HLC's Recent Actions - Cont'd

January 2022

https://www.hlcommission.org/Student-Resources/january-2022-actions.html

University of Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ

• Approved the institution’s request to offer the Master of Science in Data Science (CIP Code: 30.7001 / Program Level: Master / Credit Hours: 36).

I assume this will be online. They also approved several undergraduate and graduate programs to be offered as direct assessment competency-based education programs.

Saint Augustine College, Chicago, IL

• Approved the institution’s request to change the academic calendar from 16-week semesters to 8-week terms.

I have seen a few colleges/universities that offer accelerated semesters for on-ground programs instead of the traditional 16-week semester. Could this be a growing trend in higher ed?

Spaulding University (KY) and Mitchell College (CT) are two institutions that use a similar block schedule.

A.T. Still University of Health Sciences, Kirksville, MO

• Approved the institution’s request to decrease the credit hours for the Master of Science in Athletic Training from 50 residential program to 30 online credit hours (CIP Code: 51.0913 / Program Level: Master / Credit Hours: 30).

Now you can earn your M.S. in AT from AT Still fully online.

Concordia University St. Paul, St. Paul, MN

• Approved the institution’s request to offer the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Kinesiology (CIP Code: 31.0505 Program Level: Doctor / Credit Hours: 67).

They currently offer an Ed.D. in Kinesiology fully online. I wonder if the Ph.D. will be online as well.
https://kinesiology.csp.edu/

Oklahoma Wesleyan University, Bartlesville, OK

• Approved the institution’s request to offer the Doctor of Business Administration (CIP Code: 52.0201 / Program Level: Doctoral / Credit Hours: 56).

This program is offered 100% online. No GMAT or GRE. Complete in as little as 36 months. Tuition is $799/credit x 56 credits (approx. 44k).

Alderson Broaddus University, Phillippi, WV

• Approved the institution’s request to offer the Doctor of Information Technology (CIP Code: 11.0103 / Program Level: Doctoral / Credit Hours: 60).

Not sure if this will be online...

University of Charleston, The, Charleston, WV

• Approved the institution’s request to offer the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with one track: Family Nurse Practitioner (CIP Code: 51.3805 / Program Level: Master / Credit Hours: 42).

Online with one required residency in the summer. https://www.ucwv.edu/academics/majors-degrees/master-of-science-in-nursing/

 

University of Phoenix's proposal for a competency-based master's degree in psychology was approved. If the curriculum is going to be the same as their regular psychology program, I would recommend their program over Walden and Capella's competency-based programs. The curriculum checks off almost all of the boxes for what a person will need for a psychology license, so you won't have to worry as much about what's in your doctoral curriculum. The only course they're missing is group dynamics or counseling theories. I don't know why, but states often have limits to how many supplemental courses you can earn outside of a degree to make up for curriculum deficiencies.

- Psychopathology/abnormal psychology
- psychometrics/tests and measurements
- cognitive psychology and learning
- ethics
- research methods and statistics
- multicultural issues/cultural diversity
- social psychology
- biological basis of behavior
- developmental psychology
- psychology of personality

 

HLC recent actions related to distance learning programs.

February 2022 Actions
https://www.hlcommission.org/Student-Resources/february-2022-actions.html

Approval of Request for Change

Benedictine University, Lisle, IL

• Approved the institution’s request to offer the Doctor of Nursing Practice (CIP Code: 51.3818 / Program Level: Doctoral / Credit Hours: 36).

https://www.ben.edu/college-of-education-and-health-services/nursing-health/dnp.cfm

Maryville University of St. Louis, St. Louis, MO

• Approved the institution’s request to offer the Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence (CIP Code: 11.0102 / Program Level: Master / Credit Hours: 33).

https://online.maryville.edu/online-masters-degrees/artificial-intelligence

April 2022 Actions
https://www.hlcommission.org/Student-Resources/april-2022-actions.html

Approval of Request for Change

Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, OK

• Approved the institution’s request to offer the Doctor of Strategic Leadership in Organizational Leadership (CIP Code: 52.0213 / Program Level: Doctoral / Credit Hours: 48).

