Statutory Authority: O.C.G.A. §§ 20-3-250.5(b)(2); 20-3-250.6(a)(1)  

1. Each individually offered program must be approved by GNPEC.  

2. Each program of study must include the following: 

  • Clear objectives; 

  • Established and appropriate entrance requirements; 

  • A detailed curriculum outline; 

  • Theoretical and practical components; 

  • Assessment of knowledge gained; 

  • Remediation services; and 

  • Final evaluation. 

3. Each program must have syllabi and written lesson plans available for each course or, in the instance of single course programs, for the whole program. 

4. Programmatic length must be satisfactory to ensure amount content offered is relative to the programmatic level.  

  • Certificate—no minimum length; can be offered at any postsecondary level 

  • Associate—requires at least 60 semester credit hours (or equivalent)  

  • Bachelor—requires at least 120 semester credit hours (or equivalent)  

5. Institutions offering credit for experience and/or competency, or equivalent, must have a policy in place for how credit is granted based upon documented metrics.  

6. Programmatic accreditation, or institutional accreditation including programs, must be attained in order to offer graduate degree programs. 

7. The institution must be able to make available a list of potential employment opportunities for which the program prepares. 

8. If certification, licensure, or other state and/or national vocational approval may be required of the graduate to become employed in the field, the institution must disclose if the program does not meet those requirements prior to, or at the time of, enrollment in published institutional materials. 

9. The institution must have a system in place for evaluating and documenting student achievement such as through periodic examinations, skills assessment logs, and/or standardized achievement tests. Furthermore, the following practices are required: 

  • Established grading system; 
  • Ongoing/updated record of grades; and 
  • Established exit criteria for determining successful completion of course work and programs. 

10. The institution must incorporate teaching methods and procedures to provide for direct meaningful interaction between students and faculty. 

11. The institution must periodically evaluate its ability to satisfy its mission statement through methods such as student surveys or an institutional effectiveness committee and develop procedures to improve its ability to satisfy its mission statement as necessary. 

12. The institution must periodically survey faculty as part of an institution-wide evaluation of its ability to satisfy its mission statement. 

  • Faculty and staff must be notified of relevant institutional policy changes through regular training and/or meetings.