California Coast University

CCU was initially accreditated by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) on January 8, 2005.[1] DEAC accreditation authorizes CCU to award degrees up to and including the doctoral level.

CCU has been approved by the State of California since 1974. Such approval is currently granted by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education a branch of the California Department of Consumer Affairs.[2]

In 2004, and prior to their DEAC accreditation, the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) found that federal employees had improperly received subsidies to attend CCU.[3][4] The report also found that federal agencies may have incorrectly accepted CCU degrees issued before their accreditation.

Since the early 1970s, California Coast University has offered off-campus self-paced degree programs to mid-career adults. Students were accepted who had verifiable years of full-time employment in the major field or a closely related field.[5] In the 1980s, seven years of verifiable full time on the job experience were required before entering the doctoral programs. Five years of experience were required to enter the master's degree (MS) programs, and three years of experience were required to enter the baccalaureate (BS) programs. Academic approval by California required not less than nine months or one academic year to complete any degree program (a minimum of three years for the doctoral degrees). Students earn their degrees through a variety of methods including transfer credit from other recognized educational institutions, courses completed at CCU, and specialized, documented, formal training (undergraduate level only). In addition, doctoral students must complete a dissertation focused on research related to the field of education and an oral defense before their dissertation committee.[6]

CCU's academic programs are designed based on research in the field of on-line/distance education, and in support of the University's mission to "...offer quality, affordable, flexible, online undergraduate and graduate educational programs that are valuable both personally and professional to our students." Students enroll and complete degrees for a variety of reasons including enhancing job performance, promotional purposes, salary increases, personal goals, etc. Students utilize library and research facilities in their own geographic areas, or on-line resources provided by CCU. Faculty members are hired based on a combination of educational achievement and as recognized leaders in their respective fields. Curriculum is based on current research and theory in the various fields, and developed by faculty members in conjunction with the curriculum development team.

Originally, California Coast University provided distance education degrees, at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral level, for a variety of majors including business administration, management, psychology, education, and engineering management. Over time, the engineering management programs, along with the other doctoral programs, were phased out in response to a reorientation of the CCU programs in preparation for accreditation by DETC (now DEAC). Students completing programs that were discontinued could complete their degrees in a teach-out agreement with the accreditor. Teach-out agreements are a standard practice required of all recognized educational institutions. During the teach-out phase, qualified faculty continue to work with enrolled students.

Since accreditation, CCU has continued to expand and to offer more distance education programs in the areas of health care administration and management, criminal justice, human resource management, marketing, general studies, and to expand the department of education to offer master’s and doctoral degrees in education.