Entry Requirements for U.S. Accreditation
Jean A. Morse1
President
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
jmorse@msche.org
Abstract
Regional accreditation in the U.S. assures the public that it can have confidence in the quality of each accredited
college or university, including its goals, performance, and resources. Accreditation standards are applied to
each institution in the context of its own mission and goals. Institutions seeking initial accreditation receive
extensive support from the accrediting agency’s staff and from independent consultants as they undergo several
external reviews to determine whether they meet accreditation standards.
After an institution has been licensed by a state to grant a higher education degree, it applies to become a
candidate for accreditation. The next steps towards accreditation include several document reviews and visits by
staff and teams of peer reviewers. After an institution is granted official “candidacy” status, it has five years
within which to meet all requirements, conduct a self-study, and host a final team visit to determine whether it is
will be granted full accreditation.
Accreditation requires continuing maintenance and is not transferable.
This paper describes the reasons for accreditation, the different types of U.S. accreditation, and the requirements
and processes applied to institutions seeking initial accreditation.
1. Achieving and Maintaining Accreditation
The initial accreditation of an institution is one of the most important functions provided by accrediting
agencies. The accreditor provides a teaching/consulting role as the institution makes the changes necessary
to comply with accreditation standards that are new to it. The process can change and improve an institution in
important ways; it requires time and support for the institution to internalize and institutionalize the culture,
structures, standards and practices expected of accredited institutions. Not all institutions are accreditable, even
if they are authorized by their state to grant degrees.
The manner in which initial accreditation is processed is essential to preserving the diversity of different types
of colleges and universities in the U.S. Accreditors apply their standards in the context of the specific mission of
each institution. This requires specialized and tailored attention to the nature and needs of each candidate.
Accreditation is a privilege. After it is achieved, the institution is required to comply with various processes to
maintain the level of quality that justified the initial accreditation. In addition to regular reports and visits from
staff and teams of peer reviewers, the institution must obtain advance approval of certain “substantive changes”
such as change of ownership, opening of new locations, or introducing new degree levels. Failure to satisfy all
accreditation standards jeopardizes the accreditation of the entire institution.
Accreditation is not an “asset” that can be transferred upon sale with the chairs and computers. A new owner
must be approved in advance.
Because regional accreditation is “institutional” accreditation that covers all activities of the institution, the
standards require the same level of quality at all locations, in all programs, and in all modes of delivery.
1
This article represents the personal views of Jean Morse, and not those of the Middle States Commission on
Higher Education.
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2. Types of U.S. Accreditation
There are seven regional accreditors in the U.S. Each accredits colleges and universities that grant
undergraduate and/or graduate degrees in its own region of the U.S. The Middle States Commission on Higher
Education (MSCHE), for example, accredits over 500 institutions in the states of Delaware, Maryland, New
Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, plus the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the
U.S. Virgin Islands, and a few international locations. These regional accreditors examine the entire institution.
There are also many specialized accreditors. They accredit specific types of programs within an institution,
such as law or medicine.
A third type of national accreditor accredits degree-granting and non-degree granting postsecondary
institutions. Some degree-granting institutions that are not accredited by regional accreditors may be accredited
by national accreditors.
In order to grant degrees in the U.S., an institution must be licensed in the state in which its corporate
headquarters are located. However, the federal government is the authority for military service academies and
related institutions, some of which are also regionally accredited. The requirements for licensing institutions
differ greatly among states, and those state requirements are not addressed in this paper.
All of the regional, specialized, and national accreditors are non-governmental, non-profit organizations that
accredit public, private non-profit, and private for-profit institutions, applying the same standards to all types of
institutions. Most regional accreditors apply standards that are substantially similar, but there are some
differences among these standards and processes. This paper addresses the standards and processes of MSCHE.
Although accreditation is voluntary and non-governmental, if an institution wants its students to receive
federally-guaranteed loans and grants, the institution must be accredited by an agency approved by the federal
government. This provides a powerful incentive for institutions to become accredited. The accreditors that are
recognized by the U.S. Department of Education are listed on the Department of Education's website,
www.ed.gov. They include all regional accreditors and some national and specialized accreditors.
3. Purpose of Regional Accreditation
Regional accreditation in the U.S. assures the public that an accredited institution meets the high standards set
by regional accreditors. Accreditation by MSCHE is an “expression of confidence in an institution’s mission
and goals, its performance, and its resources” (Candidacy, page 1). It represents the judgment by peers and
colleagues that an institution has an appropriate and well-defined higher education mission and student learning
goals and that it achieves those goals; that it assesses its success and uses assessment results to improve its
student learning and institutional effectiveness; that it is appropriately organized and staffed; and that it meets
MSCHE standards.
Historically, regional accreditation has been used as an important indicator of quality by students choosing an
institution, by institutions accepting transfer credits and/or degrees, and by employers judging the quality of an
institution’s graduates.
