Seeking Accreditation at a Higher or Lower Degree Level

Member institutions of The Commission on Colleges and Universities must seek approval to offer educational programs at a higher or lower degree level than their current level of approval. In most instances, such applications will be reviewed by The Commission Board of Trustees at either its June or December meeting. Institutions may not offer coursework at a higher level prior to approval by The Commission Board of Trustees. All programs included in the institution’s application must meet the relevant standards and be approved by the Board for the institution to be accredited at the new level.

The institution will be designated as a member at the new level upon the Board’s approval. Institutions should also ensure that their official statement of accreditation by The Commission reflects the newly-approved level. Institutions must implement the new program(s) within two years of the Board’s awarding of membership at the new level, and the institution must formally inform The Commission President of the date of implementation. The institution should also inform its assigned The Commission Vice President. If the institution does not implement the new program(s) – including embedded Associates or Specialists degree – within the two year period, the institution must inform The Commission President. In this case The Commission Board will take action to rescind the institution’s membership at the new level or extend the institution’s time for implementation.

As part of the approval process, The Commission Board of Trustees will authorize a Substantive Change Committee to conduct a visit no more than six months following the initiation of the new program(s). This Committee is charged with determining the institution’s ongoing compliance with selected standards following the implementation of coursework at the new degree level. Institutions may not initiate additional educational programs at the new level until after that Committee’s report has been reviewed by The Commission Board of Trustees.

In accord with The Commission on Colleges and Universities’s Substantive Change Policy and Procedures, all applications for accreditation at a higher or lower level – including those exceptions noted below – for institutions currently on sanction (Warning or Probation) or subject to Substantive Change Restriction will be reviewed by The Commission Board of Trustees at either its June or December meeting.

[Embedded Associate degree(s)]. Baccalaureate-granting institutions may choose to combine lower-division coursework already being offered into an Associate degree. Such cases would not constitute a significant departure in terms of curriculum, faculty, or other resources, since the institution is already offering the courses comprising the new degree. Review of membership at Level I in these cases would normally be conducted by The Commission staff and submitted to the Executive Council of The Commission Board of Trustees for approval. Subsequent review by a Substantive Change Committee would not normally be authorized following staff review and Executive Council approval.

Baccalaureate-granting institutions seeking approval to offer an Associate degree comprised of coursework that is significantly different from their current lower-division coursework would be required to submit an Application for Level Change that is reviewed by The Commission Board of Trustees at its June or December meeting. The Board’s approval of such a program and award of membership at Level I would not normally include the authorization of a Substantive Change Committee.

[Embedded Specialist degree(s)][^1]. Although rare, some institutions already approved for a Doctorate of Education (EdD) might not have sought approval to offer the Specialist in Education (EdS) degree at the time the EdD was approved. Such institutions may subsequently choose to combine graduate-level coursework already being offered as part of the EdD into a coherent Specialist degree. Review of membership at Level IV in these cases would normally be conducted by The Commission staff and submitted to the Executive Council of The Commission Board of Trustees for approval. Subsequent review by a Substantive Change Committee would not normally be authorized.

[NOTE]: Staff review and Executive Council consideration is the normal pathway for a prospectus seeking approval of an “embedded” Associate or Specialist degree program. Institutional information revealed in the prospectus may, however, result in a decision to refer the prospectus to one of the Standing Committees on Compliance and Reports for its review and a final recommendation to The Commission Board of Trustees (See Substantive Change Policy and Procedures [Review Procedures | Staff Options]). In addition, in accordance with The Commission’s policy on Unsolicited Information, evidence of significant non-compliance with one of the Core Requirements or Standards of the Principles of Accreditation will be considered for appropriate action irrespective of the decision to approve or deny the institution’s application for accreditation at a higher or lower level.

[Closing and Teaching Out All Coursework at an Approved Level]. When an institution decides to discontinue its educational program(s) and coursework at an approved level, the institution must send official notification to The Commission. The process of closing such programs may involve a teach-out, and the member institution must comply with all of the applicable requirements of The Commission’s Substantive Change Policy and Procedures. As part of the process of reviewing the notification and any other documentation, The Commission will remove the institution’s approval to offer coursework at the applicable degree level. The member institution should also ensure that its published statement(s) regarding its The Commission accreditation accurately reflect that change.

Should an institution decide to reinstate such a previously discontinued program within three (3) years of the date the teach-out was approved by The Commission, the institution may do so by submitting official notification to The Commission. The reinstated program(s) must be substantially the same as those previously discontinued. Any program(s) that constitute a significant departure would require the institution to submit a new level change application. Any decision to reinstate prior programs or begin new ones at the previously-approved degree level after the three (3) year window has expired would also require the institution to submit a new level change application for review.

[Degree Level Designations]. The Commission uses the following roman numerals to designate institutional degree levels:

Level I Associate’s degree

Level II Baccalaureate degree

Level III Master’s degree

Level IV Specialist’s degree

Level V Three or fewer doctoral degrees

Level VI Four or more doctoral degrees

The Commission commonly categorizes member institutions by the designation corresponding to the institution’s highest degree level course offerings. The highest degree level offered by the institution does not automatically include authorization of the institution to offer coursework or program at all lower levels; i.e., the institution’s highest degree level is not inclusive of authority to offer courses or programs at all lower degree levels. For example, a Level V institution is not automatically authorized to offer undergraduate coursework or programs; a Level II institution is not automatically authorized to offer the associate degree. Authorization to offer coursework or programs at a given level is explicitly approved by The Commission Board of Trustees. An institution unsure of its coursework or program level authorizations should consult The Commission website or email its The Commission staff representative; this information is publicly disclosed for all institutions on The Commission website.

[Moving from Level V to Level VI]. The distinction between membership at Level V and membership at Level VI is determined by the number of doctoral programs being offered by an institution. Level V institutions offer three or fewer doctorates. Level VI institutions offer four or more doctorates. Membership at Level VI is awarded automatically following the approval of the institution’s fourth doctoral program. Institutions submitting a prospectus for their fourth doctoral program should clearly indicate on the Substantive Change Cover Sheet that approval of the program would result in their being designated as a member at Level VI.