TheQualityofUndergraduateDegrees.pdfVIP

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges 1866 Southern Lane Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 THE QUALITY AND INTEGRITY OF UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES Policy Statement Introduction: The national priority to sharply increase the percentage of Americans holding undergraduate degrees has resulted in a number of creative educational pathways to facilitate accomplishment of that goal. Examples of educational pathways include two-plus-two arrangements, dual admissions, consortia arrangements, degree completion arrangements, state-wide articulation arrangements, credit for work experience arrangements, diploma and certificate credits being converted into degree credits, and the like. Additionally, various “applied” undergraduate degrees are proliferating to meet the needs of career-minded students wishing to enter the work force directly after graduation. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) is supportive of the innovative efforts of educational leaders to effectively address this national priority; however, SACSCOC has an obligation to ensure that these educational pathways maintain or enhance the quality and integrity of undergraduate degrees. Therefore, when reviewing an institution offering undergraduate degrees, the Commission will expect the institution to be in compliance with the relevant Principles of Accreditation and the stipulations of this policy as outlined below.? The Undergraduate Degree: For purposes of accreditation, an undergraduate degree is characterized, among other things, as a coherent body of knowledge and skills, including an appropriate general education component, all at the collegiate level. To maintain the integrity of the undergraduate degree, the degree-granting institution is resp