HLA 510 Quality Control in Higher Ed

This 3 credit graduate course, required of all degree seeking students in the Higher Education Leadership and Administration program, is designed to provide an extensive overview of issues and practices pertaining to quality control in higher education. Quality control in higher education incorporates a mix of internal practices at the institutional level, often combined with external review/approval procedures by governmental and quasi-governmental accreditation bodies, in the form of regional and specialized disciplined-based accreditation agencies. The former are usually state licensing and program approval agencies, broadly charge by state law to uphold quality standards in credit-based degree and certificate programs. The latter are empowered by the federal government to uphold quality standards at the institutional and discipline level via peer evaluation according to specific quality control standards adapted by the regional and discipline-based bodies. Eligibility for Title IV student aid support is conditional upon gaining and retaining accreditation by a regional accreditation body. Since the concepts/practices embedded in quality control are very detailed and highly prescriptive, this course is a broad overview of major concepts, procedures, and practices with a focus on preparing each student to become knowledgeable about accreditation, program review, and assessment with the expectation that all future institutional leaders will, by a function of their career growth in higher education administration, be expected to lead such processes.