North Arizona University (NAU) and Capella University, among others, are now offering “competency-based degrees” that are free of courses, teaching professors, grades, deadlines, or credit hour requirements.
Already approved by the U.S. Department of Education, a student enrolled in a competency-based degree completes a series of assessments, usually online, relating to the degree material, without actually engaging in course work, says an information package from NAU.
“Rather than basing a student’s progress on the credit hour, or a set amount of time spent in class, we base it on what a student can demonstrate that they know,” Adam Wade, NAU’s admission adviser, said via email.
“If you’re a natural math whiz, you can test out of certain math lessons, where a traditional degree would make you sit through a 16-week course just because,” he said.
Ted Freeman, a part-time instructor at Capella University said this is the next step in online teaching.
Students may acquire the knowledge used to complete the assessments from a variety of sources including texts, e-books, videos, journal articles, and even personal experience he said.
“The faculty are at the heart of making decisions about content,” Capella University vice-president (academic innovation) Deb Bushway said. “Every single faculty judgment can be traced to the program outcomes.”
Wade said a lot of the interest the university is seeing comes from working professionals seeking another degree to advance in their careers.
One issue with competency-based degrees is whether or not employers of graduate admissions at other schools would give the students the credit they deserve for their work.
“We spent a lot of time ensuring that our students would not be trapped in that situation,” Fred Hurst, senior vice-president of NAU’s extended campuses, said.
Hurst said the university maps the competency rating from the assessments to a credit equivalent for the traditional courses offered.
Canada is also making the switch to competency degrees.
By 2017 medical residencies should be primarily competency-based as opposed to time-based, and will cover family physicians as well as all specialities recognized by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, according to the organization’s website.
The Royal College’s new Competency-Based Medical Education works under the premise of a residency being completed once the physician has obtained the necessary knowledge and skills as opposed to just how many hours are spent in residency.
“Our current residency programs are weighted toward ‘knowledge’ and that’s not enough,” Jason Frank, director of specialty education at the Royal College, said.
While Wade said competency-based degrees aren’t necessarily geared towards 18-year-olds fresh out of high school—though he said they’re welcome—independently motivated students can get a lot from it.
