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SOCCOAST
SOCCOAST is an association of colleges and universities which have agreed to accept each other's courses in a particular program of study. Groups of such schools are called degree networks. There are 2-year (associate's) networks and 4-year (bachelor's) degree networks, which are either Guaranteed-Transfer Networks and Auxiliary Networks.
You can see which schools are participating in SOCCOAST's two-year and four-year degree networks. And the SOCCOAST representative has also created a spreadsheet showing all majors which are currently in SOCCOAST degree networks, which you can sort to easily find just the major and degree level you're looking for.
Recognizing the problems faced by military students whose jobs require frequent moves, SOC member schools make it easier to obtain college degrees rather than just accumulate course credit by:
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limiting the amount of course work students must take at a single college to no more than 25% of degree requirements (30% if the degree is offered entirely online),
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designing transfer practices to minimize loss of credit and avoid duplication of course work,
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awarding credit for military experience,
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awarding credit for tests such as CLEP, ECE, and DSST national testing programs.
The five basic components of SOCCOAST programs are:
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A guarantee of transferability of college credits. Within each of the curriculum areas, the participating colleges guarantee to accept each other’s credits in transfer.
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A formal agreement between college and student. After the student has taken two courses (six credit hours), the college executes a binding degree plan that evaluates all prior learning, lists academic requirements to be fulfilled by the student, and guarantees award of the degree by the college when the requirements are met.
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Limited academic residency requirements. The academic residency requirements of participating colleges are limited to 25%, or less, of the total degree program. These can be completed at any time and any where the college offers programs.
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Three program delivery options - classroom instruction, distance delivery, and learning assessment.
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Degrees and certificates/diplomas can be completed after leaving the service.
A SOCCOAST agreement locks in the benefits of enrolling in a SOCCOAST school in that it obligates the school to stick to the terms of the agreement. For example, if the course requirements for a particular degree change when you're half-way done, you're only obligated to complete the courses the school agreed to when you began (courses which are listed on the agreement). However, if you decide you want to break the agreement, you can do so.
All the benefits of SOCCOAST are available to uniformed personnel, their spouses and dependents, and to civilian employees.