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## International Affairs Office, U.S. Department of Education Feb 2008

[[http://www.ed.gov/international/usnei/edlite-index.html]{.underline}](http://www.ed.gov/international/usnei/edlite-index.html)

Organization of U.S. Education:

Tertiary Institutions

The individual school, postsecondary institution, or other provider is
the competent authority in the United States for nearly all academic
matters. There are nearly 130,000 individual institutions in the U.S.
education system, including nearly 117,000 primary and secondary
schools, nearly 6,000 postsecondary career and technical schools, and
just under 4,000 degree-granting institutions of higher education. These
institutions vary widely as to type, ownership, and governance
arrangements.

**POSTSECONDARY CAREER AND TECHNICAL SCHOOLS**

Career and technical schools provide short training courses, and
sometimes specialized degree programs, in what used to be called
postsecondary vocational education. The vast majority of career and
technical schools are private and many of them are operated on a
for-profit basis. Career and technical schools are approved and
regulated by state governments and may be accredited (see [Accreditation
and Quality
Assurance](http://www.ed.gov/international/usnei/us/edlite-accreditation.html)).
Accreditation is important because only schools and other providers
accredited by recognized accrediting agencies can provide training that
is commonly accepted in other states and by employers and licensing
authorities outside the home state.

[NOTE: Some career and technical programs are provided by community
colleges, but that is not all that community colleges do and these
institutions should be treated as higher education institutions, not
exclusively as vocational schools]{.underline}.

[ED Career and Technical Education
Page](http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/cte/index.html)
provides extensive information about federal programs in this area plus
research, data, and other resources.

[National Research Center on Career and Technical Education
(NRCCTE)](http://www.nccte.org/) is a federally funded center conducting
research projects and providing information and data.

[Association of Career and Technical Education
(ACTE)](http://www.acteonline.org/) is a national association providing
information about the history and philosophy of career and technical
education, plus current activities.

[ED Career Colleges and Technical Schools
Page](http://www.ed.gov/students/prep/college/consumerinfo/index.html)
provides information on selecting an accredited school and links to
school directories, state agencies, and recognized accrediting agencies
for this level and type of education.

[Career Colleges Association (CCA)](http://www.career.org/) is a
membership association of over 1,200 private for-profit institutions
that provide training for specific occupations at the non-degree and
degree levels.

**HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS**

Higher education institutions in the United States are organized and
licensed or chartered as non-profit or for-profit corporations,
regardless of whether they are public or private. These corporate
entities are governed by boards of trustees, who are citizens appointed
by a governor or legislature (public institutions) or elected by the
board itself (private institutions). Institutions thus established may
be single campus institutions, multi-campus institutions or systems
comprising several independent institutions.

**Public institutions**, in addition to having governing boards
appointed by state authorities, will also receive some annual allocation
of state budget funds; some of their property may be state owned; and
they may be subject to state regulations of other kinds depending on the
nature of their relationship to the state as defined in their charters.
Public institutions are internally self-governing and autonomous with
respect to academic decision-making.

**Private institutions** are independent of state control even though
they are licensed or authorized by state governments. They may be
non-profit or for-profit, and may be secular or affiliated with a
religious community. Some private institutions may be authorized by
state governments to receive state operating funds and to provide some
public services, such as operating publicly funded academic programs or
functioning as state land-grant institutions receiving federal funding
from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Both public and private institutions may charge students tuition and
fees; may receive gifts and donations and hold an invested endowment;
and may earn income from research and instructional grants and
contracts. Public institutions may have restrictions set by states on
how much they can charge students and may be required to keep non-state
gift and other income separate, often in foundations administered by
alumni.

#### General Higher Education INFORMATION

[American Council on Education (ACE)](http://www.acenet.edu/) is the
national association representing the presidents and senior officials of
all U.S. degree-granting higher education institutions.

[Washington Higher Education Secretariat (WHES)](http://www.whes.org/)
is a leadership consortium of the major higher education institutional
and policy organizations located in the Washington, DC area.

