Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
(1) Introduction.
In addition to its responsibility for the maintenance of high standards of
quality, the Commission also serves to encourage responsible innovation in
postsecondary education to meet societal needs for creatively designed programs
delivered in nontraditional ways. It is the intention of the Commission that
its standards and procedures shall foster the development of quality innovative
programs and emerging new fields of study, and shall not unreasonably hinder
educational innovation and competition.
(a)
Institutions offering nontraditional programs of study shall document that the
instructional methods used will lead to the achievement of stated learning
objectives, and that all nontraditional instruction shall be consistent with
the abilities, educational skills, experience, and needs of the students
enrolled in the programs.
(b)
Institutions offering nontraditional programs of study that employ innovative
delivery systems or innovative methods, or that carry on research and teaching
in emerging fields of study, shall demonstrate that they will achieve the
intent of each of the standards contained in rule
6E-2.004, F.A.C., for the
appropriate level of licensure and for annual reviews.
(c) In addition to providing to the
Commission the documentation required for each standard contained in rule
6E-2.004, F.A.C., showing how
the intent of each standard will be met in the nontraditional program or
delivery system, the institution shall also furnish for each course to be
offered:
1. A detailed inventory of equipment
and supplies to be provided to each student;
2. A detailed description of how each program
will be conducted, including submission of detailed course outlines, procedures
for distribution of materials, examination and evaluation of student work,
timely response to students' questions and comments, record keeping,
appropriate student services, and technical support.
(d) Institutions holding license by means of
accreditation as defined in subsection
6E-2.002(3),
F.A.C., may substitute proof of such accreditation, in good standing, for the
requirements of rule 6E-2.0041,
F.A.C.
(2) Awarding of
credit.
(a) Units or credits applied toward
the award of a credential in nontraditional programs may be derived from a
combination of any or all of the following:
1. Units or credits earned at and transferred
from other postsecondary institutions, when congruent and applicable to the
receiving institution's program and when validated and confirmed by the
receiving institution.
2.
Successful completion of challenge examinations or standardized tests
demonstrating learning at the credential level in specific subject matter
areas.
3. Prior learning, as
validated, evaluated, and confirmed by qualified instructors at the receiving
institution.
(b)
Graduation requirements for nontraditional degree programs shall include
provisions for general education appropriate to the type of degree, as
specified in Rule 6E-2.004, F.A.C. The Doctor of
Philosophy degree, commonly abbreviated Ph.D., shall not be offered or awarded
through distance or nontraditional learning without appropriate accreditation
by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of
Education.
(c) At least 25 percent
of the units required in a nontraditional degree program shall be given by the
institution awarding the degree, and shall not be derived from any combination
of transfer, examination, or experiential learning; however, credits earned by
active U.S. military members are excluded from this requirement due to the
transient nature of the service. Credit awarded for prior experiential learning
shall follow the requirements of subsection (5) of this rule, and shall not
exceed 25 percent of the units required for completion of the
program.
(3) Direct
contact instruction. Institutions licensed to operate in Florida and wishing to
offer programs or courses through directed individual and group study using
direct contact instruction shall describe the teaching-learning methodology to
be used, and shall submit illustrative course outlines and competencies and all
other documentation as required in rule
6E-2.004, F.A.C., for the
appropriate level of licensure or for subsequent annual reviews.
(4) Indirect contact instruction.
(a) Institutions licensed to operate in
Florida and wishing to offer programs or courses through individual and group
study mediated and assisted by telecommunications, computer augmented
educational services, facsimile transmission, the postal service, or another
technological method, shall describe the teaching-learning methodology to be
used, and shall submit illustrative course outlines, competencies and all other
documentation as required in rule
6E-2.004, F.A.C., for the
appropriate level of licensure or for subsequent annual reviews.
(b) In addition to the other requirements of
rule 6E-2.004, F.A.C., an institution
offering instruction by correspondence shall employ a sufficient number of
qualified instructors to assure that:
1. The
academic content is designed by qualified faculty; and,
2. Each student lesson, project, examination,
or paper is evaluated by qualified instructors, and the instructor's response
to or evaluation of each is sent to the student within a reasonable time as
disclosed to the student.
(c) For programs that require the development
of a manual or technical skill, such as the use of equipment or tools, the
institution must ensure that the student has the opportunity to gain practical
hands-on experience appropriate to master the skill. This experience, wherever
gained, shall be documented in the student's file and shall be done under
proper supervision and with meaningful evaluation of the competency outcomes.
The technical aspects must be designed by qualified
technicians.
(5) Credit
for prior learning. An institution may grant credit to a student for prior
experiential learning only if all of the following apply:
(a) The prior learning is equivalent to the
level of learning in which the student is enrolling.
(b) The prior learning is demonstrated to
provide a balance between theory and practice, for academic programs; or a
verifiable mastery of appropriate skills, for vocational courses or programs.
For courses or programs requiring a combination of theory and skills, the prior
learning is demonstrated to provide the appropriate combination.
