Ohio Administrative Code
Title 3332 - State Board of Career Colleges and Schools
Chapter 3332-1 - General Provisions
Section 3332-1-16 - Program standards
Universal Citation: OH Admin Code 3332-1-16
Current through all regulations passed and filed through March 18, 2024
(A) All schools submitting programs for approval by the board shall meet the minimum standards of this rule.
(B) All programs approved by the board shall meet the following minimum standards:
(1)
Each program of instruction shall be described in a manner that concisely and
accurately conveys the following to a prospective student:
(a) The specific content of the curriculum;
and
(b) The intended employment
outcomes including any state occupational licensure
requirements; and
(c) The
entrance and graduation requirements.
(2) A school must submit to the board with
the application for new program authorization
a list of instructors and their
relevant academic and employment qualifications. If the school has not
yet hired instructors for the program the school shall submit proposed hiring
criteria for the program instructors. For each new instructor hired to teach a
program, a school must keep documentation of the
instructor qualifications including resume and academic transcripts in a format
that may be reviewed by the board.
(3) The classroom, laboratory facilities and
equipment must be appropriate to the program of study. At the time of
submitting the application, each school must submit a list of equipment and
include with the application a timetable as to when such equipment shall be
made available.
(4) A school shall
provide library resources appropriate to the program(s) of study along with
standard works of reference.
(5)
Titles of representative entry level positions for which graduates can be
prepared shall be specifically stated in the request for program authorization.
Realistic advancement opportunities that can be enhanced by successful
employment experience shall be stated when appropriate.
(6) If internships, externships,
or clinicals
are necessary as a
part of a school's educational program, schools must
demonstrate that they have secured a sufficient number of
internship, externship or clinical site
agreements to meet the needs of students in the program.
(7) A school must certify that all students
who receive a grant pursuant to section
3333.122
of the Revised Code maintain an academic
record that meets or exceeds the school's standards for satisfactory progress
as set forth in the school's catalog.
(8) Program names must accurately reflect the
content of the program and the potential employment outcomes. No program shall
use the word "certified" in the program name unless the program is specifically
designed to lead to an industry recognized certification.
(9) If the program requires approval of
another state agency, the school may be required to provide documentation of
the additional approval as part of the program review process.
(10) All programs must be designated as
either credit hour programs or clock hour programs. All credit hour programs
must award credit in either whole or half numbers.
(11)
Programs that
are designed to prepare students for employment in a field that requires state
licensing shall provide students with appropriate assistance in preparing for
state administered professional licensing exams related to the program in which
the student is enrolled. These programs must also maintain minimum acceptable
passage rates on state licensing exams, as determined by the requisite
professional licensing agency.
(12)
A school may
contract with outside service providers to provide course content or other
training services and the school shall be responsible for assuring that the
contract service providers adhere to the standards set forth in agency 3332 of
the Adminsitrative Code. Schools that are accredited must also demonstrate that
the proposed use of contract service providers is in compliance with the
school's accreditation standards. Schools shall be subject to discipliary
action in accordance with Chapter 3332. of the Revised Code for any acts or
omissions committed by contract service providers that violate any provision of
agency 3332 of the Administrative Code.
(C) All certificate and diploma programs approved by the board shall meet the following minimum standards:
(1) "Certificate program" means generally one
or more technical courses usually completed in one to twenty-six weeks, with a
single skill objective and generally consisting of at least twenty and no more
than six hundred clock hours or thirty-six quarter credit hours or twenty-four
semester credit hours. In special cases, non-technical may be included when it
is demonstrated such courses are essential to the program and occupational
outcomes.
(2) "Diploma program"
means a program of instruction offering technical and non-technical coursework.
The program shall generally range in length from more than six hundred but less
than fifteen hundred clock hours; or more than thirty-six but less than ninety
quarter credit hours; or more than twenty-seven but less than sixty semester
hours.
(3) Generally eighty per
cent of a certificate program's curriculum shall be in the technical courses
that support the program's objectives. The curriculum must state whether it
will be measured in credit or clock hours.
(4) Generally seventy per cent of a diploma
program's curriculum shall be in the technical courses that support the
program's objectives. The curriculum must state whether it will be measured in
credit or clock hours.
(5) A
certificate or diploma program instructor whose teaching assignment is in the
occupational specialty must have a high school diploma or GED, other formal
training or certification necessary to the
program, and have demonstrated competency as a wage earner,
for at least three years, in the
related technical field. Instructors teaching general education courses shall
hold a bachelor's degree with a concentration in the discipline as a minimum.
(6)
Initial program authorization will be for a period not to exceed two years in
length. Renewal of program authorization will coincide with the renewal of
certificates of registration.
(D) All associate degree programs approved by the board shall meet the following minimum standards:
(1) "Associate degree program" means a
program of instruction consisting of technical and non-technical courses in
which full-time students may complete program requirements in a minimum of two
academic years, six to eight academic quarters, or four semesters.
(2) All associate degrees awarded by Ohio
schools approved by the board shall be designated as "associate of applied
science" or "associate of applied business" unless the associate degree program
meets the requirements of paragraph (D) of rule
3333-1-04
of the Administrative Code.
(3) A
school seeking initial program authorization for an associate degree program
must have received a grant of institutional accreditation by a national or
regional accrediting agency that is recognized and approved by the United
States department of education.