[Carnegie Classification of Higher
Education](http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/classifications/) is a
widely used typology of U.S. institutions of higher education. *NOTE:
The Carnegie Classification is not an official classification and is not
a ranking of institutions. It should not be used as such.*

#### Community and Junior Colleges

Community colleges are comprehensive public institutions that provide a
wide variety of educational services, ranging from adult and community
education services, through postsecondary career and technical
education, to academic and professional studies at the university level
permitting transfer to higher level studies. Some community colleges
have begun to offer accredited bachelor's degree programs. Nearly all
community colleges have transfer arrangements with local public and
private colleges and universities (called articulation agreements) that
permit qualified students who have completed approved courses of study
to transfer to bachelor's level studies with up to two years of academic
credit.

[American Association of Community Colleges
(AACC)](http://www.aacc.nche.edu/) is the national association
representing public community colleges and private 2-year, or junior,
colleges.

#### PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

Institutions that offer the bachelor's and higher degrees are often
called "senior" colleges or universities, to distinguish them from
"junior" colleges and other institutions offering the associate degree
as their highest qualification. However, some colleges and universities
offer studies at all degree levels from the associate to the doctorate.
The terms "college" and "university" are not legally protected, nor are
institutional titles such as "institute," "academy," or others. An
institution is permitted to use the title bestowed upon it in its state
charter or license to operate. Institutions are classified according to
the highest degree they award, regardless of title, as well as whether
they specialize in a few subjects or offer a comprehensive range of
programs, and whether they serve special populations. None of these are
considered qualitative distinctions by themselves. Programs are
accredited at each degree level, and accredited institutions that offer
programs at the same level are considered to meet the same minimum
standards.

[American Association of State Colleges and Universities
(AASCU)](http://www.aascu.org/) is a national association representing
the state-funded and state-affiliated higher education institutions in
the United States.

[Association of American Colleges and Universities
(AACU)](http://www.aacu.org/) \> is a national association of higher
education institutions, including both public and private institutions
as well as universities offering graduate studies, that are committed to
undergraduate (bachelor's level) education in the U.S. tradition of the
liberal arts.

[Association of American Universities (AAU)](http://www.aau.edu/) is a
national association of comprehensive research universities that focus
on doctoral studies in a wide variety of subjects, and are concerned
with issues of scientific research, research funding, and related policy
issues.

[Council of Independent Colleges (CIC)](http://www.cic.edu/) is a
national association of private higher education institutions,
especially independent undergraduate colleges and small to mid-sized
universities emphasizing undergraduate teaching as well as research.

[National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
(NAICU)](http://www.naicu.edu/) is a national associate of private
higher education institutions of all types and emphasizing both teaching
and research.

[National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges
(NASULGC)](http://www.nasulgc.org/) is a national association of state
colleges and universities established and partially funded under the
First and Second Morrill Acts of the U.S. government (1862 and 1890)
plus other state higher education institutions.

###### HIGHER EDUCATION SERVING SPECIFIC POPULATIONS

Many private and public colleges are characterized by historical service
to a particular ethnic group, race, or gender. There is a long tradition
of higher education institutions being founded for these purposes.
Tribal colleges founded by the American Indian nations, historically
black colleges and universities and single-sex colleges are only among
the most well-known of these types of institutions. Useful links
include:

[ED Directory of Postsecondary Minority-Serving
Institutions](http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/edlite-minorityinst.html)

[American Indian Higher Education Consortium
(AIHEC)](http://www.aihec.org/)

[Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
(HACU)](http://www.hacu.net/hacu/Default_EN.asp)

[United Negro College Fund (UNCF)](http://www.uncf.org/)

[Women\'s College Coalition (WCC)](http://www.womenscolleges.org/)

###### FAITH-RELATED HIGHER EDUCATION

The oldest tradition in U.S. higher education, dating to 1636 and the
founding of Harvard College (then a Puritan Congregationalist
institution), is the establishment and operation of higher education
institutions by religious communities. Unlike seminaries and similar
schools, which prepare individuals specifically for religious vocations
and related occupations, faith-related institutions function similarly
to secular institutions in that they offer a variety of subjects,
respect academic freedom and prepare students for many different
careers. At the same time, faith-related institutions offer distinctive
environments for learning and for student development. Most of them
qualify for recognition by the U.S. federal student assistance program
and are fully accredited by recognized agencies. Many are among the most
well-known and respected U.S. colleges and universities. Among the
faith-related institutions in the United States, the following links
provide a sampling:

