CANDIDACY APPLICATION
(MULTIPLE NURSING PROGRAMS)
Note: This application is designed for multiple nursing programs applying as one nursing education unit with one nurse administrator. For nursing programs applying
under separate nursing education units, please complete a single-program candidacy application for each program type.
Governing Organization (University/College/Hospital/Career Center/School):
Name of Nursing Education Unit:
Request for the ACEN to review the following nursing programs for candidacy status:
☐ Clinical Doctorate
☐ Master’s/Post-Master’s Certificate
☐ Baccalaureate
☐ Associate
☐ Diploma
☐ Practical
DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
Street Address of Governing Organization:
City:
State:
ZIP Code:
Mailing Address of Governing Organization (if different from street address):
City:
State:
ZIP Code:
State:
ZIP Code:
Street Address of Nursing Education Unit:
City:
Mailing Address of Nursing Education Unit (if different from street address):
City:
State:
ZIP Code:
Name and Credentials of Chief Executive Officer of Governing Organization:
Title of Chief Executive Officer of Governing Organization:
CEO Phone Number:
CEO Fax:
CEO E-mail:
Name and Credentials of Nurse Administrator:
Title of Nurse Administrator:
Nurse Administrator Phone Number:
Nurse Administrator Fax:
Nurse Administrator E-mail:
Type of Governing Organization (check all that apply):
☐ Private
☐ Public
☐ Religion-Affiliated
☐ Single Purpose
☐ Hospital/Medical Center/Health System
☐ Vocational/Technical School
☐ Public School System/District
☐ Non-Profit
☐ For-Profit
ACEN Candidacy Application - 1
GENERAL INFORMATION – GOVERNING ORGANIZATION
Accrediting Agency for the Governing Organization
Accreditation Status:
a.
☐ Accredited
☐ Approved for Candidacy
For Master’s, Baccalaureate, and Associate Degree Nursing Programs:
The governing organization is accredited or approved for candidacy by the following agency:
☐ Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools*
☐ Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges*
☐ Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges*
☐ Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools*
☐ Council on Occupational Education*
☐ Distance Education Accrediting Commission*
☐ Higher Learning Commission*
☐ Middle States Commission on Higher Education*
☐ New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of Higher Education*
☐ Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities*
☐ Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges*
☐ Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission*
*Recognized by USDOE to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs
b.
For Hospital-Based Diploma, Practical, Associate Degree, Master’s, or Clinical Doctorate Nursing Programs:
The governing organization is accredited or approved for candidacy by the following agency:
☐ Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools*
☐ Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges*
☐ Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools*
☐ DNV Healthcare
☐ Health Care Facilities Accreditation Program
☐ The Joint Commission
*Recognized by USDOE to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs
c.
For Practical Nursing Programs:
The governing organization is approved by a state agency recognized by the USDOE for postsecondary vocational education:
Name of State Agency:
Or accredited or approved for candidacy by the following agency:
☐ Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools*
☐ Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges*
☐ Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges*
☐ Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges*
☐ AdvancED
☐ Council on Occupational Education*
☐ Distance Education Accrediting Commission*
☐ Higher Learning Commission*
☐ Middle States Association Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools*
☐ Middle States Commission on Higher Education*
☐ New England Association of Schools and Colleges Committee on Public Secondary Schools
☐ New England Association of Schools and Colleges Committee on Technical and Career Institutions
☐ Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities*
☐ Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges*
*Recognized by USDOE to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs
Date of Last Review:
Outcome:
Date of Next Review:
Attach documentation verifying the governing organization’s current accreditation or candidacy status.
Note: If the governing organization has candidacy status with an accreditation agency, the institution must achieve initial accreditation prior
to the nursing programs scheduling an initial accreditation visit with the ACEN.
