An external degree is one granted on the basis of academic work undertaken through independent and flexible study and pursued in whole or in part outside of the framework of existing college and university courses. A person's qualifications for an external degree are measured not by a list of accumulated formal courses taken and passed, but by an…

Educational Testing Service studied the Servicemen's Opportunity College (SOC) Program at nine different military installations and their surrounding SOC colleges. Members of the Armed Forces (stratified by sex, age, years in service, and rank) were interviewed regarding their educational background, decision to enter the service, reasons for…

In the 1960s, credit-by-examination was promoted as a way to broaden access to college. In 1971, Ewald Nyquist, Commissioner of Education in the Regents system of New York, proposed that the Educational Testing Service offer a degree based entirely on performance on examinations. Although a few institutions theoretically offer such degrees, in…

This paper examines programs of course credit by examination in American higher education. After a brief sketch of the credit-hour system, various programs in actual operation are described. The ensuing analysis focuses on the following issues: appropriateness of various subject-matters to programs of credit by examination; attitudes towards…

Adults learn from many sources, such as volunteer work, community services, homemaking, jobs, and other activities, and they increasingly want this learning to be recognized so that they can reenter the job market, get a promotion, or return to college. Therefore, scientific methods have been developed to help adults document their experiential…

The development, implementation, and integration of a nontraditional adult degree program at Mary Baldwin College, a traditional liberal arts institution, is described. The adult degree program is designed for adult men and women who cannot attend classes in the traditional manner; it may involve independent study, courses at other accredited…

Data on full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment, student semester credit hour (SSCH) production trends, and nontraditional instruction are presented for Arkansas colleges and universities. FTE enrollment is reported for each two- and four-year state institution, including trends for 1973-1983. Data are reported on SSCH production program area and…

Educational institutions need to help women get a better education by taking into account the learning they have acquired through experience in homemaking, volunteer work, and other activities. This paper examines the need for recognition of women's prior learning by educational institutions and delves into some of the intricacies of the process.…

The quality of college programs at 13 U.S. military bases and the activities of various agencies for maintaining quality control were evaluated. Based on site visits to military bases in the continental United States and Hawaii in 1978, some academic programs appeared to have few standards and practices that promote quality. It is claimed that…