5Program Length Element

Specifies the overall duration and measuring criteria of the program, such as years or credits.

Required Element? No

Can Repeat? No

Field: Program Length Measurement Unit

Description: When schools define a program, they've to declare the length of the program. This field defines the measurement unit that's used to measure the defined program length.

Impact on Financial Aid Processing: Use with the number of units for Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) communication, that's:
  • If the program length measurement unit is in years, then the number of units will be reported to COD in years.
  • If you've a program that's smaller than the Academic Year Definition (AYD), then we'd want the program length measurement unit in weeks.
Example Data Type Required XML Schema Validation Accessible via Configuration? Display Locations
Years Enumeration (Enum) Yes
  • Years
  • Months
  • Weeks
Yes getProgramLengthMeasurementUnit()
  • Program Information
  • Packaging
  • Common Record Information

Field: Number of Units

Description: This is the defined program units that's defined with the Department of Education for the program

Impact on Financial Aid Processing: Use with the program length measurement unit for COD communication, that's:
  • If the program length measurement unit is months, then the number of units will be reported to COD in months.
  • If reporting this value in years, then you'll need to indicate the year as a whole number.
Example Data Type Required XML Schema Validation Accessible via Configuration? Display Locations
120 Non Negative Integer Yes Any integer Yes getProgramLengthNumberOfUnits()
  • Program Information
  • Packaging
  • Common Record Information