State Authorization

State Authorization for Online Education

All U.S. states require post-secondary educational institutions to be legally authorized to provide post-secondary educational instruction in their states. Mississippi College wants to offer online education programs and courses to students in all states and territories. To facilitate this endeavor for out-of-state students, Mississippi College participates in "the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), an agreement among member states, districts, and territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary online 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." Mississippi is a member of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB).

The state of Mississippi became a member of SARA on January 1, 2016. Mississippi College received approval from the Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation (MCCA) to participate in SARA on July 27, 2016. MCCA is recognized by SREB as the State Portal Entity for Mississippi.

Colleges or universities in a SARA state only need their home state authorization to offer online education to any other SARA member state. Every state except for California has joined SARA. A current list of member states can be found here.

State authorization rules are subject to change. Please check back to this site for more information concerning Mississippi College and authorization of states for online education courses.

Professional Licensure

SARA approval does not extend to programs that lead to professional licensure. If you live outside the state of Mississippi and are considering a program that leads to licensure, then you should contact the appropriate licensing board in your home state before you apply to Mississippi College. While every attempt is made to stay abreast of the laws in each state, it is the student's responsibility to contact the appropriate licensing board in his or her home state to confirm whether or not the program will meet that state's licensure requirements.

Accreditation

Mississippi College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, masters, education specialists, and doctorates. Degree-granting institutions also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Mississippi College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500 or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

Academic Appeals & Complaints

Students wishing to appeal an academic decision, such as a grade, should seek to resolve the matter informally by working directly with the faculty member and/or Dean of the School where the course is catalogued. The appeal should be initiated within 30 days of the triggering event. Students wishing to file a grievance or complaint against a faculty member or other academic administrator based on allegations of unfair treatment, discrimination, failure to follow policy, violations of law, etc., should attempt to resolve the matter informally with the faculty member or academic administrator. If the student is unable to resolve the matter informally, the student may file a formal appeal or a formal complaint by using the Academic Appeal or Grievance Form. The formal complaint should be filed no later than 30 days following the triggering event.

If you are not satisfied with the outcome, the Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation (MCCA) will investigate and attempt to resolve the allegations. Students must follow Mississippi College's process before contacting MCCA.

You can also further your complaint with the appropriate agency in the state where you reside. Please click on your state for the contact form.