National Association of Private Nontraditional Schools and Colleges
Encyclopedia
The National Association of Private Nontraditional Schools and Colleges (NAPNSC) is a United States
educational accreditation
agency, based in Grand Junction, Colorado
, that is not recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation
. NAPNSC specializes in the accreditation of higher education
institutions that exclusively offer distance education
programs.
It was established in 1974, under the name National Association for Schools and Colleges, by educators associated with Western Colorado University, an institution in Grand Junction which has subsequently closed down. According to John Bear
, although the organization continues to improve its standards and process, its applications for Department of Education recognition have been turned down on multiple occasions. NAPNSC continues to seek recognition. Because the organization is not a recognized U.S. accreditor, students who attend institutions that are accredited solely by NAPNSC are not eligible for Title IV student assistance funding (Pell Grant
s, Stafford Loan
s, etc.).
As of November 2006, three institutions were listed as being accredited by NAPNSC. They were:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
educational accreditation
Educational accreditation
Educational accreditation is a type of quality assurance process under which services and operations of educational institutions or programs are evaluated by an external body to determine if applicable standards are met...
agency, based in Grand Junction, Colorado
Grand Junction, Colorado
The City of Grand Junction is the largest city in western Colorado. It is a city with a council–manager government form that is the county seat and the most populous city of Mesa County, Colorado, United States. Grand Junction is situated west-southwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. As...
, that is not recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation
Council for Higher Education Accreditation
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation is a United States organization of degree-granting colleges and universities. It identifies its purpose as providing national advocacy for self-regulation of academic quality through accreditation in order to certify the quality of higher education...
. NAPNSC specializes in the accreditation of higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
institutions that exclusively offer distance education
Distance education
Distance education or distance learning is a field of education that focuses on teaching methods and technology with the aim of delivering teaching, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a classroom...
programs.
It was established in 1974, under the name National Association for Schools and Colleges, by educators associated with Western Colorado University, an institution in Grand Junction which has subsequently closed down. According to John Bear
John Bear
John Bjorn Bear is an American authority on distance education and a writer of creative reference works. Bear holds bachelor and master degrees from University of California, Berkeley and a doctorate from Michigan State University...
, although the organization continues to improve its standards and process, its applications for Department of Education recognition have been turned down on multiple occasions. NAPNSC continues to seek recognition. Because the organization is not a recognized U.S. accreditor, students who attend institutions that are accredited solely by NAPNSC are not eligible for Title IV student assistance funding (Pell Grant
Pell Grant
A Pell Grant is money the federal government provides for students who need it to pay for college. Federal Pell Grants are limited to students with financial need, who have not earned their first bachelor's degree or who are not enrolled in certain post-baccalaureate programs, through participating...
s, Stafford Loan
Stafford loan
A Stafford Loan is a student loan offered to eligible students enrolled in accredited American institutions of higher education to help finance their education...
s, etc.).
As of November 2006, three institutions were listed as being accredited by NAPNSC. They were:
- Cook's Institute of Electronics Engineering, Jackson, MississippiJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
, accredited since 1989 - Trinity College of the Bible and Theological SeminaryTrinity College and SeminaryTrinity College of the Bible and Theological Seminary, also known as Trinity College of the Bible; is a nondenominational Bible college and seminary located in Newburgh, Indiana. Trinity offers unaccredited distance education programs at undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree levels for...
, Newburgh, IndianaNewburgh, IndianaNewburgh is a town in Ohio Township, Warrick County, Indiana, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 3,325 at the 2010 census, which also recorded a population of 342,815 for the entire Evansville metropolitan area.-Geography:...
, accredited since 1992 - Washington Institute for Graduate Studies, Washington School of Law, South Jordan, UtahSouth Jordan, UtahSouth Jordan is a city in the U.S. state of Utah. The city lies in the Salt Lake Valley between the peaks of the Oquirrh Mountains and the peaks of the Wasatch Mountains and is part of the Salt Lake City metropolitan area...
External links
- National Association of Private Nontraditional Schools and Colleges website (archived November 6, 2007)