General Information

How does a program determine if 50% of the program is distance? If all courses could be distance, but don’t have to be, is that considered 100% even if students typically take 25% of their courses through distance technologies?

The percentage is calculated based on what the program offers, even if the students can take traditional courses. Programs should review the information about distance education as defined in the Accreditation Handbook—Chapter XI: Expectations of Programs to determine whether the program meets the threshold for seeking approval of a distance education program.

Can/should there be a separate application for traditional program and one offered via distance education?

In the EnGauge reporting system, questions requiring responses from programs offering distance education or via satellite campuses will be visible for completion only if they in fact meet the 50% rule. If adding a new modality, as described in the Reporting Changes section of the Accreditation Handbook—Chapter XI: Expectations of Programs, programs are expected to notify the CAA Accreditation Office at least 5 months in advance of the submission date.