I think they are trying to compete with Liberty. Their tuition is $595 (same as Liberty if you are a full-time student, $650 if part-time).
https://oru.edu/academics/online/graduate/doctor-of-strategic-leadership.php

Midland University, Fremont, NE

• Approved the institution’s request to offer the Master of Science in Sport Administration and Leadership, 36 semester credit (CIP Code: 31.0504 / Program Level: Master / Credit Hours: 36).

https://cgps.midlandu.edu/academics/graduate-studies/master-of-science-sports-administration-and-leadership/

Kairos University, Sioux Falls, SD

• Approved the institution’s request to offer the Doctor of Professional Counseling (CIP Code: 39.0799 / Program Level: Doctoral / Credit Hours: 42).
• Approved the institution’s request to offer the Doctor of Theology (CIP Code: 39.0601 / Program Level: Doctoral / Credit Hours: 42).

https://kairos.edu/academics/programs/

Denial of Request for Change

Kairos University, Sioux Falls, SD

• Denied the institution’s request to offer the Doctor of Philosophy.

May 2022 Action
https://www.hlcommission.org/Student-Resources/may-2022-actions.html

This is the only action taken in May. Not DL-related though.

Board of Trustees
The Higher Learning Commission’s Board of Trustees took the following action on May 3, 2022.

Minnesota
Hibbing Community College, Itasca Community College, Mesabi Range College, Rainy River Community College and Vermilion Community College, Reaffirmed the Board's February 2022 approval of the extension of accreditation related to the application for Change of Control, Structure or Organization wherein the institutions execute a plan of merger resulting in the Northeast Higher Education District becoming the sole HLC-accredited entity and operating henceforth as a single unified institution with six branch campuses named Minnesota North College.
https://www.wdio.com/minnesota-news/six-campuses-to-become-minnesota-north-college/6420580/

 

Clarifications on January's updates:

Alderson Broaddus University, Phillippi, WV
Doctor of Information Technology (Online program)
https://ab.edu/academics/adult-and-distance-education/information-technology-doctor-of-information-technology/

Concordia University St. Paul, St. Paul, MN
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Kinesiology (Online program) https://kinesiology.csp.edu/
You can choose between the older Ed.D. in Kinesiology (61 credits) and the new Ph.D. in Kinesiology (67 credits).

"The PhD program features additional courses beyond those of the EdD program, since there is a stronger focus on research. Our PhD program features 55 hours of coursework and 12 hours of dissertation. Our EdD program features 49 credit hours of coursework and 12 hours of dissertation."

I think this is crap. They could have applied to the HLC for permission to reduce the Ed.D. to 55 credits and make the Ph.D. 61 credits. A lot of Ph.D. programs are 60 credits, while some are even less.

 

It sounds Dr. Christian is a DegreeInfo and HLC liaison. I need to be DegreeInfo and SACSCOC (The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges) liaison. By the way, nice article and graduation photo!
Helms School of Government celebrates its first Ph.D. graduate

 

Well that's interesting. A blow to the prestige of the Kairos project.

 

I wouldn't necessarily say that. They're allowed to offer other doctorates, just not that one. Maybe they just need a couple of minor changes to the proposed degree program in order to be approved.

 

It’s hard to conclude that without knowing the reasons for turning down their PhD program.

Professional doctorates are easier to get approved because, IMHO, they’re easier to execute and support. Doing a PhD requires faculty that are engaged in scholarship, not just teaching. I often wonder if that’s why DEAC has remained limited to professional doctorates.

 

I'm a former faculty member at Sioux Falls Seminary and was one of the first "affiliate faculty" they hired to assist with the Kairos Project. I participated in Kairos in that capacity for two years before transitioning on to other things.

All of the degrees that Kairos has been approved to offer are degrees that its member schools were already offering. Sioux Falls has long offered the DMin. Houston Graduate School of Theology had been offering the Doctor of Professional Counseling (DPC). And Evangelical Theological Seminary has been offering the ThD program for several years. So, the institutions that make up Kairos had already demonstrated capacity to deliver in these areas. For these programs to be approved as part of the Kairos model, they simply had to make the case philosophically that they could achieve the same outcomes through the Kairos model that they had previously. Of course, in the case of the ThD, the program had already been designed and delivered in ways that didn't require a significant leap to be translated into the Kairos model (i.e., the program has always had a substantial individualized learning component).

In the case of the PhD, none of the member schools of Kairos have any history with offering this degree. I think there are legitimate questions about whether the institution has the capacity at this point to offer this degree. The bringing together of Sioux Falls, Taylor, Evangelical, and Houston is still really fresh. I wonder if they won't need to be a few years into operating within this new, complex structure before the accrediting agencies deem them ready to take on a significant new program like a PhD. In addition, there are some resourcing questions about faculty workload capacity and professional development support that seem important to address if this institution is going to offer the PhD. Perhaps they've already made substantial headway in sorting out those issues, though. Admittedly, I haven't heard any "inside" info on Kairos' intentions of offering this degree or about the factors that contributed to their application being denied. I'll have to ask some of the faculty at Taylor here in my city (for which I used to adjunct) what they might know.

