The definition for a program and area of interest are defined below in accordance to the HLC glossary classifications of educational programs.
Program
An educational program leads to a transfer degree, a vocational degree or certificate, or preparation for industry certification.
Area of Interest
An area of interest is a set of classes of common interest that fall under an educational program. An example of this includes an Associate of Science in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in English, with English representing the “area of interest."