Programmatic Accrediting Organizations

Programmatic accreditors usually review programs or schools within institutions, although some accredit freestanding institutions dedicated to a particular profession. Most universities and some colleges carry a number of accreditations simultaneously: institutional accreditation for the entire institution and programmatic accreditation for various professional schools or programs. When an institution is accredited by more than one organization, the institution has to identify for governmental purposes which of the organizations is its “primary” accreditor. Programmatic accreditation standards are frequently linked to the requirements for professional licensing of individuals. In many states, individuals wishing to enter certain professions (including law and architecture, among others) are required to take licensing examinations. States may also require students who sit for a licensing examination to provide evidence that they graduated from an accredited institution that offers a degree or certificate in the profession.

Figure 17:

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Figure 19:

Programmatic Accrediting Organization Name (2020-2021)	Year Founded	Programs	Number of Students
Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine	1982	128	6,240
Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education	2003	5	N/A
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing	1997	1,311	N/A
Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education	1955	43	3,195
Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs	1988	3,777	N/A
Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics	1917	631	18,564
Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education	1932	142	57,375
Accreditation Council on Optometric Education	1934	25	7,488
Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc.	1971	277	29,682
Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications	1945	117	78,798
American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission	2002	51	964
American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Council for Accreditation	1909	N/A	N/A
American Board of Funeral Service Education, Committee on Accreditation	1958	57	6,599
American Council for Construction Education	1974	96	10,000
American Culinary Federation Education Foundation, Inc., Accrediting Commission	1929	431	N/A
American Library Association, Committee on Accreditation	1924	68	19,994
American Occupational Therapy Association, Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education	1923	448	30,750
American Osteopathic Association, Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation	1897	N/A	N/A
American Physical Therapy Association, Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education	1928	640	49,202
American Podiatric Medical Association, Council on Podiatric Medical Education	1918	9	2,750
American Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation	1948	1,228	23,308
American Veterinary Medical Association, Council on Education	1863	33	13,546
Association for Clinical Pastoral Education Accreditation Commission	1967	310	N/A
Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering	1967	417	N/A
Aviation Accreditation Board International	1988	97	25,659
Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education	2006	356	27,563
Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy	1946	131	8,220
Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care	1954	416	7,800
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs	1994	2,241	46,000
Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education	2006	315	3,069
Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education	1968	119	9,102
Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs, Inc.	1988	227	1,682
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education	1996	1,926	554,380
Commission on Dental Accreditation, American Dental Association	1975	1,424	N/A
Commission on English Language Program Accreditation	1999	351	160,891
Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation	1996	14	N/A
Commission on Opticianry Accreditation	1985	19	401
Commission on Sport Management Accreditation	2008	50	N/A
Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs	1981	880	68,875
Council for Interior Design Accreditation	1970	174	18,000
Council for Standards in Human Service Education	1979	56	N/A
Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation	2013	594	115,805
Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, American Bar Association	1893	197	114,520
Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association	1959	376	24,054
Council on Accreditation for Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions	1965	64	9,600
Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs	1975	124	8,737
Council on Chiropractic Education	1971	17	10,793
Council on Education for Public Health	1974	240	N/A
Council on Naturopathic Medical Education	1978	6	2,300
Council on Social Work Education, Commission on Accreditation	1952	823	125,323
International Accreditation Council for Business Education	1997	1,703	N/A
International Fire Service Accreditation Congress - Degree Assembly	1990	38	N/A
Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology	1971	709	36,700
Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology	1970	71	N/A
Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board, American Society of Landscape Architects	1899	100	5,700
Liaison Committee on Medical Education	1942	155	94,096
Midwifery Education Accreditation Council	1991	2	798
Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education	1991	112	2,550
National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences	1973	594	17,046
National Association of Schools of Art and Design Commission on Accreditation	1944	N/A	135,301
National Association of Schools of Dance Commission on Accreditation	1981	N/A	5,855
National Association of Schools of Music Commission on Accreditation and Commission on Community College Accreditation	1924	N/A	96,707
National Association of Schools of Theatre Commission on Accreditation	1969	N/A	23,665
Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration, Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation	1970	189	10,800
Planning Accreditation Board	1984	93	5,291
Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System	1995	43	1,172
Programmatic Accrediting Organizations Total		25,290	2,136,910

* n/a - not available or not applicable

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