32-3022. License to grant degrees

A. A person doing business for profit or not for profit in this state, except a public community college or public university, shall not grant or offer to grant a degree to any person or operate an institution which grants or offers to grant a degree to any person unless the person doing business holds a license to grant degrees issued pursuant to this chapter. Each degree program offered by a holder of a license to grant degrees shall be authorized on the license. The board shall prescribe the manner in which the degrees, including level and subject area, shall be identified on the license.

B. An applicant for a license to grant degrees shall have each degree program it offers accredited or have institutional accreditation with an accrediting agency recognized by the United States department of education. The board shall prescribe appropriate evidence of accreditation which each applicant shall submit and the manner in which degree programs shall be identified for institutional accreditation.

C. Notwithstanding subsection B of this section, an applicant for a license to grant degrees who offers a degree program which is not accredited shall meet all of the following requirements:

1. Application or commitment to apply for accreditation with an accrediting agency recognized by the United States department of education. The board shall prescribe the manner in which the applicant shall demonstrate application or commitment to apply for accreditation and the time periods in which the various stages of accreditation shall be met.

2. Demonstration in the manner prescribed by the board, including on-site verification, that the applicant meets the requirements prescribed in section 32-3021, subsections B and C if the applicant has not met the requirements in its application for accreditation.

3. Demonstration in the manner prescribed by the board that the applicant who offers the degree provides actual instruction relating to each degree.

D. The board may, on application, issue a license to grant degrees to a new educational institution as provided in this section, except that the board shall establish separate minimum standards for licensure requirements of new educational institutions. The minimum standards may include the modification of licensure requirements as provided in section 32-3021, subsection B, paragraphs 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8 to meet the circumstances of new educational institutions. The board shall monitor the new educational institution to ensure compliance with the licensure requirements. The board shall issue a license to grant degrees as provided in this subsection one time only to new educational institutions.

E. This section does not apply to religious degrees which are used solely for religious purposes within a religious organization which has tax exempt status from the internal revenue service.