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What is Accreditation?

"Accreditation is the recognition that an institution maintains standards requisite for its graduates to gain admission to other reputable institutions of higher learning or to achieve credentials for professional practice. The goal of accreditation is to ensure that education provided by institutions of higher education meets acceptable levels of quality." (U.S. Department of Education) There are both Institutional accreditations and Specialized or Programmatic Accreditations.

Value of Accreditation

Accreditation:

  • Encourages confidence that an institution’s education is fair and accurate.
  • Assures that a neutral, external party has reviewed the quality of education.
  • Confirms that institutions and programs have processes in place to meet changes in thinking.
  • Provides for eligible students to have access to federal financial aid.
  • Assists with transfer of credits among institutions or admission to graduate school.
  • Aids with entrance to a profession.
  • Signals prospective employers that an educational program has met widely accepted educational standards.

 - Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)

Institutional Accreditation

The evaluation of an entire institution, indicating that each of an institution’s parts is contributing to the achievement of the institution’s objectives, although not necessarily all at the same level of quality.  The Higher Learning Commission is the accrediting body recognized by the U. S. Dept. of Education to oversee UW - Green Bay’s institutional accreditation. 


5 Key Criteria

The Assurance Argument is a narrative document that thoroughly describes how our university meets the requirements of five key criteria, and assures the quality of the education we deliver. They are described as follows: 

  1. The institution’s mission is clear and articulated publicly; it guides the institution’s operations. 
  2. The institution acts with integrity; its conduct is ethical and responsible.  
  3. The institution provides quality education, wherever and however its offerings are delivered. 
  4. The institution demonstrates responsibility for the quality of its educational programs, learning environments, and support services, and it evaluates their effectiveness for student learning through processes designed to promote continuous improvement. 
  5. The institution’s resources, structures, processes, and planning are sufficient to fulfill its mission, improve the quality of its educational offerings, and respond to future challenges and opportunities. 


Specialized or Programmatic Accreditations

The evaluation of programs, departments, or schools that usually are parts of a total collegiate or other postsecondary institution. UWGB holds several specialized accreditations:

The Austin E. Cofrin School of Business is pursuing accreditation from the Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).The College of Science, Engineering and Technology is pursuing accreditation from ABET for its Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.