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Brandman University, in California, has secured approval from the U.S. Department of Education to offer two new direct-assessment programs: an associate of arts in general business and a master of arts in organization leadership.
Both competency-based programs will receive federal financial aid. Students can enroll on any day and move through courses at their own pace.
Direct assessment is characterized by judging students on mastery of the subject matter rather than completion of credit-hour requirements. Current Education Department regulations require institutions to secure approval from the agency on each new direct-assessment program.
Only a handful of institutions have secured approval for direct assessment. Brandman began offering its first in 2014.
A new set of federal rules proposed earlier this month would allow institutions that already offer approved direct-assessment programs to bypass Department of Education approval for new programs at an equal or lower academic level.
