-
Higher Education
-
Higher Education refers to the institutes of Higher Education, such as Universities and Colleges. Educators and those that wish to become educators will interact with institutes of higher education to obtain the required courses or degrees to move toward a new career or advance their current career.
Please note that the Delaware Department of Education Licensure and Certification office may not and cannot advise or offer suggestions on the selection of an institute of higher education
Higher Education prepares every learner for success in college, career and life. This Higher Education page includes the following sections:
-
College Degrees
College degrees must be earned from a regionally accredited college or university approved or recognized by National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), or a state where the state approval body employed the appropriate standards.
There are numerous institutes of Higher Education located within the State of Delaware. You can obtain a list of Delaware institutes of higher education by visiting the Delaware Department of Education Higher Education Office’s list.
Online Degrees may be accepted for Delaware teacher certification if they are NCATE accredited or state approved programs. If you are seeking distance education for graduate coursework from an online school, please make sure they are part of SARA. Institutes of higher education that desire to offer online degrees or courses to residents of Delaware, must have approval from the State of Delaware in order to offer those courses or degrees. Be aware that institutes located outside of Delaware may not offer programs that will fulfill Delaware licensure and certification requirements. Visit the Delaware Department of Education Higher Education Office for additional information.
-
College Accreditation
When choosing a college or university, the accreditation of the school is vital when pursuing a degree or continuing education. It informs the public that the school has met a level of standards that are set by the accrediting body. You want to make sure your education will be accepted by potential employers.
The U.S. Department of Education maintains a list of accredited colleges. Potential students can visit the Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institution and Programs to search for colleges and programs that they are considering.
Listed below are recognized regional accrediting commissions and the recognized national, professional and specialized accrediting bodies:
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Higher Education (MSA/CHE)
Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Colleges (NASC)
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACS)
-
Choosing an Institute of Higher Education (IHE)
If you are planning to seek first-time Delaware educator licensure/certification or pursue continuing education, you should enroll in an educator preparation program that meets the following four criteria:
- Is offered by a regionally-accredited four-year college or university.
- Is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) or the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC).
- Is an initial educator (certificate-yielding) program. Master's degrees in particular may not meet this requirement.
- Is in a program area where the State of Delaware offers a comparable certificate. Refer to the Delaware Regulations for the Delaware certificate types.
-
Higher Education Complaints
For public and private (for-profit and not-for-profit) institutions based in Delaware, the portal agency is the Delaware Department of Education. Students with issues regarding public and private (for-profit and not-for-profit) SARA-approved Delaware institutions are to follow the Delaware Department of Education Student Complaint Policy and Student Complaint Form.
-
Delaware Department of Education
Licensure & Certification
Collette Education Resource Center
35 Commerce Way, Suite 1
Dover, DE 19904Feel free to contact us:
M-F 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
302-857-3388
Contact Us – Delaware Department of Education