(c) The credit awarded for the prior learning
directly relates to the student's course or program and is applied in
satisfaction of some of the credential requirements.
(d) College and university level learning for
which credit is sought shall be documented by the student in writing, and
validated, confirmed, and evaluated by faculty qualified in that specific
subject area, who shall ascertain to what college or university level learning
the student's prior learning is equivalent, and how many credits toward a
degree may be granted for that prior learning. The faculty evaluating the prior
learning shall prepare a written report indicating all of the following, which
report shall be retained by the college or university for review by visiting
Commission representatives upon request:
1.
The documents in the student's file on which the faculty relied in determining
and confirming the nature of the student's prior learning;
2. The basis for determining that the prior
learning is equivalent to college or university level learning, and
demonstrates a balance between theory and practice; and,
3. The basis for determining to what college
or university level the prior learning is equivalent, and the proper number of
credits to be awarded toward the degree, based upon that prior
learning.
(e) No more
than 25% percent of the units required and validated through the institution's
internal review process for a degree shall be awarded for prior experiential
learning.
(6) Credits
earned in a compressed time period. Institutions licensed in Florida and
wishing to offer courses or programs in a compressed time period shall show
evidence to the Commission that the intent of all standards for licensure, as
set forth in rule 6E-2.004, F.A.C., shall be
met.
(7) Instructors. Institutions
licensed to operate in Florida and wishing to offer nontraditional programs or
courses shall employ or contract with appropriately qualified instructors
sufficient in number to provide the instruction, student interaction, and
learning outcomes evaluation necessary for the institution to document
achievement of its stated purpose, and for students to achieve the specific
learning objectives and competencies required for each program so offered. It
shall be the responsibility of the licensed institution to validate each
instructor's competence to use the interactive electronic media program or
distance learning program effectively, and to provide training in the use of
the delivery system if needed.
(8)
Library and other learning resources.
(a)
Institutions licensed to operate in Florida and wishing to offer nontraditional
programs or courses shall document to the Commission how they provide, ensure,
and maintain access for all students to the information resources and services
appropriate to support each program or course.
(b) Institutions shall document how they
provide, ensure, and maintain security of examinations and papers.
(c) Institutions shall collect and use
student evaluations of content, delivery, and services.
(9) Laboratory experiences. In the case of
courses in the experimental or clinical sciences, or other courses requiring
hands-on experience, each licensed institution wishing to offer nontraditional
programs shall document to the Commission prior to program approval; that
arrangements have been made to ensure that the requisite laboratory, field, or
equivalent experience is available to and used consistently by every enrolled
student. Such experience shall be documented in the student's file, and shall
occur under appropriate supervision and meaningful evaluation of the competency
outcomes.
(10) Catalog. Each
institution licensed in Florida and wishing to offer nontraditional programs or
courses shall comply with all requirements of rules
6E-1.0032 and
6E-2.004, F.A.C., and in
addition shall publish information in the catalog, whether printed or
electronic, pertaining to each of the following:
(a) The institution's policies and procedures
for the award of credit for prior learning, including confirmation and
validation, assessment policies and procedures, provisions for appeal of
decisions, limitations on the number of credits that may be awarded in this
manner, and all fees that a student may be required to pay.
(b) The institution's policies regarding the
acceptance of credits earned by the student through successful completion of
challenge examinations or standardized tests, acceptable scores for each,
whether and how many times examinations may be repeated to achieve an
acceptable score, limitations on the number of credits that may be awarded in
this manner, and all fees that a student may be required to pay.
(c) If the institution offers instruction by
correspondence, schedules for normal progress or completion of the course or
program, and all fees that a student may be required to
pay.
(11) Student
records.
(a) Institutions wishing to offer
nontraditional programs or courses shall maintain a file for each student and
shall be available to the Commission upon request at each location and
translated into English and; conforming to the general requirements of rule
6E-2.004, F.A.C., and contain
the following:
1. All documents evidencing a
student's prior learning upon which the instructors and the institution base
the award of any credit or credential.
2. For directed individual or group contact
instruction, copies of the learning agreements or learning contracts signed by
the instructors and administrators who evaluated the agreements and
contracts.
(b) An
academic transcript shall be maintained, kept current, and retained permanently
for each student. Institutions offering nontraditional courses and programs
shall adopt a policy requiring that credits awarded for prior learning,
including internal credit by challenging examination, shall be so identified on
the student's academic transcript. Institutions shall adopt a policy regarding
the length of time for retention of records documenting evaluation, assessment
and awarding of nontraditional credit. Retention time shall be sufficient for
reasonable future review and confirmation of student work.
(12) Fair consumer practices, as described by
sections 1005.04 and
1005.34, F.S., and rule
6E-1.0032, F.A.C., shall be
followed by the institution in all aspects of its
operation.
Rulemaking Authority 1005.22(1)(e)1.,
1005.31(2), (3)
FS. Law Implemented 1005.31
FS.
New 10-13-83, Formerly 6E-2.041, Amended 11-27-88, 6-20-95,
5-25-03, 7-23-07.
