State Authorization for Distance Education

USM is a member of NC SARA, the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. NC SARA oversees reciprocity agreements which facilitate USM student participation in distance education, and in on-site experiences outside the state of Maine, such as clinical placements, internships, etc. Students should visit www.nc-sara.org/ for information on reciprocity agreements with the state in which they plan to complete a placement.

Professional Licensure Disclosure Statement for distance education and other programs

The US Department of Education’s most recent requirements for licensure disclosure may be found here:

Financial Responsibility, Administrative Capability, Certification Procedures, Ability To Benefit (ATB)

For purposes of the federal rule, the University of Southern Maine confirms that its relevant courses and degree programs meet the academic requirements required for professional licensure within the state of Maine. The University cannot confirm that its courses or degree programs meet the requirements for professional licensure outside of Maine, with the exception of those states indicated within specific program listings at this page: https://www.maine.edu/licensure/programs/university-of-southern-maine/.

For purposes of the new federal rule, students who will be living on campus or elsewhere in Maine upon enrollment in a program are considered to be located in Maine. If a student plans to be located in a state other than Maine at the time of enrollment in a licensure-related program, the student should contact that program’s lead prior to applying for admission to the program. Program lead contact information and licensure-related information are available at the link above. Students admitted to a USM licensure-related program after July 1, 2024 will also have the option of completing a formal attestation indicating their intent to seek employment in Maine (or in any other state in which we have confirmed the applicability to licensure of the USM program’s requirements).

The University of Southern Maine also strongly encourages prospective and current students to contact the applicable licensing board(s) in states in which they may wish to pursue licensure and employment, prior to beginning any program of study.

For additional information on licensure issues related to USM’s professional programs, please visit www.maine.edu/licensure/.

Authorization for credit-bearing internships/externships/clinical/field experiences in California

State laws require permission for out-of-state students to participate in on-site educational experiences.  With the exception of California, all states are covered under SARA (the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement). In addition, as a public institution, the University of Southern Maine is not required to register with the state of California prior to placing students in on-site educational experiences in CA. However, students enrolled in professional licensure-related programs should confirm in advance that their planned CA placement meets the licensure requirements for their program and, if they are a CA-based student in an on-line licensure program, they should also review the profession-specific licensure requirements for CA at https://www.dca.ca.gov/

For additional information, see the NC SARA CA Guide.

Student Complaints Concerning Distance Education

Students with complaints about a distance education experience should first follow USM’s Student Complaints Process. Distance education-related complaints regarding academic matters (e.g., grades) should follow the Academic Appeals Policy. Distance education-related complaints regarding administrative matters (e.g., accuracy of information regarding licensure) should follow the Administrative Appeals Policy. 

After following USM’s student complaint process, students may seek further action through the following Maine Department of Education process:

State of Maine Complaint Form. This form should be used by any current student or former student enrolled in an online degree program who seeks to file a complaint against a degree-granting institution approved to operate under the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA).

  1. Students should exhaust the formal complaint process of the host institution.
  2. Students should file a complaint using the State of Maine Complaint Form at the link above, and include documentation that the student has exhausted the formal complaint process at host post-secondary institution.
  3. The Maine DOE reviews the complaint and supporting documents. The Maine DOE may request further documentation from the participating SARA institution mentioned in the complaint.
  4. Maine DOE determines if the resolution of the host institution is acceptable. If so, complaint process is concluded and previous resolution is sustained. If the previous resolution is found not acceptable by the Maine DOE, then the complaint will be further investigated until resolved.
  5. Student receives final disposition letter from the Maine DOE.

For general information on NC-SARA complaints processes, visit nc.ssara.org/student-complaints