ACEN Candidacy Application - 2
GENERAL INFORMATION – NURSING PROGRAMS
Nursing Student Enrollment by Program Type
Program Type
Current Enrollment
Anticipated Enrollment Increases
Date of Anticipated Increases
Clinical Doctorate
Master’s/Post-Master’s Certificate
Baccalaureate
Associate
Diploma
Practical
Program Location Information
The nursing education unit delivers courses at multiple locations:
☐ Yes
☐ No
Name of Additional Teaching Location:
Location Type (see glossary):
☐ Branch Campus
☐ Off-Campus Instructional Site
Program(s) Offered at Teaching Location:
Street Address:
City:
State:
ZIP Code:
Distance from Main Campus (in miles):
Name of Additional Teaching Location:
Location Type (see glossary):
☐ Branch Campus
☐ Off-Campus Instructional Site
Program(s) Offered at Teaching Location:
Street Address:
City:
State:
ZIP Code:
Distance from Main Campus (in miles):
Name of Additional Teaching Location:
Location Type (see glossary):
☐ Branch Campus
☐ Off-Campus Instructional Site
Program(s) Offered at Teaching Location:
Street Address:
City:
State:
ZIP Code:
Distance from Main Campus (in miles):
ACEN Candidacy Application - 3
GENERAL INFORMATION – NURSING PROGRAM #1
Program Type: ☐ Clinical Doctorate
☐ Master’s/Post-Master’s Certificate
☐ Baccalaureate
☐ Associate
☐ Diploma
☐ Practical
State Regulatory Agency for Nursing
Name of State Regulatory Agency for Nursing:
☐ Not Applicable
Approval Status:
Date of Next Review:
Attach documentation verifying the nursing program’s current approval by the state regulatory agency for nursing.
Program Graduate Information
Date of Graduation/Anticipated Date of Graduation of First Cohort of Nursing Program Seeking Accreditation:
Note: Initial accreditation is effective as of the accreditation cycle in which the Board of Commissioners grants initial accreditation.
Accreditation is not retroactive for students who graduated prior to the semester/quarter/term in which the initial accreditation site visit
occurred.
Distance Education Modalities/Options Utilized
Please refer to the glossary (p. 6) for ACEN definitions related to distance education.
Is the nursing program offered via distance education?
☐ No
☐ Yes - Specify Modality Utilized:
Is the nursing program offered totally online?
☐ No
☐ Yes – ☐ Synchronous or ☐ Asynchronous
Are nursing course(s) offered totally online?
☐ No
☐ Yes – Specify Course Number and Prefix:
Is the nursing program offered in a hybrid/blended format?
☐ No
☐ Yes – Specify Percentage of Courses Offered as Hybrid/Blended and
Course Number and Prefix:
Are nursing courses offered in a hybrid/blended format?
☐ No
☐ Yes – Specify Course Number and Prefix:
Program Options
Entry Options:
☐ LPN-to-RN
☐ Paramedic-to-RN
☐ RN-to-BSN
☐ Traditional Associate Degree
☐ Pre-Licensure Baccalaureate Degree
☐ Accelerated
☐ Second Degree
☐ Other (Please Specify):
ACEN Candidacy Application - 4
Advanced Practice Options:
☐ Nurse Practitioner
☐ Clinical Nurse Specialist
☐ Nurse Anesthetist
☐ Nurse Midwife
Post-Master’s Certificate (Please Specify):
GENERAL INFORMATION – NURSING PROGRAM #2
State Regulatory Agency for Nursing
Name of State Regulatory Agency for Nursing:
☐ Not Applicable
Approval Status:
Date of Next Review:
Attach documentation verifying the nursing program’s current approval by the state regulatory agency for nursing.
Program Graduate Information
Date of Graduation/Anticipated Date of Graduation of First Cohort of Nursing Program Seeking Accreditation:
Note: Initial accreditation is effective as of the accreditation cycle in which the Board of Commissioners grants initial accreditation.
Accreditation is not retroactive for students who graduated prior to the semester/quarter/term in which the initial accreditation site visit
occurred.
Distance Education Modalities/Options Utilized
Please refer to the glossary (p. 6) for ACEN definitions related to distance education.
Is the nursing program offered via distance education?
☐ No
☐ Yes - Specify Modality Utilized:
Is the nursing program offered totally online?
☐ No
☐ Yes – ☐ Synchronous or ☐ Asynchronous
Are nursing course(s) offered totally online?
☐ No
☐ Yes – Specify Course Number and Prefix:
Is the nursing program offered in a hybrid/blended format?
☐ No
☐ Yes – Specify Percentage of Courses Offered as Hybrid/Blended and
Course Number and Prefix:
Are nursing courses offered in a hybrid/blended format?
