Policies and Guidance

SACSCOC Policies

To gain or maintain accreditation with the ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, an institution must comply with the policies and procedures of the Commission, and with the standards contained in the Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement. The Commission applies the requirements of its Principles to all applicant, candidate, and member institutions, regardless of type of institution (public, private for-profit, or private not-for-profit).

Please find the following resource documents:

  3.  for the 2024 Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement

CIP Code Guidance

  • When selecting a CIP code for a new program, please read the description that accompanies the code before selecting. EPC requires that at least 50% of the learning outcomes for the proposed must clearly align with the CIP code description. Further, at least 50% of the coursework composing the program must align with the CIP code description.
  • When proposing a change of CIP code, proposing departments must clearly demonstrate a significant change in the content of the program. Changes must clearly align with the description of the proposed CIP code. When evaluating the request for a CIP code change, the standard above will apply.

ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ Undergraduate Degree Definitions and Overlap Policies (Undergraduate)

  • ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ awards a number of undergraduate credentials. These may be transcripted or not transcripted, depending on the credential. Definitions and minimum credit hours to earn the credential as well as minimum unique hours to earn the credential follow.

Major

  • An undergraduate major is a coherent primary program within an academic discipline or interdisciplinary subject area. It requires a minimum of thirty credit hours of related coursework to complete a major. Individual schools and colleges establish the upper limit of courses/credit-hours required for a particular major. The major appears on both the diploma and the transcript. Fifteen credit hours must be unique to the major and may not count toward the fulfillment of additional majors or minors. Students at ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ may complete majors in multiple colleges or schools.

Minor

  • An undergraduate minor is a focused area of study not necessarily related to the major and may be completed in another school or college from the student’s major(s). Minors require a minimum of fifteen credit hours of related coursework. Nine credit hours must be unique to the minor and may not count toward the fulfillment of majors or additional minors. The minor appears only on the transcript.

Concentration/Track

  • A concentration or track is a focus within an approved major field of study. Students may have more than one concentration or track, if their major is structured to allow this. However, students completing more than one track or concentration within a single major may not double count courses across concentrations/tracks. The concentration or track does not appear on the diploma or the transcript. Concentrations/tracks are not standalone credentials and may not be awarded outside of the major with which they are associated.

Specialization

  • A specialization is a formally recognized group of interrelated courses within a major field. A specialization differs from a concentration or track in that it appears on the transcript. A specialization is not reflected on the diploma. Students may complete more than one specialization, if their major is structured to accommodate this. However, students completing more than one specialization within the same major may not double count courses across specializations. Specializations are not standalone credentials and may not be awarded outside of the major with which they are associated.

Approval of Academic Policies or Changes to Academic Policies

  • New, university-wide academic policies, or modifications of existing academic policies, must be approved by the Academic Policies Committee of the Faculty Senate before being submitted to EPC for approval. This includes policies initiated by the Faculty Senate, the Student Senate, and the Provost’s Office. Academic policies that appear in the University Policy Manual also require review and approval by the President’s Executive Council. When submitting academic policy proposals or revisions to EPC, please use the  form.