MCC Awarded Approval to Offer Online Programs Nationwide

Already a leader of award-winning online learning for over 20 years, Middlesex Community College has now received approval from the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) to offer its online programs to students across the country.

“The college is recognized as having a long-standing history of excellence in online courses, certificates and degrees,” said Phil Sisson, MCC’s Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. “Our recent SARA approval allows us to further extend our reach beyond the Mass. border and promote high-quality, affordable online learning opportunities to a national audience of online learners.”

NC-SARA is an agreement in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands establishing quality standards for college-level distance programs. Over 2,100 colleges and universities participate in the initiative nationwide.

MCC’s strong background in online education helped the college successfully transition Spring 2020 coursework and student services to remote, virtual and limited contact systems. The health and safety of students, faculty and staff remain a priority at MCC, and high-quality online learning ensures that our community remains safe and students continue to progress toward their goals. In Fall of 2020, 95 percent of courses were moved online without compromising quality.

“Middlesex is not rushing to move to online learning like so many other schools,” said Matthew Olson, MCC’s Dean of Liberal Arts. “MCC has had general approval from our accreditor to offer distance education programming since back in 2003! Now with the NC-SARA Authorization we have a national stamp of quality for both our online instruction and our consumer protection policies.

The college completed a voluntary process documenting MCC’s quality standards for online college education to be approved, according to Olson. Middlesex joins other members in making an agreement to meet the common course quality and consumer protection standards that the SARA initiative requires.

MCC’s online program options for the initiative include an associate or certificate in Psychology; Liberal Studies; Fine Arts; Liberal Arts and Science; Music; English Literature; Criminal Justice Transfer and Law Enforcement; Fire Protection and Safety Technology; Travel Services Management; Computerized Accounting; Business Administration Career, Accounting, Transfer and Hospitality Management; Entrepreneurship; Culinary Arts; Fashion Merchandising; CAD; Computer Science Secure Software Development and Transfer; IT Cyber Security Entry; IT Cyber Security; Mathematics; Engineering Technology; and Early Childhood Education Transfer.

MCC’s Fashion Merchandising program can be completed 100 percent online, according to Ashli Ree, MCC’s Associate Professor of Fashion Merchandising. This provides students from across the country with an opportunity to complete their studies at Middlesex and transfer to a four-year college or university regardless of their current location.

“This is a great opportunity for both in-state and out-of-state students,” she said. “As there are only two community colleges in Massachusetts offering Fashion Merchandising programs, we already have students who do not live near campus and complete the courses online. We have transfer agreements with four-year colleges and universities in Mass., as well as in New York City and Los Angeles.”

Paulo Barrio, MCC’s Chair of Human Services & Psychology, urges students to check with their state board of licensing to make sure all licensing requirements are met, but he said “it’s great that people have the opportunity to shop around and know they are getting a quality education.”

According to the SARA website, being part of the initiative includes improved online learning platforms, access to online courses, collaboration with other institutions, and shared data. The website lists the contributors who helped create the initiative: an advisory committee, regional higher education compacts, state regulators, state higher education executive officers, accrediting organizations, U.S. Department of Education, and institutional leaders.

Visit https://www.nc-sara.org/ for more information on the SARA initiative.

Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu to learn more about all that Middlesex offers, including 11 online associate degree programs, six online certificate programs and hundreds of online courses.

There is still time to register for MCC’s Fall semester – including Mini-mester II, an accelerated, eight-week session that starts November 2. For more information and to register for classes, visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/registration/ or call 1-800-818-3434.

Discover your path at Middlesex Community College. As one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in Massachusetts, MCC has been a proven leader in online education for more than 20 years. We educate, engage and empower a diverse community of learners, offering more than 80 degree and certificate programs – plus hundreds of noncredit courses. Middlesex Community College: Student success starts here!