Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education
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Arizona College and Career Guide 2003 - 2004 29th Edition Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education On-Line at: http://accg.azhighered.org State of Arizona The Honorable Janet Napolitano GOVERNOR Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education COMMISSIONERS Michael R. Rooney (Chairman) James Dugan (Vice Chair) Kathy Alexander Dr. Sarah Bickel Charles Blagg Dr. Linda Blessing (Ex-Officio) Teri Candelaria (Ex-Officio) Vernon E. Jacobs David O. Lagunas Wallace W. Lewis K.C. Miller Dr. Gary Passer Dr. Randall M. Richardson Michael A. Smith Dr. Anna Solley Verna L. Allen EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Arizona College & Career Guide 2003 -2004 © Mike Smith EDITOR Commission Office 2020 North Central Avenue, Suite 550 Phoenix, Arizona 85004-4503 Telephone (602) 258-2435 ext. 100 Fax (602) 258-2483 E-Mail: [email protected] 2003 - 2004, 29th Edition The On-Line Version of the Arizona College and Career Guide is available at: www.azhighered.org By picking up the Arizona College and Career Guide, you are taking the first step toward your postsecondary education. Your post-secondary education is one of the most important decisions of your life. It is the first step toward a new choice and a new future. This resource guide is an alphabetical listing of information on Arizona’s universities, colleges, and career schools. Each school is different in many ways. Each has unique admission guidelines, program requirements, and course offerings. It is up to you to get the information you need. Once your have narrowed your choices to several institutions: CALL the schools you are interested in attending and request admission and financial aid applications and a college catalog. Ask any questions you may have. The catalog is the best source of information you can get from the school. Most catalogs list courses and their general descriptions along with basic requirements for the certificates or degrees the school offers. VISIT each school. See if you like the campus; talk to faculty, staff, and students; stop by the job placement or career services office and find out what companies recruit graduating students; inquire at the financial aid office about about grants, loans, and other forms of assistance. THINK about your education carefully. It is the foundation of your future career path. The Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education welcomes your feedback as to what you find useful and suggestions as to how we might improve our next edition. Call us and let us know what you think. Our number is (602) 258-2435 ext. 100 or E-mail the editor, Mike Smith at: [email protected]. ACCREDITATION Accreditation is a voluntary process by which an institution volunteers to be evaluated by a specific, non-governmental accrediting body. The conferral of this accreditation indicates the institution has met pre-set standards of the accrediting body. It does not mean that all institutions with similar accreditation are the same; however, there is an implied assurance that a minimal level of quality is provided by an accredited institution. This method of industry self-regulation and quality control is fairly unique to the U.S. Accrediting bodies are recognized by both the U.S. Department of Education and Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Two main categories of accreditation exist, and are outlined as follows: INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITATION Institutional accreditation evaluates a entire institution (as opposed to just one program or college within a university). In addition to academics, this includes evaluation of governance and administration, financial stability, student services, resources (libraries, computer lab's), academic achievement of the student body, the institution's overall effectiveness in accomplishing their mission, and their relationships with constituencies outside their institution. The accreditation review teams are usually comprised of other accredited institutions. Institutional accreditation in the United States fall into two categories: regional and national. REGIONAL ACCREDITATION Regional accreditation is granted through six regional bodies or agencies. As stated, these bodies are named after the geographic region which they serve. Some institutions are evaluated by more than one regional agency if their locations cross regional boundaries. To an institution which receives regional accreditation, it means recognition by their peers that they provide a quality education at the college level. Accreditation assures customers - students that the institution has met comparable standards of academic quality and fiscal soundness that is similar to other countries, although our system is voluntary. Schools at any level can gain regional accreditation: 2-year programs (community or junior colleges), 4-year bachelor programs (colleges), and those which also have graduate level programs (colleges and universities). In the U.S., the words “college”, “academy”, “institute” and “university” do not necessarily confirm the school is regionally accredited (thereby considered for acceptance into higher education institutions) is to check that the school’s accreditation is one of the following seven agencies: - Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Higher Education - New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of Higher Education - North Central Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Institutions of Higher Education - Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Colleges - Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges - Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission - Community and Junior Colleges/Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities As many of these agencies also accredit secondary schools and technical institutes in their regions, it is important that the accreditation comes from the commissions listed above. NATIONAL ACCREDITATION Accreditation assures the student that the school is a legitimate institution, has a curriculum or training plan and holds classes, as national accrediting bodies also perform institutional evaluations; however, these agencies determine their membership by purpose rather than geographical region. However, this coursework is not transferable to higher education institutions. Other regionally-accredited institutions, credits from nationally-accredited schools and colleges are generally not accepted in transfer toward degree programs. The reason is two-fold: the coursework offered will usually be intended to meet specif - ic occupational markets, and courses/programs taught at nationally-accredited institutions usually do not meet the same academic standards as those taught at regionally-accredited institutions. To education customers, this means that the education received at nationally-accredited institutions performs an important role in providing religious and/or vocational training, however, it is not transferable by nature of the purpose of this education. SPECIALIZED ACCREDITATION Specialized accrediting bodies evaluate specific programs of study or colleges within an institution. Their membership is usually determined by field of study or profession. Therefore, an institution can hold regional accreditation institution-wide, and simultaneously hold specialized accreditation in specific disciplines such as architecture, business, engineering and nursing. Master students who plan to enter Doctoral programs should investigate that institution’s program to insure graduate programs meet their entrance requirements. ACCREDITING AGENCIES REGIONAL INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITING ASSOCIATIONS MSA Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools NEASC New England Association of Schools and Colleges NCA North Central Association of Colleges and Schools NASC Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges SACS Southern Association of Colleges and Schools WASC Western Association of Schools and Colleges NATIONAL INSTITUTIONAL AND SPECIALIZED ACCREDITING BODIES AABC Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges, Commission on Accreditation AACSB American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business AAFCS American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences AALE American Academy for Liberal Education AALR American Association for Leisure and Recreation AALS Association of American Law Schools AAMFT American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education AANA American Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs ABA American Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar ABET Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology ABFSE American Board of Funeral Service Education, Committee on Accreditation ABHES Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools ACAOM Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine ACCE American Council for Construction Education ACCET Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training ACCSCT Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology ACCS Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, Accreditation Commission ACEHSA Accrediting Commission on Education for Health Services Administration ACEJMC Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications ACF American Culinary Federation ACICS Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools ACNM American College of Nurse-Midwives, Division of Accreditation ACPE Association for Clinical Pastoral Education,