West Virginia Code of State Rules › Agency 133 - Higher Education Policy Commission › Title 133 - LEGISLATIVE RULE WEST VIRGINIA HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY COMMISSION › Series 133-20 - Initial Authorization of Degree-Granting Institutions › Section 133-20-3 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 28, July 12, 2024
3.1. "Academic
				credit" means the certification of a student's successful completion of a unit
				of a course of study leading to a formal award granted by an institution
				approved to offer a collegiate degree such as an associate, baccalaureate,
				masters or doctorate degree.
3.2.
				"Accreditation" means a status attained by the institution through voluntarily
				meeting standards set by a nongovernmental entity recognized by the U.S.
				Secretary of Education.
3.3.
				"Authorization" means the status attained by the institution that allows the
				institution to offer programs and courses within the State of West Virginia.
				This status is granted by the Higher Education Policy Commission when the
				institution demonstrates compliance with the requirements for such
				status.
3.4. "Commission" means the
				West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.
3.5. "Council" means the West Virginia
				Council for Community and Technical College Education.
3.6. "Course" means a formally organized,
				structured series of instructional activities open to the general public for
				which a fee is charged, and for which credit toward a degree either is awarded
				or may reasonably be understood to be applicable to a degree with the intent of
				imparting information or understanding at a level appropriate to a
				postsecondary audience. Instruction may be in face-to-face meetings or
				delivered electronically or by other means.
3.7. "Degree" means any earned award
				conferred by a higher educational institution which represents satisfactory
				completion of the requirements of a program, or course of study, or any
				instruction beyond or apart from the secondary level of greater duration than
				eleven months of full-time study.
3.8. "Degree program" means a curriculum or
				course of study of greater duration than eleven months of full-time study in a
				discipline or field that leads to a degree.
3.9. "Distance education" means the delivery
				of any course or degree programs by synchronous or asynchronous technology.
				Asynchronous or synchronous technology via distance delivery includes all forms
				of internet, electronic, digital, online, video, and any other technology
				driven delivery system.
3.10.
				"Institution" means any person, firm, corporation, association, agency,
				institute, trust or other entity of any nature whatsoever offering education
				beyond the secondary level which:
3.10.a.
				offers courses or programs of study or instruction which lead to or which may
				reasonably be understood to be applicable toward a baccalaureate, masters,
				doctorate, or other specialized certification/degree designation above the
				baccalaureate level; or
3.10.b.
				operates a facility as a college or university or other entity which offers
				degrees or other indicia of a level of educational attainment beyond the
				secondary school level; or
3.10.c.
				uses the term "college" or "university," or words of like meaning, in its name
				or in any manner in connection with its academic affairs or business.