If an American institution is operating abroad, U.S. accreditation also attests to the quality of the education
offered abroad.
4. How U.S. Accreditation Works
The U.S. system for accrediting degree-granting colleges requires extensive external reviews over a long period
of time. It also acknowledges the fact that different institutions have different missions. Therefore, every review
must be tailored to the unique nature of the institution.
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Candidate institutions, which typically are new institutions or institutions seeking initial accreditation, need
especially careful review because they have no history or processes for meeting accreditors’ standards. This
requires “hands on” support during the process of candidacy.
For example, staff members visit candidate institutions frequently to ensure that each institution receives the
resources and advice needed for successful accreditation, and they provide timely advice about accreditation
standards that the institution may not meet. Candidates also receive multiple visits by teams, they are assigned to
an outside consultant during the process, and the Commission reviews written reports twice each year during the
period that precedes initial accreditation. Newly accredited institutions are also subject to special postaccreditation reviews for five years.
5. Which Institutions are Eligible to Apply for Accreditation?
An institution seeking accreditation must provide evidence that it has:
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students actively seeking degrees
basic planning processes that integrate academic, personnel, learning resources and financial planning
adequate financial resources and is regularly reviewed by an outside auditor
appropriate physical facilities
an independent governing body that ensures institutional performance and compliance with
accreditation requirements, and that reflects constituent and public interest without conflicts of
interest
a CEO appointed by the governing body
qualified administrative staff and necessary student support and other services
clear and appropriate admissions policies
information resources available to students, faculty, and staff
appropriate faculty, including a core of faculty that assures continuity
degree programs with quality and rigor appropriate to the degree
"general education" skills covered among its course requirements
procedures for assessing student achievement and using the results for improvement
procedures for assessing institutional performance and using the results for improvement
In addition, all accredited institutions must be licensed by their state or foreign government; grant postsecondary
degrees equivalent to at least one year in length; have a clear mission; be governed by a board of directors that
can assure compliance with accreditation standards; publish catalogues with specified information for students;
and devote sufficient resources to their educational activities. (See Candidacy, pp. 3–6 for a complete
description of the eligibility requirements.)
6. May Institutions Abroad Receive U.S. Accreditation?
For many years, MSCHE has accredited institutions abroad that are licensed by a state in its region. (The term
“free standing institutions abroad” was created to distinguish what was then a new type of institution that
differed from domestic U.S. institutions that operated branches or other sites abroad.)
In 2002, MSCHE started a pilot project to determine whether and how its standards could be applied to
institutions chartered abroad, with no U.S. incorporation. A representative sample of applicant institutions was
included in the pilot, and there is currently a moratorium on accepting additional applications. The progress of
the institutions in the project will be evaluated to determine whether to continue to accredit such institutions.
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The seven regional accreditors vary in their policies for accrediting institutions abroad:
 Some do not accredit free-standing institutions abroad. (e.g., The Higher Learning Commission of the
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools).
 Some are experimenting with a few institutions. (Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and
Universities, Western Association of Schools and Colleges; and the Commission on Colleges and
Universities, Northwest Association of Schools and of Colleges and Universities)
 Some offer accreditation to an institution abroad, but apply standards that may require instruction and
competence in English, general education, significant numbers of Americans in the administration
and faculty, U.S.-style degrees, and other requirements that may be difficult for some institutions
to meet (Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, New England Association of Colleges
and Schools; and Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools).
In addition, MSCHE is pursuing the possibility of mutual agreements with quality assurance agencies in other
countries.
7. The Candidacy Process
The candidacy process consists of an application phase, the process of being designated as having “candidate
status,” and candidacy itself. It is, of course, a time-consuming process, both for the institution and for MSCHE.
The thorough review of applicants and candidates ensures the public that no accredited institution is a “degree
mill.” The process educates and supports the institution as it improves in key areas, sifts out unqualified
applicants at an early stage, ensures that only qualified institutions achieve candidacy and then accreditation,
and includes “checks and balances” to prevent mistakes on both sides.
7.1 Starting the Process
The institution first submits a completed “Application for Candidacy: Supplemental Data Form." accompanied
by specific written materials related to its charter, mission, governing board, administration, faculty and staff,
educational programs and services, general education/liberal arts, admissions, students and student services,
library and other information resources, income and expenses, financial statements, and physical facilities.
There is an application fee for the initial review of these documents, and there are other fees as the application
proceeds.
If an MSCHE staff member approves the documentation, a Vice President is assigned as the permanent “liaison”
between the institution and MSCHE. That staff member visits the institution to discuss the rest of the application
process.
