Graduate Studies

In order to be eligible for funding under the Title IV programs, an educational program must lead to a degree (associate, bachelor's, graduate, or professional) or prepare students for "gainful employment in a recognized occupation." In addition, virtually all programs - degree and nondegree - offered by proprietary institutions must prepare students for "gainful employment in a recognized occupation."

Gainful Employment Programs - The following educational programs offered by these institutions are GE Programs subject to the new regulations:

• Nondegree programs, including all certificate programs. Certificate programs include undergraduate certificate programs, post baccalaureate certificate programs, graduate certificate programs, and postgraduate certificate programs. Note that awarding students one or more certificates as part of a degree program does not create GE programs based upon the awarding of the certificate(s).

Not Gainful Employment Programs - The following educational programs offered by these institutions are not subject to the new GE Program regulations:

• Programs that lead to a degree, including associate's degrees, bachelor's degrees, graduate degrees, and professional degrees.
• Programs that are at least two years in length that are fully transferable to a bachelor's degree program.
• Preparatory courses of study that provide course work necessary for enrollment in an eligible program.

Disclosure Requirements

The October 29, 2010, regulations that go into effect on July 1, 2011, include a provision, at 34 CFR 668.6(b), that requires institutions to disclose, for each of their GE Programs, certain information about the programs to prospective students. The institution must include the information required in promotional materials it makes available to prospective students and on its Web site.

Information to Disclose

The following is a summary of the information that must be disclosed by an institution for each of its GE Programs:

• The name and U.S. Department of Labor's Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code of the occupations that the program prepares students to enter, along with links to occupational profiles on the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET Web site or its successor site.
• The tuition and fees the institution charges a student for completing the program within normal time.
• The typical costs for books and supplies (unless those costs are included as part of tuition and fees), and the cost of room and board, if applicable.
• Other information the Secretary provided to the institution about the program.

Included is a list of Certificates issued by Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences that are considered to be "Gainful Employment Programs"