Research on External Degree Systems in the U.S.A & the U.K

本研究旨在全面了解美国和英国的外部学位课程，特别关注其发展动力和未来前景。实际上，主要针对的机构是美国的Regents College， Thomas Edison State College和Charter Oak College，以及英国伦敦大学的External Program。与此同时，预计将对日本国立学位院的学位授予制度的发展产生影响。国立学位院在日本也开展类似的外部教育项目。经过三年的研究，我们提出了一些获得学分的机会，如成熟的远程教育、经验学习、大学以外的学术课程，这些都是构建基础设施的要素，以维持这种替代学位的方式。另一方面，可以说，严格的学习评价和要求体系是外部学位质量的关键。只要质量得到保证，在普及高等教育的时代，外部学位课程是可以发展起来的。就日本国立学位机构发展的影响而言，课程的设计包括每个学术领域的需求结构或为学生和/或未来学生提供的服务，如学习咨询功能，都可以参考。

This study was designed to draw a comprehensive figure of external degree programs in USA and UK especially focusing on their driving forces of development and future perspectives . Actually , the institutes mainly targeted were Regents College , Thomas Edison State College and Charter Oak College in USA and External Program at University of London in UK . At the same time , it was expected to draw implications to develop the system of degree awarding at National Institution for Academic Degrees , an organization that conducts a similar external program in Japan .As result of this research of three years , several opportunities to earn credits such as matured distance education , experience learning , academic courses outside the universities are pointed as elements which construct infra structure to sustain this kind of alterative way to degrees . On the other hand , it could be said that the rigid systems of learning evaluation and requirements are key of quality of external degrees . As long as the quality was kept and assured , external degree programs could be developed in the era of universal access to higher education .In the term of implications to the development of National Institution for Academic Degrees in Japan , the design of Programs including the structure of requirement in each academic field or service to students and / or prospective students such as function of advisory in their study can be referred .