Windows OS can be purchased under a student license. All FSMFN systems will need to be run via your Parallels environment in order to receive appropriate support from the Multimedia Team.
Internet Connection Requirements:
Broadband Internet connection (DSL or cable modem); upload/download speeds of 1.5Mb down/768Kb up minimum (the faster, the better).
iPhone™/iPod Touch™/iPad™ Requirement :
Courses at FSMFN are enhanced with media that has been specifically formatted for these devices. Additionally, your coursework will involve using applications on these devices, and they will be utilized in your clinical rotation. Therefore we are requiring students to own one of these devices so that they may take advantage of these offerings. Devices that satisfy this requirement are:
iPod Touch
3rd generation or higher
8 GB or higher
iPhone
Version 4; minimum 16 GB
original (first generation) and 3G iPhones cannot be supported
iPad
Second Generation; 16GB or higher
What’s the difference?
All three devices offer internet browsing and handheld computing with third-party applications (“apps.”). The iPhone, of course, also offers wireless phone service. With an iPhone, users can access the Internet over the cellular network, but must pay a monthly data fee along with the phone bill. With an iPod Touch, users must be connected to a wireless network in order to access the Internet, but there is no monthly fee. The iPad has an option for either.
Which one should I get?
Good question. It really depends on your needs. The iPhone has GPS, camera, video camera, and Internet connectivity, but requires an service contract and a monthly fee. Software updates for iPhone users are free. The iPod Touch is lighter, slimmer and there is no monthly fee, however, there is a nominal charge for software updates. The iPad is much larger, so it won’t fit in a labcoat pocket, but will offer a larger screen for viewing.
Please bring both your laptop and iPod Touch/iPhone/iPad with you to Frontier Bound. Both will be used in various sessions. You will have a hands-on, small group session with the IT Staff where you can ask technology questions and troubleshoot any problems with the devices.
If you have any further questions or need assistance in determining the appropriate equipment please call the IT Staff at (606) 672-2312. We look forward to helping make your student experience memorable and rewarding.
Sincerely,
The Information Technology Staff