Approvals for Distance Education Programs and Courses

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Policy Number:
UW-1021
Responsible Office:
Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research

University Policy

Rationale/​Purpose:

The U.S. Department of Education, the Higher Learning Commission, and UW System Administration require institutions to maintain records for and report on distance-education programs. The provisions described in this policy ensure UW–Madison is compliant with these requirements.

Definitions:
Academic Division (School/College)
An academic group of the university, defined in UW-803, Faculty Policies and Procedures Chapter 3, that serves as a school, college or like unit and is led by a dean or director who reports to the provost.
Academic Engagement
Active participation by a student in an instructional activity related to the student’s course of study that:
  1. Is defined by the institution in accordance with any applicable requirements of its State or accrediting agency;
  2. Includes, but is not limited to:
    1. Attending a synchronous class, lecture, recitation, or field or laboratory activity, physically or online, where there is an opportunity for interaction between the instructor and students;
    2. Submitting an academic assignment;
    3. Taking an assessment or exam;
    4. Participating in an interactive tutorial, webinar, or other interactive computer-assisted instruction;
    5. Participating in a study group, group project, or an online discussion that is assigned by the institution; or
    6. Interacting with an instructor about academic matters; and
  3. Does not include, for example:
    1. Living in institutional housing;
    2. Participating in the institution’s meal plan;
    3. Logging into an online class or tutorial without any further participation; or
    4. Participating in academic counseling or advisement.
Academic Program
An area of study that leads to a degree/major, certificate, minor or named option.
Academic Unit
The academic and administrative home for an academic program or subject listing, also known as an academic department, housed within an academic division (school/college). The academic unit originates all program and curricular changes through academic governance; ensures the curriculum is appropriate and that courses are offered regularly; provides student support services such as advising; prepares all content forthe Guide and assures the program and subject listing is represented accurately at all times; oversees the course evaluation process; coordinates assessment and program review; and receives allocation for program enrollment, degrees, certificates and credits in the information systems.
Correspondence Education/Course

(1) Education provided through one or more courses by an institution under which the institution provides instructional materials, by mail or electronic transmission, including examinations on the materials, to students who are separated from the instructor. (2) Interaction between the instructor and the student is not regular and substantive, and is primarily initiated by the student. (3) Correspondence courses are typically self-paced. (4) Correspondence education is not distance education.

At the current time, UW–Madison has no recorded correspondence education and is not approved to deliver correspondence education by the Higher Learning Commission. Knowledge of any such activity should be reported to the director of Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research (DAPIR).

Distance Education

(1) Education that uses one or more of the technologies listed in paragraphs (2)(i) through (iv) of this definition to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the instructor or instructors and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor or instructors, either synchronously or asynchronously.

(2) The technologies that may be used to offer distance education include -

  • (i) The internet;
  • (ii) One-way and two-way transmissions through open broadcast, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber optics, satellite, or wireless communications devices;
  • (iii) Audio conference; or
  • (iv) Other media used in a course in conjunction with any of the technologies listed in paragraphs (2)(i) through (iii) of this definition.

(3) For purposes of this definition, an instructor is an individual responsible for delivering course content and who meets the qualifications for instruction established by an institution's accrediting agency.

(4) For purposes of this definition, substantive interaction is engaging students in teaching, learning, and assessment, consistent with the content under discussion, and also includes at least two of the following -

  • (i) Providing direct instruction;
  • (ii) Assessing or providing feedback on a student's coursework;
  • (iii) Providing information or responding to questions about the content of a course or competency;
  • (iv) Facilitating a group discussion regarding the content of a course or competency; or
  • (v) Other instructional activities approved by the institution's or program's accrediting agency.

(5) An institution ensures regular interaction between a student and an instructor or instructors by, prior to the student's completion of a course or competency -

  • (i) Providing the opportunity for substantive interactions with the student on a predictable and scheduled basis commensurate with the length of time and the amount of content in the course or competency; and
  • (ii) Monitoring the student's academic engagement and success and ensuring that an instructor is responsible for promptly and proactively engaging in substantive interaction with the student when needed on the basis of such monitoring, or upon request by the student.
Scope:

Academic divisions and/or academic units that offer or seek to offer distance education courses and academic programs.

Policy:

Approval of Distance Education Courses

Courses are approved on the basis of academic content, and not on the mode of instruction, e.g., in-person, hybrid, online.

When courses are entered in the Schedule of Classes, each course section must be labeled with the relevant mode of instruction to accurately represent course delivery. The mode of instruction is essential and must be reliable for students and for mandated reporting purposes. Modes of Instruction include:

In-Person - The course section is not a distance-education course section.

Hybrid – The course section is intentionally designed to include a regular pattern of online and in-person meetings.

Remote – A course section that under normal conditions would be in-person but is offered totally remote in response to COVID-19 or another semester-long disruption of in-person or hybrid instruction.

Online – The course section is totally a distance-education course section. The section is delivered 100% via distance-learning technology (including exams); no campus visits are required.

Approval of Distance Education Academic Programs (Degrees/Majors/Options/Certificates)

All distance education academic programs require institutional, UW System Administration, and UW System Board of Regents approval.

New Degrees and Majors

A new degree/major program that is to be delivered via distance education, must follow the regular new-program approval process. Distance-delivery features are approved in the context of the full program approval.

Existing Degrees and Majors

An existing degree/major that is to be offered via distance education in addition to being offered in-person must be advanced for a formal named option. This is required for any program where distance education comprises more than 50% of the curriculum. The percentage of the curriculum that is distance-delivered must be indicated on the named option proposal.

The named option will provide a mechanism to communicate to students the nature of the program. It will also enable for the identification of distance education students separately from in-person students so the university is compliant with reporting requirements.

Certificates

A new certificate program that is to be offered via distance education or a certificate that is changing entirely to distance-delivery must follow the regular institutional approval process. UW System Administration approval is not required for certificates.

Related UW-Madison Policies:
Related UW–Madison Documents, Web Pages, or Other Resources:
External References:

Policy Administration

Approval Authority:
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Policy Manager:
Vice Provost for Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research
Contact:
Associate Director, Data, Academic Planning & Institutional Research -- Michelle Young, MEYOUNG@WISC.EDU, (608) 262-2143
Effective Date:
06-01-2011
Revised Dates:

03-01-2013, 04-01-2013, 10-01-2015, 01-01-2018, 05-24-2023

Retrieved:
01-22-2025 00:01:37