Technology Recommendations

Current UW-Stout Polytechnic students, faculty, and staff have access to university supported technology resources for personal academic use. These resources are intended for actively enrolled students, current faculty, or current staff. Access to university provided services ends after graduation, if you are no longer enrolled, or if you are no longer employed with the university.

Platform Recommendation 

Windows laptops are the recommended platform for UW-Stout Polytechnic online students. Most university systems, course software, and virtual lab environments are designed to work best on Windows. 

Chromebooks are strongly discouraged. They are not compatible with many required applications, virtual lab environments, or system requirements used in coursework. 

Mac laptops are supported for general use, but some courses or programs may require Windows specific software. In such cases, Mac users may need to rely on virtual lab access. 

Minimum Recommended Specifications 

Windows Laptop (Recommended) 

  • Processor: Intel Core Ultra 5 or Intel Core i5 13th generation or newer or AMD Ryzen 5 or better 

  • Operating System: Windows 11 

  • Memory: 16 GB RAM or greater 

  • Storage: 256 GB solid state drive minimum (512 GB recommended) 

  • Wireless: Wi-Fi 6 or newer 

  • Webcam: Integrated or external webcam required for online coursework 

  • Microphone: Built in or external microphone required 

  • Battery Life: 8 hours or more recommended 

Mac Laptop 

  • Processor: Apple Silicon M2 or newer 

  • Operating System: Current version of macOS 

  • Memory: 16 GB RAM or greater 

  • Storage: 256 GB solid state drive or greater 

  • Webcam: Built in or external webcam required 

  • Microphone: Built in or external microphone required 

Note: Some academic software may only be available on Windows. Mac users may need to use the university virtual lab or remote access options to complete certain coursework. 

Software Access 

Microsoft 365 

All UW-Stout Polytechnic students, faculty, and staff receive access to Microsoft 365, which includes: 

  • Word 

  • Excel 

  • PowerPoint 

  • Outlook 

  • OneDrive cloud storage 

Microsoft 365 can be installed on personal devices or used through a web browser. 

Virtual Lab Access 

UW-Stout Polytechnic provides virtual lab services that allow students to access specialized software remotely from their personal devices. This is especially helpful if: 

  • Your device does not meet high end software requirements 

  • You are using a Mac and need Windows based applications 

  • You need access to licensed university software from off campus 

The virtual lab can typically be accessed through a web browser or remote desktop application. 

Additional Recommendations for Online Students 

  • Use a reliable laptop rather than a tablet or Chromebook 

  • Ensure you have stable high speed internet access 

  • Use a headset with microphone for clearer communication in virtual meetings 

  • Regularly back up files using OneDrive or another cloud service 

  • Keep your device updated with the latest operating system and security patches 

Support 

For assistance with device requirements, software access, or compatibility questions, contact the Technology Helpdesk: 

Phone: 715-232-5000 
Email: Techdesk@uwstout.edu 


Keywords:
online adjunct ta specs 
Doc ID:
162164
Owned by:
David A. in UW Stout
KnowledgeBase
Created:
2026-06-23
Updated:
2026-06-30
Sites:
UW Stout