State authorization AND DISTANCE EDUCATION Disclosure
Welcome to Sentara College’s webpage on State Authorization and Distance Education Disclosures. This webpage provides a variety of information regarding distance education programs, including:
SARA and Sentara College Approval;
Student Complaint; and
Information about distance education programs that lead to professional licensure and certification
What is Distance Education?
Distance Education refers to online degree or certificate education programs available to students physically located in other states and U.S. territories. It also includes certain educational activities that occur outside the state of Virginia, such as clinical rotations.
What is State Authorization?
State Authorization refers to the requirement that institutions of higher education obtain authorization for their distance education offerings from individual states, in accordance with each state’s laws and regulations.
Why is State Authorization Information important?
Sentara College wants to provide students and prospective students who are located in other states the information they need to determine if Sentara College’s distance education offerings are authorized in that State. Providing this information to students is also mandated by state and federal laws and regulations governing State Authorization. Sentara College is certified to operate as an institution of postsecondary education in Virginia by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).
State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) and Sentara College Approval
The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of post secondary distance education. Institutions that are members of SARA are authorized to provide online education to students from all SARA member states. States and institutions that choose to become members of SARA operate under a set of policies and standards overseen by the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements and administered by four regional higher education compacts. SARA member states are shown on this map. For more information about SARA, please visit http://www.nc-sara.org
As of January 2016, Sentara College is an approved SARA institution in Virginia. Participation in SARA is intended to make it easier for students to take online courses offered by post secondary institutions based in another state. While we do monitor the laws in each state, authorization of distance education is a dynamic environment and prospective students should check this site often for updates. SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of post secondary distance education. Sentara College of Health Sciences is a participating Institution in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) or Institutions that participate in SARA are authorized to provide online education to students from all SARA members states. States and institutions that choose to become members of SARA operate under a set of policies and standards overseen by the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements and administered by four regional higher education compacts. SARA member states are shown on this map. For more information about SARA, please visit http://www.nc-sara.org
Student Complaints
Sentara College of Health Sciences works diligently to find positive outcomes to student concerns. Students should first seek informal resolution of any concern or issue through internal avenues of complaint resolution outlined in the institution formal complaint or grievance procedure before going outside the college. If, after exhausting the institution’s internal grievance procedures, the institution has not responded to the student’s satisfaction or a satisfactory remedy has not been found, the student from Virginia and from SARA member states may file a formal complaint with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). Please note, complaints made via the aforementioned channels cannot be about grades or student conduct violations. Please read the Out of State Authority and Student Complaint Procedure at Sentara College website.
Please see the Formal Complaint Process Policy in the Student Handbook for more information.
Professional Licensure and Certification
Federal regulations require the Law School to disclose whether its degree programs meet U.S. jurisdictions’ educational requirements for licensure and certificate 34 CFR 668.43(a)(5)(v). Institutions are required to identify the courses and programs that lead to licensure/certificate and to provide information about the state education requirements for licensure/certificate. Please select the program from the list below to view state specific information relating to licensure. The following is recommended BEFORE beginning a program if you are considering applying to a Sentara College program that leads to professional licensure and certification with the intent to be licensed/certified outside of the state of Virginia.
We highly recommended that you contact the appropriate state licensing agency in your state or the state where you intend to work to seek the most up-to-date information about state licensure requirements before beginning the program. This will enable you to obtain the most up-to-date information about licensure/certification requirements and confirm how an Sentara College program facilitates those requirements. Sentara College makes every effort to ensure licensure information is current; however, licensure regulations are frequently revised.
Enrolled students who change their current (or mailing) address to a U.S. jurisdiction other than Virginia should update their information as soon as possible in the Student Information System.
back to top
For questions about State Authorization or any of the information on this site, please contact:
Steve Atkins, PhD
Dean, Institutional Effectiveness, Distance Learning and Compliance
Email: satkins@sentara.edu
Information about Sentara College distance education is available at the college's Distance Education page