Having no faculty or classrooms and offering no courses by mail or television, the external degree program at Thomas Edison State College in Pennsylvania is described as an accredited program whereby college credits are gained primarily through the use of CLEP (College Level Examination Program) tests and individual assessment. (BM)

After a full year of operation, many questions have been asked about Empire State College (ESC) concerning the type of students who seek such an institution and how these students handle the major responsibility of planning and carrying out their studies. A group of 10 graduates were selected from the 30 graduated in fall 1972 for lengthy…

Nontraditional higher education is a movement toward increasing the options open to an individual in the pursuit of post secondary education. Its major emphasis is in recognition of individual differences and making institutions more flexible in response to them. This paper describes many programs and proposals throughout the country, giving…

This report presents the proceedings of the conference on Optional Learning Environments and the External Degree, sponsored by Dyke and Ursuline Colleges. It was attended by 67 educators and students representing all of the accredited institutions of higher education in the Cleveland areas. The conference introduced basic ideas and methods of…

At Metropolitan State University, the Individualized Educational Planning Course was a response to adult students' unique curriculum needs. Students learn university expectations of quality; plan solid, individualized degrees; examine what it means to be an educated person; pursue knowledge actively and successfully through informed choices; and…