☐ No
☐ Yes – Specify Course Number and Prefix:
ACEN Candidacy Application - 5
Program Options
Entry Options:
☐ LPN-to-RN
☐ Paramedic-to-RN
☐ RN-to-BSN
☐ Traditional Associate Degree
☐ Pre-Licensure Baccalaureate Degree
☐ Accelerated
☐ Second Degree
☐ Other (Please Specify):
Advanced Practice Options:
☐ Nurse Practitioner
☐ Clinical Nurse Specialist
☐ Nurse Anesthetist
☐ Nurse Midwife
Post-Master’s Certificate (Please Specify):
ACEN Candidacy Application - 6
Title IV Information
The governing organization/institution may use ACEN accreditation to establish eligibility to participate in Title IV programs. ACEN accreditation may
only be utilized for eligibility purposes if the governing organization is not accredited by another USDOE-recognized organization.
When accreditation is achieved, the institution is interested in having the ACEN serve as the Title IV gatekeeper.
☐ Yes
☐ Not Applicable
Nurse Administrator Signature
Date
ACEN Candidacy Application - 7
CANDIDACY APPLICATION CHECKLIST
☐ Completed Candidacy Application (including signature)
☐ Copy of Current Governing Organization Accreditation or Candidacy Status Document
☐ Copy of Current State Regulatory Agency for Nursing Approval Status Document for Each Nursing Program (if applicable)
☐ Copy of Organizational Chart for the Governing Organization*
☐ Copy of Organizational Chart for the Nursing Education Unit*
* Organizational charts should clearly delineate the relationship between the governing organization and the nursing education unit; additional organizational charts
may be necessary to accurately illustrate this relationship.
GLOSSARY
Branch Campus – A location of an institution that is geographically separate and independent of the main campus of the institution. A location is
independent of the main campus if the location meets all of the following conditions:

permanent in nature;

offers courses in educational nursing programs leading to a degree, certificate, or other recognized educational credential;

has its own faculty and administrative or supervisory organization; and

has its own budgetary and hiring authority.
Chief Executive Officer – The official who has the primary responsibility of carrying out the administrative policies and functions of the governing
organization.
Distance Education
Asynchronous Learning – Learning and instruction that do not occur in the same place or at the same time.
Distance Education – An educational process in which the majority of the instruction occurs when a student and instructor are not in the
same place. Instruction may be synchronous or asynchronous. Distance education may employ audio, video, and/or computer technologies
and includes technology that is used to support regular and substantive interactions between the instructor and the students.
Hybrid/Blended Nursing Course – The nursing course content is delivered both in person/in a classroom and via distance education; 1%
to 49% of the traditional in-person/in-a-classroom time is replaced with work via distance education, typically delivered asynchronously. The
component delivered via distance education includes learning activities that reduce the time traditionally spent in the in-person/in-a-classroom
component.
Hybrid/Blended Nursing Program – The nursing program is delivered both in person/in a classroom and via distance education; 1% to
49% of the credit hours or 1% to 49% of the clock hours of the nursing courses is delivered in person/in a classroom, and the remaining credit
hours or clock hours are delivered via distance education, typically delivered asynchronously. The distance education delivered component
includes learning activities that reduce the time traditionally spent in the in-person/in-a-classroom component.
Online/Internet Nursing Course – A form of distance education whereby 50% to 100% of the nursing course content is delivered
primarily online and asynchronously.
Online Nursing Program – A form of distance education whereby 50% to 100% of the credit hours or 50% to 100% of the clock hours of
the nursing courses are delivered primarily online and asynchronously.
Synchronous Learning – Learning and instruction that occur at the same time and in the same place.
Governing Organization – The institution with overall responsibility and authority for the nursing education unit and the nursing program (e.g.,
university, college, hospital/medical center, career center).
Nurse Administrator – The individual with responsibility and authority for the administrative and instructional activities of the nursing education unit
within the governing organization (e.g., dean, chairperson, director).
Nursing Education Unit –A unit within a governing organization that offers one (1) or more nursing program types; all nursing programs within the
nursing education unit must be administered by a single individual with the responsibility and authority for all nursing programs.
Nursing Program Option – Model of delivery designed for a subset of students within a nursing program. Program options include, but are not limited
to, pre-licensure options, post-licensure completion options, bridge options, traditional options, accelerated options, evening/weekend options, and
specialized concentrations/tracks.
Off-Campus Instructional Site – Any location that is physically apart from the main campus of the institution where a nursing program is offered, in
whole or part.
ACEN Candidacy Application - 8