Obtaining an Exemplary Online Program Endorsement: A Case Study

Because funding for many higher education institutions is based on student persistence and graduation rates, and because competition for online student enrollments is fierce among public and private institutions, quality and competitiveness in online course development, instruction, and administration is imperative. Additionally, because distance education processes and policies are reviewed by accrediting agencies, actions taken to improve quality are more likely to receive favorable reviews. In this paper, we provide a case study on the successful completion of the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) Quality Scorecard for the Administration of Online Programs by Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). We highlight ways that other institutions can effectively use such an opportunity as they consider applying for certification of their online programs. In particular, we review MTSU's approach to completion of the scorecard, the outcome of the process, improvements made, and lessons learned.