Non-College Degree (NCD)

Non-College Degree (NCD)

This category includes certificate programs, offered at post-secondary schools, which do not lead to a standard college degree. To be eligible for approval, the institution must be empowered by the appropriate state education authority to operate as a school in Michigan. NCD programs are normally offered at community colleges, cosmetology schools, business colleges, hospitals, trade schools, truck driving training, etc. 

QUALIFICATIONS FOR NCD SCHOOLS

There are three initial requirements that your school must be able to meet before the approval process can begin:

1. Your school must be approved to operate and licensed by the State of Michigan, Proprietary Schools Unit or Secretary of State for Driver Education training.
2. Your school must be able to document licensed operation as a school, through transcripts, for at least 24 continuous months prior to beginning the approval process.
3. You must have a policy to evaluate prior learning/credit and award credit when warranted for veterans and other eligible dependents.

All the rules and regulations for determining SAA approval focus on determining whether your institution is organized and is operated as a school. The school must submit an application along with copies of its catalog.

The School Catalog

Your school must have a catalog, which must include:

1. A volume number and date of publication.
2. Name of the school’s governing body, administrators and faculty.
3. An academic calendar showing beginning and ending dates of terms and holidays observed.
4. School policy about enrollment and entrance requirements for each program.
5. Policies about leaves, absences, tardiness, and interruptions for unsatisfactory work.
6. Policy relative to standards of progress, and a definition of the grading system. Minimum grades considered satisfactory and a description of the probation period, if any, and conditions of reentrance. It must also have a statement regarding maintenance of grades by the school.
7. School policy about student behavior and conditions for dismissal.
8. Schedule of fees, charges for tuition, books, supplies, tools, activities, lab fees, service charges, rentals, deposits and all other charges.
9. The school refund policy.
10. A description of the available space, facilities and equipment.
11. An outline for each program of study showing courses, type of work or skill to be learned and approximate time and clock hours to be spent on each course.
12. School policy relative to granting credit for previous education and training.

Initial Applicants

You will also have to supply the following information:

1. A copy of the Michigan Proprietary Schools Licensing certificate granting permission to offer each program being requested for approval.
2. A copy of the resumes for each member of your teaching staff.
3. A copy/example of the school transcript and a copy of the diploma given upon completion of each program.
4. A copy of the building occupancy permits for the school. (Non-accredited schools only)
5. A copy of the most recent financial statement for the school prepared by a licensed CPA. (Non-accredited schools only)
6. A copy of the school's liability insurance (Non-accredited schools only)
7. A copy/example of the school’s advertising.
8. Policies relative to satisfactory academic, attendance and student conduct.
9. A copy of the daily class schedule showing start and end times, lunch and break times, number of training hours in a day / week, and the teacher to student ratio.

Initial Inspection

As a part of the initial approval process, a physical inspection will be made by SAA staff membership to validate the appropriateness of the facility with the program being taught and its conduciveness to learning.

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