Quality Academics and Excellent Support
- Are you currently enrolled or do you plan to enroll in online courses at Washington State College of Ohio?
- Will you live outside of Ohio during your attendance at WSCO?
If you answered yes to both questions, the following state authorization information applies to you.
Washington State College of Ohio has been approved by the State of Ohio to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education. View all SARA States & Institutions.
The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement is an agreement among member states, districts and 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. SARA is overseen by a National Council and administered by four regional education compacts.
- Expands access to educational offerings.
- Should lead to better resolution of complaints from students in SARA states.
- Reduces a rapidly growing institutional cost that is in one way or another passed along to students.
- Should enhance overall quality of distance education
State Authorization
Washington State College of Ohio offers courses, associate degree and certificate programs that may lead to professional licensure and/or certification. Successful completion of the programs listed below may potentially lead to professional licensure, registration or certification. Licensure, registration or certification may be global, national, or state-specific. The following programs meet requirements for the State of Ohio. Requirements for other states may vary. If you currently live in a state other than Ohio or intend to move to a state other than Ohio and use the education completed at Washington State College of Ohio to sit for such an exam, be aware there may be additional requirements. Please contact the appropriate administering body and/or the college contact for the program to discuss your intentions. For students who reside outside of the state of Ohio, the College may or may not be able to allow the student to take online courses or approve clinical, professional practice, or internship placements due to federal and state regulations.
Determination of Student Location
Federal and state regulations require institutions of higher education to determine the state in which a student is located at the time of the student’s initial enrollment and/or upon formal receipt of a change of location from the student. The College must determine student location in order to disclose to the student state-specific professional licensure/certification information for their state of location and discuss whether the educational programs and curriculum at Washington State College of Ohio, which satisfy licensure/certification in the state of Ohio, meet the requirements for the student’s state of location.
Washington State College of Ohio is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA), which permits the College to enroll out-of-state students in online educational programs. Acceptance into an educational program or enrollment in course(s) is based on where the student is physically located while taking the course(s). Policy 3357:15-18-13 applies to all students taking credit-bearing courses at Washington State College of Ohio including in-person, online, and military students.
Washington State College of Ohio recognizes the student address on file in the student information system (SIS) as the student’s physical location. A student’s physical location is recorded in the SIS at the time of enrollment and will remain in effect unless and until the student provides official notification of change to the College.
Licensure and Certification Disclosures by State
Occupational Therapy Assistant AAS
Student Complaints: Students who are enrolled in a Washington State College of Ohio course who have a complaint about a course or experience should complete the WSCO Complaint Form. If necessary, students may also contact WSCO state licensing agency - Ohio Department of Higher Education, 25 South Front Street, Columbus, OH 43215, 614-466-6000, or the college's accreditor - Higher Learning Commission, 30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602-2504, 800-621-7440.
Students residing outside Ohio who are taking course work at a distance who have a complaint about a course or experience should complete the WSCO Complaint Form as indicated above. If the student bringing the complaint is not satisfied with the outcome of the institutional process for handling complaints, the complaint (except for complaints about grades or student conduct violations) may be appealed, within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made, to the SARA Portal Entity in the home state of the institution against which the complaint has been logged. State Entity contact information can be found at State Portal Entity Contacts.
For more information
For more information regarding NC-SARA:
http://nc-sara.org/sara-states-institutions.