About the Office of Degree Authorization

The Office of Degree Authorization is required by statute "to provide for the protection of the citizens of Oregon and their postsecondary schools by ensuring the quality of higher education and preserving the integrity of an academic degree as a public credential." ODA administers laws, standards, and services that protect students, holders of legitimately earned degrees, institutions, businesses, employers, patients or clients, and licensing boards.

The ODA authorizes approved schools (under OAR 583-030) to offer academic degree programs, validates individual claims of degree possession, terminates substandard or fraudulent degree activities, and reviews proposed new publicly funded postsecondary programs and locations (under OAR 583-040), disapproving those that would cause duplication detrimental to other segments of education.

A school that is not a part of the public postsecondary system of Oregon or a regionally accredited Oregon independent institution may offer to confer an academic degree, or provide services leading to a degree in whole or in part, only after obtaining approval from the ODA.

ODA works with the 8 public, four-year institutions, 17 public community colleges, about 50 independent and non-Oregon institutions approved to offer full degree programs to Oregon residents (plus many others that offer courses for college credit), and several schools specially approved under exemption to offer limited-title degrees in theology and religious occupations.