ODL monitors regulations related to distance learning and FSU's membership in SARA*. To ensure the university meets regulatory obligations, we provide information and support to colleges and departments regarding out-of-state field placement reporting, professional licensure notification, and out-of-state marketing and recruiting.
Programs Leading to Professional Licensure
What FSU programs meet state educational requirements for licensing?
Federal and SARA regulations require institutions to make "every reasonable effort" to determine if completion of a course or program meets state educational requirements for licensing and to notify students if a course or program meets the requirements in their home state. Any course or program that may lead to professional licensure (regardless of delivery method) is included in the requirement, and the notification must be made in writing to prospective and enrolled students. Colleges offering programs designed to lead to professional licensure are responsible for determining whether or not their program meets the licensing requirements in each state and for reporting licensure data to the Office of Digital Learning.
- Regularly research educational requirements for licensing in each US state and territory, comparing requirements with your program's current curriculum and noting any changes. You may find the FSU Licensure Template to be a helpful tool for conducting and documenting your research.
- Determine if your program meets the educational requirements for licensing in each state and territory.
- Use the My Licenses data reporting tool to update licensure information for your program and associated licenses. Please note that access to the data reporting tool is for authorized users only. To request access, complete and submit an access request form.
Contact ODL's SARA liaison if you have questions about what's required of your college or department.
Want to stay up to date on state and federal guidelines for your program? Update your contact email, and we'll keep you in the loop!
Out-of-State Learning Placements
Because placement of students in other states is considered distance learning, tracking it meets our institutional requirement for participation in SARA. Each spring, ODL contacts colleges and departments to get data on out-of-state learning placements for both face-to-face and distance programs. Use the Placement Data spreadsheet to record your data. These data are assembled in our annual report. For more information on what's required of your college or department, review our Learning Placement Reporting Quick Guide presentation below.
Learning Placement Reporting Quick Guide: Downloadable PDF
You can also contact ODL's SARA liaison for personalized assistance. If you're not sure we have the latest contact information for you, use our contact update form to update our records. We'll be sure to keep you in the loop!
Marketing & Recruiting
FSU is a member of SARA* and approved by the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). Our membership enables us to admit students to online degree programs from all 50 states and most territories, including Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. As a SARA member, FSU is allowed the following marketing and recruiting activities in other SARA states:
- Advertising to students whether through print, billboard, direct mail, internet, radio, television, or other medium
- Having faculty, adjunct faculty, mentors, tutors, recruiters, or other academic personnel residing in a member state and working from their homes or another private, non-institutional site, provided that such staff are not engaged in activities that would otherwise constitute physical presence as defined by the policies and standards in the NC-SARA Manual
- Using recruiters in a SARA member state (This provision is not restricted to recruiting for courses or programs offered under SARA and includes athletic recruiting.)
California is not currently a SARA member state but permits FSU the following freedoms when offering an online program to California students:
- National advertising on television or publications (not targeted to residents within the state of California)
- Local or direct advertising
- Recruiter attendance at state or college fairs
- Local physical presence (billboard, radio, TV, websites, etc.)
PLEASE NOTE: California restricts FSU from holding an administrative office for recruiting in the state of California.
*State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA) provides oversight of postsecondary distance education at a national level.