State Authorization of Distance Education
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences complies with federal Program Integrity standards, including those for seeking approval of state higher education agencies before the university enrolls online students in a given state. Before the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements, each state had a different set of standards and procedures for granting approval of education programs, so seeking approval and tracking the states for which UAMS had obtained approval to operate was challenging.
State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement
The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement is an initiative among member states, districts and territories to establish comparable national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance education courses and programs. The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement is a compact that governs distance education activities offered across state lines; Arkansas joined in July 2015, and UAMS was officially approved to operate under the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement in August 2015. UAMS may offer an online distance education program to students who live in all State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement states. Currently, California is the only state that is not a member of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement. UAMS may offer online distance education to students who live in California because California does not restrict public institutions from offering online education to residents. Students who reside in California can follow the complaint process listed here. All other students enrolled in State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement states follow the UAMS policy.
Benefits of State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement membership include the opportunity to expand educational offerings to member-state residents, regulation of on-the-ground instruction offered by out-of-state institutions, an established student complaint resolution process, and a uniform standard for defining physical presence, applicable to all participating states and institutions.
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements.
Arkansas State Authorization Network (SAN) Membership
Three State Authorization Network partners comprise the Arkansas State Authorization Network membership:
- University of Arkansas System
- University of Arkansas Global Campus
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (joined June 2018).
The purpose of the State Authorization Network membership is to provide readily available resources at reduced cost to support compliance for all University of Arkansas institutions.
Notice: Professional Licensure
All UAMS programs that communicate with potential students about a program that leads to licensure must let the student know if their program meets that state’s licensure requirements.
Applicants who are applying to programs leading to licensure in states other than Arkansas must be aware of the various state professional licensure requirements. Please check licensure requirements by state at CareerOneStop or use the link below:
https://www.careeronestop.org/toolkit/training/find-licenses.aspx
Below is information regarding 100% online programs that may lead to licensure. Information regarding all programs that lead to licensure can be found here.
- Online program leading to licensure: Medical Laboratory Sciences (100% online track)
- Program meets federal requirements for education and training in these states:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- States requiring licensure along with education:
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Louisiana
- Montana
- Nevada
- New York
- North Dakota
- Puerto Rico
- Tennessee
- West Virginia
- States with additional requirements:
- California — Requires MLS certification and one year of experience if not doing a traditional clinical, and requires a specific physics class.
- Program does not meet state licensure requirements: N/A
State Authorization of Distance Education Map – as of June 2018
Please contact Dr. Kristen Sterba at 501296.1275 for the latest information regarding disclosure requirements.