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Degree Authorization Act
- About the Degree Authorization Act
- Granting of Authorization
- Criteria
- Definition of Institutional Status
- List of Authorized Institutions
The details on this web page are excerpted from the CCHE Policy regarding the Degree Authorization Act, for complete details and explanations, View Entire Policy
About the Degree Authorization Act
The Colorado Commission on Higher Education has statutory responsibility for administration of Title 23, Article 2 of the Colorado Revised Statutes, which authorizes certain types of institutions to offer degrees and/or degree credits. These are: (1) Colorado publicly-supported colleges and universities; (2) properly accredited private colleges and universities; (3) postsecondary seminaries and bible colleges; and (4)private occupational schools authorized by the Private Occupational School Division to offer associate degrees.
The Commission shall administer the statute by seeking information from any entity offering degrees and/or degree credits to determine its authority. In order to determine the institutional type and to identify those institutions which are subject to the specific accreditation requirements of the statute, criteria have been established for each institutional type authorized to offer degrees or credits leading toward a degree.
Granting of Authorization
Authorization shall be granted upon presentation of adequate information by the
postsecondary institution seeking authorization to the Colorado Commission on Higher
Education. As the first step toward authorization, representatives of a seminary or bible
college or a private college or university shall consult with the designated
administrator of the Degree Authorization Act (Mr. Matt McKeever) prior to submission of required documentation.
Criteria
For full details of criteria, view policy.
- Accredited on the basis of an on-site review in Colorado by one of the six
regional accrediting associations; or - Accredited by an acceptable alternative accrediting agency determined by the
Colorado Commission on Higher Education to be appropriate to its educational
purposes and programs; or - Making reasonable and timely progress toward such accreditation, as
determined by or in accordance with standards determined by the Commission.
- Be a nonprofit institution owned, controlled, and operated and
maintained by a bone fide church or religious denomination, lawfully
operating as a non-profit religious corporation pursuant to Title 7 of
the Colorado Revised Statutes. - Limit the educational program to the principles of that church or
denomination, and the diploma or degree is limited to evidence of
completion of that education. Institutions operating under this degree
authorization shall not award degrees in any area of physical science
or medicine. - Only grant degrees or diplomas in areas of study that contain on their
face, in the written description of the title of the degree or diploma
being conferred, a reference to the theological or religious aspect of
the degree's subject area. (See Section 3.01.04, below.) - Not market, offer, or grant degrees or diplomas which are represented
as being linked to a church or denomination, but which, in reality, are
degrees in secular areas of study. - Have obtained exemption from property taxation under state law and
shall have submitted a copy of the certificate of this exemption to the
Commission. (See Section 3.01.02, below.)
- To qualify for the private occupational school exemption, the statute requires that the school be authorized to confer associate degrees by the Private Occupational School Division under the provisions of Article 59, Title 12, C.R.S. The statutory exemption extends to the offering of associate degrees only. The evidence required to enable the Commission to determine that an institution so qualifies is documentation that the institution has been authorized by the Private Occupational School Division to confer associate degrees under the provision of the statute.
Definition of Institutional Status
- Category I, Fully authorized institution that is accredited with on-site review.
- Category I-A, Authorized institution that is fully accredited without on-site review.
- Preliminary, Authorization that requires within 6 months the institution shall satisfactorily complete preliminary information as required by the regional or other appropriate, acceptable, accrediting association, and shall not accept students, offer instruction, award credits toward a degree, or award a degree until granted Category II status.
- Category II, Institution authorized to offer courses and award degrees as long as reasonable and timely progress toward accreditation is maintained.
- Category III, Authorized to deliver degree programs and credit-bearing
certificate programs via telecommunications.
