Distance Education

National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA)

Georgia College & State University participates in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA), which is a voluntary agreement among its member states and U.S. territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance education courses and programs. It is intended to make it easier for students to take online courses offered by postsecondary institutions based in another state. 

Student Consumer Information and Complaints

Regulations associated with the federal student financial aid program include the following requirements:

"The institution must make available for review to any enrolled or prospective student upon request, a copy of the documents describing the institution's accreditation and its State, Federal, or tribal approval or licensing. The institution must also provide its students or prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with its accreditor and with its State approval or licensing entity and any other relevant State official or agency that would appropriately handle a student's complaint." 34 CFR 668.43(b)

State Authorizations for Distance Education & Field Experiences

Professional License Disclosure Statement:

NC-SARA reciprocity agreements do not include oversight of professional licensing board approval for any courses or programs leading to professional licensure (e.g. teacher education, nursing, etc.). This applies to all applicable Georgia College & State University academic programs that prepare students for licensure in the state of Georgia. While many of our students enrolled in online professional programs may reside outside of the state of Georgia, Georgia College & State University cannot verify whether its programs meet requirements for licensure in other states.  In order to comply with U.S. Department of Education regulations regarding distance education and professional licensure, Georgia College & State University is required to make this disclosure with respect to professional licensure outside the state of Georgia. 

Important note to GCSU students residing outside of Georgia:

With the growing demand for online programming, Georgia College & State University is mindful of the needs of our out-of-state students. While it is the student’s responsibility to confirm eligibility for licensure in any state outside of Georgia, we are committed to assisting you with contacting the appropriate agency in your state. To assist with these efforts, any students enrolled in online programs which customarily lead to professional licensure will be provided this information and follow-up assistance from their program, department, and college faculty and staff as needed.

If you have any questions regarding licensure requirements in any state outside of GA, please contact your department for assistance, or you may contact the higher education agency in your state. The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) provides a list of contacts. 

About Georgia College & State University

Georgia College & State University was chartered in 1889 as Georgia Normal and Industrial College. Its emphasis at the time was largely vocational, and its major task was to prepare young women for teaching or industrial careers. In 1917, in keeping with economic and cultural changes in the state, Georgia Normal and Industrial College was authorized to grant degrees, the first of which was awarded in 1921. In 1922, the institution's name was changed to Georgia State College for Women. The University has been a unit of the University System of Georgia since it was formed in 1932. The name was changed to Women's College of Georgia in 1961, and, when the institution became coeducational in 1967, it became Georgia College at Milledgeville. The name was later shortened to Georgia College. In August of 1996, the Board of Regents approved a change of name to Georgia College and State University, and a new mission as Georgia's Public Liberal Arts University.

The History and Evolution of Georgia College

Other Issues:
Georgia Department of Education – Office of Legal Affairs
2062 Twin Towers East
205 Jesse Hill Jr. Dr. SE
Atlanta, GA 30334