Screening Form for Changes to Existing Educational Programs

Complete the form below to determine whether prior HLC approval or notification is required for any of the following types of changes to an existing HLC-approved degree or certificate program.

Types of Changes to Report

Number of Clock or Credit Hours for Traditional Credit Programs

Report a change of 25% or more to the number of clock or credit hours required to complete a degree program or certificate program, either in a single change or as the sum total of aggregate changes since the institution’s most recent accreditation review (comprehensive evaluation or Assurance Review).

Please note: Approved reduced-credit bachelor’s degree programs are not eligible to use this screening form. Programs are specifically listed in the institution’s General stipulation.

When Approval Is Required

Prior HLC approval is required when changing the number of clock or credits hours by 25% or more for a degree program and by more than 50% for a certificate program. In those cases, institutions are not required to complete this screening form before submitting an application. See Substantive Change: Changes to Existing Programs for more information.

Changes of Less Than 25%

Institutions may also report changes to clock or credit hours of less than 25%. HLC will add this information to its records and treat it as a notification.

Program Content

Report a change of 25% or more to the content of a program, either in a single change or as the sum total of aggregate changes, since the most recent accreditation review (comprehensive evaluation or Assurance Review).

Program content changes include changes to a program’s curriculum (measured by clock or credit hours), learning objectives, competencies or required clinical experiences. This includes changes in the general education courses required for program completion, not merely the courses within the discipline, program or major.

Program Concentrations or Specializations

Changes to program concentrations or specializations should not be reported in this form. Please contact your institution’s HLC staff liaison if you are planning to:

Add a concentration or specialization that is a significant departure from the original approved program.
End a concentration or specialization.

Program Name or CIP Code Changes

Only report changes to a program name or CIP code if the program is specifically listed in the institution’s General stipulation limiting the programs the institution offers. Otherwise, you do not need to report program name or CIP Code changes to HLC.

If your institutions received a request from a regulatory agency to document that HLC has approved a program, please submit that request using HLC’s Official Letter Request Form.

Method of Delivery

Report a change in the method of delivery for a program. If your institution is changing a program’s method of delivery to credit-based competency-based education or distance education, you will need your institution’s relevant stipulation from its Institutional Status and Requirements (ISR) Report.

Customized Pathways or Abbreviated or Modified Courses

Report the development of customized pathways or abbreviated or modified courses or programs to accommodate a student’s existing knowledge (such as from employment or military service) and to close competency gaps between demonstrated prior knowledge and the full requirements of a particular course or program.

Institutions Subject to Additional Requirements

Do not use this screening form if your institution meets any of the conditions listed below. These institutions are subject to additional requirements and should complete this alternative screening form.

Your institution is currently on Notice, Probation or under a Show-Cause Order (placed on the sanction or Show-Cause Order after July 1, 2020);
In the prior three years, your institution has been on Notice, Probation or under a Show-Cause Order (placed on the sanction or Show-Cause Order after July 1, 2020); or
Your institution is currently under a provisional certification status with the U.S. Department of Education, and that status was assigned on or after July 1, 2020.

Questions?

See Substantive Change: Changes to Existing Programs or contact [email protected].

Screening Form

Submit the form separately for each program in which changes are being made.

If the person completing this form is not the CEO or Accreditation Liaison Officer of the institution, it is understood that they have consulted with and informed those individuals and have been authorized to submit this form on the institution’s behalf.

"*" indicates required fields

Institution Information

Institution name:*

Is your institution on a sanction or Show-Cause Order with HLC, or has it been removed from a sanction or Show-Cause Order that was issued on or after July 1, 2020?*

Yes

Is your institution currently on a provisional certification status that was assigned by the U.S. Department of Education on or after July 1, 2020?*

Yes

Please complete this alternative screening form for institutions that are on or recently removed from a sanction or Show-Cause Order, or that are under provisional certification.

Your Contact Information

Name*

First Last

Title*

Email*

Program Details

Full program name:*

2020 CIP code and program name:*

Is the program a degree or certificate program?*

Credential level:*

Credential awarded:*

Example: A.A.S., B.A., M.A., M.S., Ed.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., etc.

Current number of credit hours required for the program:*

Is the program a reduced-credit bachelor's program approved by HLC?*

Yes

Program Changes

Is the institution changing the number of credit hours required for the program?*

Yes

Please contact your institution’s HLC staff liaison. Credit hour changes for approved reduced-credit bachelor’s degree programs cannot be reported on this screening form.

Will the proposed new number of credit hours required to complete the program conform to the following minimum program lengths specified in HLC’s Assumed Practices?*

Associate’s degree: 60 semester credits
Bachelor’s degree: 120 semester credits
Master’s degree: 30 semester credits beyond the bachelor’s

Yes

Not applicable (only select for doctoral or specialist programs)

Variations from the minimum accepted program length must be explained and justified. Please contact your institution’s HLC staff liaison.

Is the institution increasing or decreasing the total number of clock or credit hours required for successful completion of the program by 25% or more since its most recent HLC accreditation review?*

Yes

Is the institution increasing or decreasing the total number of clock or credit hours required for successful completion of the program by more than 50% since its most recent HLC accreditation review?*

Yes

What is the proposed new number of credit hours required for the program?*

If you are reporting changes to a degree program, provide the total required for the full program, not just those required for a specific major.

Is the institution changing the content of the program? (See definition above.)*

Yes

What percentage of the program content is being changed in relation to the total number of credits required to earn the degree?*

Explain the nature of the change to the content of the program:*

Is the institution changing the program name or CIP Code?*

Yes

Is the program specifically listed in the institution's General stipulation limiting the program(s) the institution offers?*

Yes

Explain the change to the program name or CIP Code:*

This change does not need to be reported to HLC. If there are no other changes to the program, you do not need to submit the screening form.

If you need documentation of HLC’s approval of the program, please submit that request using HLC’s Official Letter Request Form.

Is the institution changing the program's method of delivery?*

Yes

Is the change to the program's method of delivery related to competency-based education?*

Yes

Please select the type of CBE the program will use:*

Direct assessment

Hybrid

Credit-based

Does your institution's Competency-Based Education stipulation read "Approved for credit-based competency-based education"?*

Yes

Is the change to the program's method of delivery related to distance education?*

Yes

Does your institution's Distance Education stipulation read "Approved to offer distance education courses and programs"?*

Yes

Explain the change to the method of delivery:*

Is the institution developing customized pathways or abbreviated modified courses or programs to accommodate a student's existing knowledge and to close competency gaps between demonstrated prior knowledge and the full requirements of a particular course or program?*

Yes

Is this customized pathway prior learning assessment?*

Yes

Explain the change to the course or program:*

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