Largest accreditor to assessment “lowered credit score” bachelor’s levels

The biggest institutional accreditor in the US has formally launched a brand new course of for reviewing bachelor’s diploma applications that require fewer than the standard 120 educational credit.

The Increased Studying Fee, which traditionally has accredited applications within the huge center of the US, from West Virginia to Colorado, revealed at a convention on three-year bachelor’s levels final spring that it might this fall contemplate granting approval to any establishment in search of to supply a “reduced-credit bachelor’s diploma.”

Following up on that promise, the company unveiled new tips and a brand new utility Tuesday for establishments in search of approval to supply bachelor’s levels with lowered credit.

“HLC acknowledges the will amongst our establishments to fulfill college students’ wants with extra versatile diploma choices,” Barbara Gellman-Danley, president of the fee, mentioned in an electronic mail concerning the new coverage.

“Our purpose at HLC is to make sure that reduced-credit levels could have as a lot rigor and high quality as conventional levels,” she added. “We’re assured that the brand new tips will assist establishments in attaining their objectives.”

Accreditors have moved slowly to embrace the so-called three-year diploma, which advocates just like the School-in-3 Trade consider has the potential to cut back prices and time to completion for college students and stimulate curricular innovation at undergraduate schools.

The Northwest Fee on Schools and Universities accepted the primary reduced-credit bachelor’s levels final 12 months, and others have taken modest steps in that course.

HLC officers mentioned the fee’s new course of ought to take roughly eight months and is designed to make sure the rigor and high quality of this system and to make it possible for college students don’t endure any limitations with regards to switch, licensure or employment, amongst different issues.