Proposal for a DegreeInfo research project on the acceptance of NA degrees

If a study like this is to be successful, it needs to be focused and the objectives need to be clear. It also needs to be researchable. Trying to determine acceptance in too many settings (academe, corporate, multiple disciplines) is not feasible. If one looks only at DEAC, then the study is not about acceptance of NA, only a single NA entity. Dr. Bear is correct that transferability of credits and degrees is a reasonable indicator of acceptance in RA circles. Something like this (below), using some of Dr. Bear's verbiage could be sent to registrars (who are most likely to be responsible for acceptance of transfer credit). This short survey already exists:

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The acceptance (or non-acceptance) of credits from Nationally-Accredited schools by Regionally-Accredited schools is a matter that has been discussed and debated for decades.

For the questions below, we wish you to consider the five national institutional accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as eligible for Federal Title IV funding (hereafter referred to as NA agencies):

Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)
Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET)
Council on Occupational Education (COE)
Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC)
Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and School (TRACS)

1. Would your institution accept transfer credits from institutions accredited by any of the five NA agencies? (Select one)

Yes -- on a regular basis (please answer questions #2 and #3)
Sometimes -- on a case-by-case basis (please answer questions #2 and #3)
No (please skip questions #2 and #3)

2. Please indicate which of the five NA agencies would be acceptable for transfer credit (Please select all that apply)

ACCSC
ACCET
COE
DEAC
TRACS

3. Would your institution accept the following from institutions accredited by one or more of the five NA agencies? (Please select all that apply)

Undergraduate credits
Undergraduate degrees
Graduate credits
Graduate degrees

4. How would you classify your institution? (Please select one degree level and one institutional control)

Highest degree level: 2 year
Highest degree level: 4 year undergraduate only
Highest degree level: 4 year graduate
Institutional control: Public
Institutional control: Private nonprofit
Institutional control: Private for-profit

 

Yes, absolutely.

 

Everyone's suggestions are great, but my take on it is that we (the forum) are trying to make this something more than what it has to be. It doesn't have to be a PhD project. It doesn't have to show how a student might benefit. It doesn't have to reflect how employers in various segments of the market might view the matter. It can, and IMO should be, a survey. The survey responses would form a very basic foundation from which others could build. If the survey is limited to one question, as proposed by Dr. Bear, it will yield a higher response rate. Higher response rates = more reliable results. More reliable results = the opportunity for better follow up questions such as those proposed by others on this thread.

My brother and I are musicians and every so often I'll get the motivation to call him so we can record some basic sketches (song outlines). It rarely happens because my brother, a perfectionist, is never satisfied with a sketch. He wants a more complete, robust, finished song. Even if I agree, it grows to 2 songs, then 3, then we start talking about recording a whole CD. The whole project becomes so involved that it never has a chance to get off the ground. In reality, the "sketch' would have been an awesome and an entirely appropriate first step. From there, if so desired, we could begin to frame additional ideas. I see the same issue at play here with this research project/survey.

 

Yes, it would, so if I were to actually run the study, I would modify the verbiage to be more neutral. I was incorporating Dr. Bear's verbiage since it was his idea.

 

Having done a number of similar studies, both large and small, I can tell you that running a survey with four simple items would not result in significantly lower response rates. My concern is that the single question would not yield that data that one needs to address the iinitial question of acceptance of NA for transfer to RA institutions. My four questions would do that.