7.2 The Self-Analysis Document, Team Visit, and Candidate Status
In the second phase of the process, the institution develops a “Self-Assessment Document” (SAD), in
consultation with its MSCHE liaison. In the SAD, the institution analyzes itself, using the Commission’s
accreditation standards, and proposes a plan for strengthening itself in areas that it identifies as needing
improvement. It also provides data on the distribution of enrollment by program and its five-year enrollment
projections; its current budget and five-year budget projections; the two most recent audited financial
statements; the institution’s catalogue; and its faculty/staff handbooks.
If the liaison approves the SAD, MSCHE assembles a small team of peer evaluators appropriate for the
institution. The team visits the institution to determine compliance with accreditation standards, and it prepares a
written report which the institution may review and may then comment on the accuracy of the report.
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The Commission reviews the team report and institutional response and votes whether to grant the status of
“Candidate for Accreditation.” In the U.S., this status enables the students of a U.S. institution to receive
federally-guaranteed student funding before a final decision is made concerning final accreditation.
7.3 Institutions in Candidacy
During the candidacy period, the institution files semi-annual interim reports. MSCHE assigns a consultant to
review the reports, visit the institution twice each year, and submit a report to the Commission after each visit.
The MSCHE staff liaison also joins the consultant during one visit each year.
Based on this information, the Commission determines whether the institution may start the “self-study” process
in preparation for initial accreditation. If that decision is in the affirmative, the liaison visits the institution to
help it prepare for the self-study. The liaison is also available throughout the process.
The self-study process for initial accreditation is the same 18- to 24-month comprehensive process that all
accredited institutions conduct at least every 10 years. It is the subject of the MSCHE handbook, “Self Study:
Creating a Useful Process and Report,” posted on the MSCHE website. During self-study, faculty,
administrators, students and others participate in gathering and analyzing information about the institution’s
performance in each area of the Commission’s 14 accreditation standards. They then assess compliance and
suggest future improvements. The process results in a written report.
The MSCHE liaison assembles a visiting team, which usually consists of seven or eight peer reviewers for an
institution of average size. The team Chair visits the institution in advance to prepare the institution for the visit,
and the full team visits for about three days, culminating in a written team report. Again, the institution replies
to the team report.
The Commission considers all of the information and votes whether to grant accreditation. If accreditation is
granted, the institution is required to conduct another self-study in five years. (In contrast, institutions that have
been previously accredited are required to undergo another self-study in 10 years.)
The entire candidacy process must be completed within five years, although in some situations, the process may
be accelerated. Alternatively, an institution may withdraw during the process and re-apply later, after a specified
interval.
8. Conclusion
It is the initial review of an institution that creates the basis for the continuing high level performance by the
institution. Because the initial review of the institution establishes at the outset that the institution meets all
requirements, it is easier to maintain accreditation afterwards. Institutions start with a high level of performance,
so problems that develop later are usually caught and cured through continuing reporting and compliance
processes before they become serious. This thorough review also assures that only well-qualified institutions are
accredited.
Initial accreditation is only the first step in a process that requires intensive maintenance throughout the
institution’s accreditation.
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Relevant Middle States Publications
Note: All of the publications in sections 1 and 2, and some in section 3 below,
are available in full text on the Commission’s website at www.msche.org.
1. Eligibility Requirements and Standards for Accreditation
Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education, Eligibility Requirements and Standards for
Accreditation (2006)
This is the Commission’s primary resource, explaining in detail each of the accreditation
standards: (1) Mission, Goals and Objectives; (2) Planning, Resource Allocation, and
Institutional Renewal; (3) Institutional Resources; (4) Leadership and Governance;
(5) Administration; (6) Integrity; (7) Institutional Assessment; (8) Student Admissions;
(9) Student Support Services; (10) Faculty; (11) Educational Offerings; (12) General
Education; (13) Related Educational Activities; and (14) Assessment of Student Learning.
2. Manuals for Accreditation Protocols
Candidacy, Handbook for Applicants and Candidates for Accreditation (2002)
The MSCHE eligibility requirements are included in this publication.
Self-Study, Creating a Useful Process and Report (2nd Edition, 2007)
Team Visits, Conducting and Hosting an Evaluation Visit (2006)
Handbook for Periodic Review Reports (2007)
Handbook for Collaborative Reviews: Processes for Reviews by the Middle States Commission on
Higher Education and Other Accreditors, Agencies, and Organizations (2002)
3. Guidelines for Institutional Improvement
Student Learning Assessment: Options and Resources (2nd Edition, 2007)
Assessing Student Learning and Institutional Effectiveness, Understanding Middle States
Expectations (2005)
This brochure replaces Chapter 4 in Student Learning Assessment: Options and Resources
(2003)
Developing Research and Communications Skills: Guidelines for Information Literary in the
Curriculum (2003)
Distance Learning Programs: Interregional Guidelines for Electronically Offered Degree and
Certificate Programs (2002)
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