######## Buddhist

[World Buddhist Directory](http://www.buddhanet.net/wbd/) \[Search by
region, country, state and type of institution.\]

[DharmaNet Academic Studies
Resources](http://www.dharmanet.org/lcacademic.htm)

####### **Jewish**

[Academic Jewish Studies Internet
Directory](http://jewishstudies.virtualave.net/)

[Association of Jewish Studies (AJS) Directory of
Programs](http://www.ajsnet.org/programs.php)

####### **Latter-Day Saints (LDS)**

[BeSmart Directory of LDS Colleges and
Universities](http://www.besmart.com/)

####### **Muslim**

[IslamicFinder Education
Page](http://www.islamicfinder.org/index.php?sid=308920385&t=sub_pages&cat=64&lang=english)
\[U.S. and international links\]

####### **Orthodox Christian**

[Orthodox Christian Education Commission
(OCEC)](http://www.orthodoxed.org/) \[Links to various Orthodox churches
and their education sites\]

####### **Protestant Denominations**

[Adventist Colleges and
Universities](http://www.nadeducation.org/colleges_universities/)

[African Methodist Episcopal (AME)
Institutions](http://www.ame-church.com/directory/higher-ed.php)

[AME Zion Colleges and
Universities](http://www.amez.org/news/amezion/colleges.html)

[American Baptist-Related Colleges and
Universities](http://www.nationalministries.org/education/colleges_and_universities.cfm)

[Apostolic Pentecostal Colleges
Directory](http://www.apostolicpentecostalchurches.org/biblecolleges.html)

[Assemblies of God Colleges and
Universities](http://colleges.ag.org/about/mission_statement.cfm)

[Association of Episcopal Colleges
(AEC)](http://www.cuac.org/53810_43981_ENG_HTM.htm)

[Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities
(APCU)](http://www.apcu.net/)

[Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME)
Institutions](http://www.c-m-e.org/core/higher_learning.htm)

[Church of Christ Affiliated Colleges and
Universities](http://www.plymouth-church.com/colleges_universities.html)

[Churches of Christ Universities
Directory](http://church-of-christ.org/universities/United_States/U_United_States.htm)

[Church of the Nazarene Colleges and
Universities](http://www.nazarene.org/education/iboe/weblinks/display.aspx)

[Colleges and Universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America](http://www.elca.org/colleges/)

[Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
(CCCU)](http://www.cccu.org/) \[Evangelical\]

[Disciples of Christ Higher Education](http://www.helmdisciples.org/)

[Friends Association for Higher Education
(FAHE)](http://www.earlham.edu/~fahe/)

[Holiness Colleges](http://holiness.cc/Bible_Colleges/)

[International Association of Baptist Colleges and
Universities](http://www.baptistschools.org/) \[Southern Baptist
Convention\]

[Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Higher Education
Directory](http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=395)

[Lutheran Educational Conference of North
America](http://www.lutherancolleges.org/)

[Mennonite Education Agency
(MEA)](http://www.mennoniteeducation.org/MEAPortal/DesktopDefault.aspx)

[Pentecostal Holiness Affiliated
Colleges](http://www.educationdepartment.org/religious/47)

[Reformed Colleges](http://reformed.net/church/school.html)

[United Church of Christ (UCC) Related Colleges and
Universities](http://www.ucc.org/higher-education/school/)

[United Methodist Higher Education](http://www.gbhem.org/highed.html)

[United Pentecostal Church International College
Directory](http://doe.upci.org/ME2/Audiences/dirsect.asp?sid=27D6767789F940FE92E0903E7753249F&nm=Bible+Colleges+%26+Seminary)

[Wesleyan Church Colleges and
Universities](http://www.wesleyan.org/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=1A84ECD86AB1463AA8D975EB18132837&nm=Directory&type=links&mod=Link+Manager&mid=3F8F7FE8D87F44898153DB6E26AD5514&tier=1)

####### **Roman Catholic**

[Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities
(ACCU)](http://www.accunet.org/)

[Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities
(AJCU)](http://www.ajcunet.edu/)

See also: [**State Role I -- Primary and Secondary
Education**](http://www.ed.gov/international/usnei/us/elsec.doc)

[**State Role III -- Other Educational
Services**](http://www.ed.gov/international/usnei/us/state-other.doc)

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