(4)
A school seeking program authorization for an associate degree program must
meet one of the following minimum requirements:
(a) The school must have been in operation,
with students enrolled, for a minimum of two years, prior to submitting an
application for consideration; or,
(b) The school must have been under the same
ownership as another school that has previously been approved to award
associate degrees by the board or by another state for at least two years;
or,
(c) The school must have been
approved by another state to award associate degrees for a period of at least
two years; or,
(d) The school has
been permitted by the executive director to grant associate degrees in approved
teach-out situation.
(5)
The curriculum for an associate degree program shall consist of a minimum of
ninety quarter hours or sixty semester hours of instruction and shall include:
(a) A minimum of forty-two quarter credit
hours or twenty-seven semester credit of non-technical course
instruction.
(b) A minimum of fifty
per cent of quarter or semester hours of technical course instruction directly
related to the program's occupational objectives.
(c) A maximum generally of one hundred ten
quarter credit hours or seventy-three semester hours unless otherwise approved
by the board.
(d) Remedial
coursework shall not be academically creditable.
(e)
Schools may
submit a program authorization request to deviate from the associate degree
program credit hour requirements so long as the school demonstrates that the
program is in compliance with the school's accreditation requirements and is
otherwise in compliance with this rule.
(6) Associate degree program authorization
and renewal authorization shall be for a time period as determined by the board
not to exceed two years. Associate degrees shall be renewed and
assessed fees for a period that coincides with the approval cycle for a
school's certificate of registration.
(7) A major is a specialization within an
associate degree program. Generally, a minimum of twenty percent and no more
than thirty percent of the total hours in the program must be allocated to the
technical discipline named in the major.
(8) A concentration is a specialization
within an associate degree program that is less intense than a major. A minimum
of thirteen quarter hours or eight semester hours and no more than nineteen
percent of the total hours in the program must be allocated to the technical
discipline named in the concentration.
(9) A school offering an associate degree
shall maintain a library supervised by a trained librarian or competent staff
member. The library shall provide appropriate access within the school to
standard reference, periodicals and books consistent with the curriculum
offerings. The physical holdings may be augmented by an approved cooperative
arrangement with another library or by electronic access. The hours of
operations for the library shall be for the convenience of the students
attending the institution. An area for students to study must be
provided.
(10) A school proposing
to offer the associate degree should form an advisory
committee that utilizes appropriate persons
to advise in the establishment and maintenance of a quality educational
program. The advisory committee should be composed of individuals who are not
employed by the institution, but who are recognized as practitioners from the
community in the disciplines encompassed by the associate degree.
Advisory committees shall meet at least once per year
to review the program curriculum and program outcomes and the school shall keep
minutes of the advisory committee meetings available for inspection by the
board.
(11) Before the
establishment of the associate degree program, a school shall have at least one
person employed to offer leadership in program development, work with advisory
committees, recommend equipment and monitor the program's implementation and
operation. Such a person must be competent in the field of instruction either
by training or work experience or a combination of both.
(12) A school offering an associate degree
shall provide academic advisement for all students.
(13) Students admitted to an associate degree
program shall be a high school graduate or possess the GED.
(14) A student may be admitted to the
associate degree program upon written verification from the student that they
have received their high school diploma or GED. The board may require schools
to audit admissions records and provide independent verification from the
appropriate high school, state department of education or other independent
source verifying that the student has received their high school diploma or
GED. If the school is unable to obtain this independent verification, the
student must be withdrawn at the end of the student's current academic term.
(15) Instructors with
teaching assignments primarily in technical areas of an
associate degree program shall have the following minimum
qualifications:
(a) Formal education
appropriate to the specialization, usually including the bachelor's or master's
degree or their equivalent as demonstrated by expertise, license, or
certification and three years work experience; or
(b) Practical experience other than teaching
in the appropriate specialization, as demonstrated by full-time employment for
five years in the career area, or a related field, and evidence of professional
certification in the field of concentration.
(16)
All instructors whose assignments are primarily in the teaching of the general
studies curriculum should hold a master's degree or have bachelor's degree in
the subject matter discipline, and should also show evidence of professional
development in the subject matter discipline.
(17) Full-time
instructors who teach in the general studies portion of any degree program must
have the following qualifications:
(a) Hold a
master's degree in the subject matter discipline he/she is assigned to teach;
or
(b) Hold a master's degree in
education with proficiency in the subject matter discipline; or
(18) For purposes of this rule only, "full-time
instructor" means an instructor who is assigned for at least thirty hours per
week of instruction, laboratory teaching or office hours;
(E) All advanced degree programs approved by the board shall meet the following minimum standards:
(1) "Advanced degree program" means a program
of instruction at the baccalaureate, masters or doctorate level of
instruction.
(2)
All advanced degree programs offered by Ohio based
schools must be approved by both the board and the Ohio department of higher
education in accordance with section
3332.05 of the Ohio Revised
Code. During any review of advanced degree programs the board will use the
standards adopted by the Ohio department of higher education. The
board shall not issue such final
program authorization for any advance degree programs offered in Ohio unless
the degree program has been approved by the Ohio department of higher
education pursuant to the provisions of section
3332.05 of the Revised
Code.
(3) Program authorization
shall be for a period as specified by the board, dependent upon the outcome of
the program review. Renewal authorization will be for a period as determined by
the board not to exceed two years.
Advanced degrees shall be renewed and assessed fees for a period that coincides
with the approval cycle for a school's certificate of registration.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Ohio may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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