West Virginia Code of State Rules › Agency 133 - Higher Education Policy Commission › Title 133 - LEGISLATIVE RULE WEST VIRGINIA HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY COMMISSION › Series 133-11 - Standards and Processes for Approval of New Academic Programs › Section 133-11-3 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 28, July 12, 2024
3.1. "Area of
				emphasis" means a specific subject area of study which has defined course
				offerings within an approved degree program and major. Normally, a minimum of
				12 and no more than 18 hours would be expected for an area of emphasis within a
				baccalaureate degree program and a minimum of six and no more than 12 credit
				hours would be expected for an area of emphasis within a graduate degree.
				Typically, a minimum of six and no more than nine credit hours would be
				expected for an area of emphasis within an associate degree program. Areas of
				emphasis completed would appear on the student's transcript.
3.2. "Certificate programs" (as distinguished
				from the one-year Certificate Degree Program offered by the community and
				technical colleges) means a coherent, specialized curriculum designed for
				students in search of a specific body of knowledge for personal or career
				development or professional continuing education. The certificate program is
				not attached to a degree program, although credit hours earned in a certificate
				program may be applied to a degree if they are deemed appropriate by the
				institution. The awarding of a certificate upon completion of the program is
				not contingent upon completion of a degree program. The certificate would
				appear on the student's transcript and an institution may issue an official
				certificate of completion. Normally, a minimum of six and no more than nine
				credit hours would constitute a certificate program at the associate level, and
				a minimum of 12 and no more than 21 credit hours would constitute a certificate
				program at the baccalaureate or graduate level.
3.3. "Chancellor" means the Chancellor for
				Higher Education as that term is defined in W. Va. Code §
									18B-1-2 or his or her
				designee.
3.4. "Commission" means
				the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission as established by W. Va.
				Code §
									18B-1B-1.
3.5. "Degree program" means an area of study
				approved as such by the institution and the Commission and listed on the
				official Commission inventory of degree programs, e.g., English, Social Work,
				Physical Education. The degree, which is an award signifying a rank or level of
				educational attainment and which is conferred on students who have successfully
				completed a degree program, is represented by the official degree designation,
				e.g., B.A. - Bachelor of Arts, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, A.S. - Associate of
				Science, etc. The degree program completed would be listed on the student's
				diploma.
3.6. "Joint degree
				program" means one common degree program offered jointly by two participating
				institutions in which the student takes courses from both institutions and,
				upon graduation, receives a degree listing both institutions on the diploma or
				certificate.
3.7. "Major" means a
				field of study within an approved degree program having its own curriculum. A
				degree program may have more than one major. An institution may elect to
				include the major(s) on the student's diploma.
3.8. "Minor" means a secondary area of
				specialization beyond a college major that is earned in a specific subject area
				of study and must be composed of at least 12 credit hours of course work. A
				student may not earn a baccalaureate minor in a subject area in which he or she
				is earning a baccalaureate major.
3.9. "New academic program" means any
				prescribed course of study at a State university that constitutes a major,
				minor, concentration, or certificate leading to a recognized degree or specific
				employment situation that was not in effect as of the effective date of this
				rule and that has not been previously approved by the Commission.
3.10. "State university" or "institution"
				means those public four-year institutions not affiliated with or under the
				administrative umbrella of West Virginia University, Marshall University, or
				the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. Those institutions are
				Bluefield State University, Concord University, Fairmont State University,
				Glenville State University, Shepherd University, West Liberty University, and
				West Virginia State University:
Provided
, That pursuant to W.
				Va. Code §
									18B-1C-2(i),
				West Virginia University and West Virginia University Institute of Technology,
				as it relates to providing academic programming at the Beckley campus, shall be
				subject to the provisions of this rule;
Provided further
, That
				pursuant to W. Va. Code § 18B-1-1f(e)(3), the provisions of this rule
				shall not apply to the administratively exempted schools.