Federal Mandate 4.4 (appropriate program length)
The institution demonstrates that program length is appropriate for each of the degrees offered.

Compliance
North Carolina State University is in compliance with this mandate.

Explanation
Undergraduate Programs
Descriptions of the university's undergraduate curricula are published in the Undergraduate Catalog.  The curricula are developed according to University of North Carolina academic program development procedures, NC State University’s mission statement, and the undergraduate General Education Requirements.   Degree programs are established only if they fit the mission of the university, as determined by the Board of Governors of the UNC system.

All 100 baccalaureate programs offered by NC State University require between 120 and 132 credit hours for completion.  Credit hour requirements are available in print and on the Web in the Undergraduate Catalog.  General undergraduate education requirements constitute at least 55 hours.  All eight associate’s degree programs at the university require 64 credit hours for completion, including 23 credit hours of general education requirements.

As Comprehensive Standards: Educational Programs #12 points out, curricula at the university are developed and reviewed according to stringent, faculty-led processes, designed to ensure that all educational programs are appropriately challenging, academically significant and rewarding.  These processes have been designed to comport with guidelines produced by the consolidated university system to which NC State University belongs.  Moreover, the processes ensure that all programs are of equal and appropriate length.

Graduate and Professional Programs
Currently, NC State University offers master’s degrees in 106 disciplines and doctoral degrees in 59 disciplines.  The Graduate Catalog and Graduate Administrative Handbook, Chapter 3, 3.1-3.15 both point out that all master’s programs require at least 30 semester hours of graduate work and that all doctoral programs require at least 72 semester hours of graduate work.  Hence, master’s programs at the university require around 1-3 years for completion.  Likewise, doctoral programs at the university require around 3-5 years beyond the master’s or 4-6 years beyond the baccalaureate.  NC State University’s graduate programs are outlined in the graduate catalog, with a list provided by the graduate degrees website. 

NC State University’s Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program requires 122 credit hours, along with 43 hours of clinical rotations and conferences. 

To determine the appropriate length for its graduate programs, the university makes use of comparisons with benchmark institutions. The Administrative Board of the Graduate School asks faculty from leading institutions to review proposals for new curricula under development.  Also, during routine program reviews, external faculty reviewers examine curricula in light of current disciplinary standards.  The lengths of NC State University’s graduate programs are comparable to those of its peers.

In the case of both undergraduate and graduate programs, length is the same for on-campus and distance education formats.

References