"Particularly
among intentionally Christ-centered schools, the enrollment rate of
Council for Christian Colleges and Universities member institutions has
outpaced the rest of higher education by more than 42 percent during
the decade of the 1990s."
- Ronald P.Mahurin, Vice President for professional development and
research, The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.
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Christian Colleges Distance Learning - A Fast Growing Sector
Christian colleges distance learning programs have grown steadily in numbers in
recent years. The U.S. Department of Education estimates that about 900
schools of higher learning today are “religiously
affiliated.”
There number of schools with a specifically Christian focus is
smaller, but growing rapidly. The Council for Christian Colleges and
Universities (CCCU), a leading group that has served Christian schools
for 30 years, has 102 "Christ-centered" institutions in its membership.
These schools grant over 350 different types of undergraduate degrees
and 140 types of graduate majors.
Fast-Rising Interest The schools have grown because of rapidly rising interest from
students. Over 300,000 students are now enrolled in CCCU-member
schools. Most are seeking a liberal arts education that will inform a
Christian life, not specifically studying for the ministry.
Accreditation may not be a key issue to you if you are seeking a
religious education strictly for personal enhancement. If you want to
invest several years of your life to gain a bachelors or masters degree
from a distance education Christian liberal arts college, however,
it’s advisable to find a school that is accredited by one of the
same organizations that gives accreditation to non-religious schools.
There are six main groups in the U.S. that accredit schools of higher
education: -
MSA--Middle States Association
- NASC--Northwest Association of Schools & Colleges
- NCA--North Central Association of Colleges & Schools
- NEASC--New England Association of Schools & Colleges
- SACS--Southern Association of Colleges & Schools
- WASC--Western Association of Schools & Colleges
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