It would be neat to see Kairos gain the approval to offer the PhD eventually. I'll certainly be watching with interest.

 

I thought they did briefly accredit schools/programs leading to PhDs at a couple schools but then pulled them and never approved any more, but this thread seems to challenge that:

 

More May 2022 Updates
https://www.hlcommission.org/Student-Resources/may-2022-actions.html

Approval of Request for Change
Trine University, Angola, IN

• Approved the institution’s request to offer the Doctor of Information Technology (CIP Code: 11.0401 / Program Level: Doctor / Credit Hours: 60).

I think this will be online based on the job announcement for a DIT Program Director: https://www.trine.edu/human-resources/careers/dr-it-program-director.aspx

University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, MI

• Approved University of Detroit Mercy to offer correspondence education courses.

Rasmussen University, Bloomington, MN

• Approved the institution’s request to offer the Doctor of Physical Therapy (CIP Code: 51.2308 / Program Level: Doctoral / Credit Hours: 135).

https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/health-sciences/doctor-physical-therapy/

Saint Louis Community College, St. Louis, MO

• Approved the institution’s request to offer the Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care (CIP Code: 51.0908 / Program Level: Bachelor / Credit Hours: 121).

Lorain County Community College, Elyria, OH

• Approved the institution’s request to offer the Bachelor of Applied Science in Smart Industrial Automated Systems Engineering Technology (CIP Code: 15.0406 / Program Level: Bachelor / Credit Hours: 126).

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College, Hayward, WI

• Approved the institution’s request to offer the Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Middle Education (CIP Code: 13.1201 / Program Level: Bachelor / Credit Hours: 120).
• Approved the institution’s request to for a change in student body in relation to offering a third program at a higher degree level.

I think all community colleges should offer bachelor's degrees.

Marietta College, Marietta, OH

• Approved the institution’s request to offer distance education courses and programs.

Wilberforce University, Wilberforce, OH

• Approved the institution’s request to offer distance education courses and programs.

Connors State College, Warner, OK

• Approved the institution’s request to offer correspondence education courses and programs.
• Approved the institution’s request to offer distance education courses and programs.

Mount Marty University, Yankton, South Dakota

• Approved the institution’s request to offer distance education courses and programs.

Denial of Request for Change
Central College, Pella, IA

• Denied the institution’s request to offer distance education courses and programs.

Adrian College, Adrian, MI

• Denied the institution’s request to offer the Master of Arts in Public Safety.
• Denied the institution’s request to offer the Master of Jurisprudence.

 

July 2022 Actions
https://www.hlcommission.org/Student-Resources/july-2022-actions.html

Approval of Change

Dominican University, River Forest, IL

• Approved the institution’s request to offer the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Applied Social Justice (CIP Code: 45.9999 / Program Level: Doctoral /Credit Hours: 36).

https://www.dom.edu/admission/graduate/college-applied-social-sciences/phd-applied-social-justice

American College of Education, Indianapolis, IN

• Approved the institution’s request to offer the Master of Public Health (CIP Code: 51.2201 / Program Level: Master / Credit Hours: 33).

ACE contained to shift from "Education." I guess every discipline is considered "education" anyway

Palmer College of Chiropractic, Davenport, IA

• Approved the institution’s request to offer distance education courses and programs.

Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, MI

• Approved the institution’s request to offer distance education courses and programs.

William Jewell College, Liberty, MO

• Approved the institution’s request to offer distance education courses and programs.

 

I really like the name ACE. If I ever get an EdD, I wouldn't mind it from them.

 

They have among the lowest tuition of any online regionally accredited doctorate degree. I had been considering doing one of their Content Area Graduate Certificates in Mathematics to meet the 18 hour requirement to teach at the college level. I'm 8 years removed from teaching development mathematics at the community college now and never officially met the requirement.

It's not as advantageous for me at this point to do it although I would be considered for full-time positions as a math instructor. Of course that would lead to a lower salary from my Healthcare IT position now.

 

I love ACE. That's where I started my Ed.D. in 2016. Completed the first 1-credit course before I withdrew.

 

Other interesting items in those July HLC actions:

A new MS in Computer Science from low-cost Fort Hays State University, which is online.

A new EdS in Experiential Counseling from Prescott College which is an OG nontraditional school. This will surely draw on their existing programs in outdoor and adventure education and counseling.

A new Master of Management and new Master of Human Services from Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College, with which our online community has had friendly relations.

 

They're a for-profit school, but they don't fit the stereotype. And, as noted above, they're really inexpensive.

I recently had a long conversation with one of their representatives. I came way even further impressed with ACE.