SACSCOC must be notified prior to the implementation date of any joint degree, dual degree, contractual, consortial or collaborative agreement with another educational institution. Longwood is responsible for ensuring the quality of courses, programs, or awards offered through relationships with other institutions. All agreements should include a written provision for regular review and renewal of the agreement every three to five years.

Agreements with other educational institutions must be reviewed by the Office of Accreditation and Compliance prior to securing signatures. Signed copies of the initial agreement and at each review point should be provided to the Office of Accreditation and Compliance.

Dual and Joint Degrees

In a dual degree program, students study at two or more institutions and each institution grants a separate degree bearing only its name, seal, and signature. As of March 2024, Longwood has a dual degree program in physics and engineering with Old Dominion University. In a joint degree program, students study at two or more institutions and the institutions grant a single degree bearing the names, seals and signatures of each participating institution. As of March 2024, Longwood does not have any joint degree programs.

There are specific SACSCOC requirements regarding faculty, curriculum, assessment, transcripts, and promotional materials related to a dual or joint degree program. Requirements are more stringent if any partner institution is not another SACSCOC member institution, regardless of whether the institution is accredited by another U.S. institutional accrediting body or a foreign institution not accredited by a USDOE-recognized accreditor.

Early completion of the Academic Initiative Planning Checklist will help the Office of Accreditation and Compliance ensure that all requirements are met in the wording of the agreement, additional documentation for non-SACSCOC member institutions, and prior notification or approval by SACSCOC.

Contractual, Consortial and Collaborative Agreements

Agreements with one or more educational institutions to deliver courses or programs that will be accepted for credit by either institution are substantial academic contracts that must demonstrate mutually accepted academic quality standards. Please complete the Academic Initiative Planning Checklist for agreements of this type prior to securing signatures. As of March 2024, Longwood has one such agreement as a member of the Southern Higher Education Consortium with Hampden-Sydney College and Southern Virginia Community College.

Agreements regarding clinical training, internships, study abroad programs, and transfer/articulation agreements do not require SACSCOC notification. The Office of Accreditation and Compliance can review such agreements for compliance with SACSCOC standards related to awarding of credit and would like to have copies of all such agreements.  However, agreements related to student work completed in another state (e.g., clinical training, internships) must be reported to the Office of Accreditation and Compliance in accordance with NC-SARA requirements.