Board of Regent Approval for Non-Degree Credentials

This Administrative Policy Statement (APS) was adopted following revisions to regent law and policy effective January 2018 and has been revised following revisions to regent law, article 4, part B and policy 4.B.3 in April 2025.

In general, Board of Regents’ approval of non-degree certificate programs is not required.  However, per article 4, part b, “External entities may require the Board of Regents’ approval to create and/or discontinue non-degree credentials. When allowed by the external entity, the Board of Regents delegates non-degree credential approval authority to the chancellors. The Board of Regents shall be informed of any such non-degree credential created or discontinued on a chancellor’s approval.”  This APS outlines procedures for obtaining board approval where it is required and not delegated and elements that should be considered where delegated.

1. Required Board Certificate Approval Process
   1. Campus Review Process
      
      The campus shall have a process for developing, reviewing, and approving non-degree certificates which require board approval whether delegated or not.  A record of campus reviews and approvals shall be included with the proposals.
      • If approval has been delegated to the chancellor, the approved certificate with associated proposal shall be submitted to the vice president for academic affairs for inclusion as an information item on the next meeting of the Board of Regents or appropriate regent committee. 
      • If the campus requests CCHE notification, the vice president for academic affairs shall notify the CCHE for appropriate action.
         
   2. Approval by the Board of Regents
      
      Non-degree certificates requiring board approval that have not been delegated to the chancellor have these additional requirements:
      1. System Review Process
         
         The vice president for academic affairs shall review the chancellor-approved proposal and associated documents before the proposal is forwarded to the Board of Regents.
      2. Review and Action by the Board of Regents
         
         Following board protocol, the vice president for academic affairs shall place the proposal on the agenda of the next appropriate meeting, and ultimately, on the board agenda for final approval.
         
         If the board approves the proposed certificate and the campus so requests, the vice president for academic affairs shall notify CCHE for appropriate action.
         ​
2. Guidelines for Certificate Program Proposals​
   1. Certificate Description:  Describe the field of study and basic design of the proposed certificate. Note whether the certificate is for-credit, or not for-credit, which will impact subsequent responses.
   2. External Requirements:  Supply any evidence specified by the external body that is requiring Board of Regents’ approval.
   3. Academic Requirements:  As appropriate, describe the admission criteria and list the courses and credit hours required for completion and the number of courses to be offered online. Where there are no for-credit courses, describe the learning goals and means for meeting those goals.
   4. Tuition/Cost and Fees:  Provide the tuition rate, certificate cost and any mandatory fees, as appropriate.
   5. Resource Requirements:  Explain the resources required to deliver the program, clearly indicating new resources that must be secured.
   6. Enrollment:  Provide enrollment projections for the first five years of implementation.
   7. Budget:  Provide revenue and expenditure estimates, including the primary sources and uses of funds.
   8. Other relevant information:  Include any other information deemed relevant by the campus to support the specific new certificate proposal.
       
3. Certificate Program Discontinuance
   1. Article 4, Part B:  Degree Programs and Other Credentials of the Laws of the Regents delegates to the chancellor the authority to discontinue a regent approved certificate, whether delegated or not.
   2. The vice president for academic affairs shall be informed of the discontinuance of a regent approved certificate, delegated or not, and shall communicate the action to CCHE (if appropriate) and provide this information to the next meeting of the Board of Regents or appropriate regent committee.

• Adopted:  January 1, 2018, as Gainful Employment Certificate Approval for Inclusion in the CCHE Higher Education Funding Formula.
• Revised:  July 1, 2025, renamed Board of Regent Approval for Non-Degree Credentials.
• Last Reviewed:  July 1, 2025.