The Degree Qualifications Profile. Defining Degrees: A New Direction for American Higher Education to Be Tested and Developed in Partnership with Faculty, Students, Leaders and Stakeholders. Executive Summary

With the assistance of four writers and dozens of expert reviewers, Lumina Foundation for Education offers the first step in creating a Degree Qualifications Profile for American higher education. The Degree Profile is a baseline set of reference points for what students should do to earn associate, bachelor's and master's degrees--regardless of their field of specialization. The Degree Profile has several potential uses. As faculty and students collaborate in planning an individualized course of study, it can be a useful guide for building a comprehensive degree. Similarly, as institutions add or adjust degree programs, the Degree Profile can aid in the design of these curricula. Those seeking to assure the quality of academic programs may find the Degree Profile a useful tool as they consider institutional offerings. Other uses include the Degree Profile as a potential framework to align degree levels and as a new way to consider college readiness. It also can be an aid in assessing incoming students' prior learning and out-of-classroom learning. [For the main report, see ED515302.]