Core Requirement #2.7.4 (Contractual Agreements for Instruction)

The Institution makes arrangements for some instruction to be provided by other accredited institutions or entities through contracts or consortia, where appropriate. The institution itself, however, provides instruction for all course work required for at least one degree program at each level at which it awards degrees, or provides an alternative approach to meeting this requirement. The alternative approach is approved by the Commission on Colleges. In all cases, the institution demonstrates that it controls all aspects of its educational program.

Compliance Certification

The College of William and Mary is in compliance with this requirement.

Explanation

The College provides instruction for all coursework in all its degree programs. Control of educational programs is maintained through transfer, equivalency, and residence requirements. The policy for the undergraduate program is written in the section entitled Placement, Credit by Examination and Transfer Credit in the College of William and Mary 2004-2005 Course Catalog. The policy for Arts and Sciences Graduate Programs is in the 2004-2005 Graduate Arts and Sciences Program Catalog in the section entitled "Transfer of Graduate Credit."  In general, the Business School does not accept transfer credit for the M.B.A. programs. Students enrolled in the full-time M.B.A program can participate in semester or summer exchange programs and, with permission, can transfer credit (but not grades) into the degree program. For the School of Education policy, please see "School of Education Transfer Credit."  For the School of Law policy, please see "Academic Regulations for the Law School."

Students in the School of Law earn pass/fail (but not graded) credit for the following: writing a publishable note in the second year of the program, serving on the Law School editorial board, and completing externships with judges, agencies, non-profit organizations, law firms, and legislators.

The College participates in consortia relationships for the graduate program leading to the Doctor of Psychology degree. The consortium is comprised of SACS-accredited institutions (The College of William and Mary, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk State University, Old Dominion University) and the American Psychological Association accredits it (see The Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology.

International Studies programs and credits: Students can earn credits for international studies in two ways. First, they can earn graded credit in international program courses organized and directed by William & Mary faculty. The Educational Policy Committee must approve all courses offered for credit. The Study Abroad Subcommittee of the International Studies Committee sets policies for the development of new programs and for the evaluation of existing Study Aabroad programs. Programs led and taught by William and Mary faculty are subject to rigorous faculty review. Faculty members examine each program in terms of academic content, administrative procedures, and the quality of support provided to students in the programs. The Programs Abroad Office requests student evaluations for all of these courses. Faculty directors of these programs must submit a report that is reviewed and signed by all participating faculty and that is reviewed by the Programs Abroad Subcommittee. Recommendations for change are made on the basis of these annual reviews. Study abroad programs also are monitored through on-site visits. As a result of such visits, the program in Madrid, Spain was discontinued in the mid-1990s.

Second, students can earn transfer (ungraded) credit in courses taught abroad by non-William & Mary faculty members. The Global Education Office of the Wendy & Emery Reves Center for International Studies sponsors 10 study abroad programs. William & Mary faculty members organize and direct each of these. They serve as the instructor of record and post grades for enrolled students.

Supplementary Information

For additional detail on the process through which William and Mary faculty oversee the approval of academic programs, see Comprehensive Standards 3.4.1. Information on transfer credit is available in Comprehensive Standards 3.6.3.

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