An overview of the history of nontraditional programs within the American higher education system discusses the energy and spirit provided by such programs and relates them to the basic principles of American culture (importance of individuality, respect for diversity, and belief in equality). During the development of American culture, the five trends affecting higher education have been moving from aristocracy to equality, from traditional to popular and practical, from transmission to creation, from singular to diverse, and from uniformity to individuality. Several definitions of nontraditional education are provided in a discussion of the nature of nontraditional programming. Nontraditional education focuses on the needs and goals of the individual learner, with learning not necessarily taking place in a formal setting. Though nontraditional programs are relatively new in higher education, their foundations are deep within America's history. Nontraditional programs are divided into six categories/models: administrative-facilitation model, modes of learning model, examination model, validation model, credits model, and complex-systems model. Details of each category/model are provided. A list of 18 references is included. (SM)