Find certificate and degree programs

Contact local colleges and universities and request information concerning the type of college degrees awarded by the college or university. Compare college and university programs by type of degree, cost, transferability of credits and programs for working adults.

I recommend: Check the accreditation of local colleges and universities by visiting the U.S. Department of Education,especially for new or unusual degree programs, or find the accreditating agency for a specific field by visiting Ed.gov.

Investigate online degree programs

Find legitimate accredited online degree programs and make a list of college degrees awarded by these educational institutions. Compare online degrees, to traditional college and university programs by type of degree, paying special attention to the length of time needed to earn a similar degree at each institution

I recommend: Search UniversityAlliance for online  colleges and universities or search the accredited programs on eLearners.com.

Check for legitimate types of college degrees

Be suspicious if similar programs take significantly less time to complete at one institution than others. Associate Degrees normally take two years; Bachelors Degrees; four years. Master Degrees take one to two years in addition to earning a Bachelors Degree.

I recommend: Check Oregon Student Assistance Commission Office of Degree Authorization  or the Maine Department of Education for schools under investigation or closed due to fraud.    

Create a list of college degrees that matches business needs

Make a list of local and online college and university programs available, including college degree types for your company to approve. Limit company incentives, reimbursement and other benefits to a published list of approved educational institutions.

I recommend: Finding  skill sets and training suggestions for a wide range of industries on the U.S. Department of Labor website or use the Institute of Education Sciences website to find local programs that suit your business needs.

Review company actions on certificate and degree programs

Look over past company action on educational requests, reimbursements and promotions. Ensure your company and your employees have received quality education.

I recommend: Pull previously accepted educational benefit determinations and research types of college degrees that appear irregular. Use the guidelines outlined by eLearners  or the U.S. Department of Education to identify diploma mills.