Shelby Hall

SACSCOC and Accreditation

Southern Association of Colleges and SChools Commission on Colleges

The University of South Alabama is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award bachelor's, master's, specialist, and doctoral degrees. Degree-granting institutions also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of the University of South Alabama may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website.

 

▼   Accredited Programs
Below is a list of all agencies that currently accredit University programs.
 
College Program Accrediting Agency Last Accreditation
Allied Health Audiology, Au.D. Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA)* 2020-2021
Allied Health Emergency Medical Services, Certificate, Basic, Advanced, and Paramedic Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP); Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the EMS Professions (CoAEMSP) 2016-2017
Allied Health Occupational Therapy, M.S.O.T. Accreditation Council for OT Education (ACOTE)* 2021-2022
Allied Health Physical Therapy, D.P.T. Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)* 2020-2021
Allied Health Physician Assistant Studies, M.H.S. Accreditation Review Commission for Physician Assistants (ARC-PA) 2013-2014
Allied Health Radiologic Sciences, B.S. Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)* 2020-2021
Allied Health Speech‐Language Pathology, M.S. Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA)* 2017-2018
Arts & Sciences Chemistry, B.S. American Chemical Society (ACS) 2020-2021
Arts & Sciences Music, B.M. National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)* 2017-2018
Arts & Sciences Music, M.M. National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)* 2017-2018
Arts & Sciences Social Work, B.S.W. Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) 2021-2022
Business Accounting, M.Acc. Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB); AASCB Accounting 2017-2018
Business Business Administration, B.S.B.A. Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB); AASCB Accounting 2017-2018
Business Doctor of Business Administration, Ph.D. Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB); AASCB Accounting 2017-2018
Business Master of Business Administration, M.B.A. Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB); AASCB Accounting 2017-2018
Computing Computer Science, B.S.I.T. ABET 2021-2022
Computing Information Systems, B.S.I.S. ABET 2021-2022
Computing Information Technology, B.S.I.T. ABET 2021-2022
Education Clinical and Mental Health Counseling, M.S.  Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP) 2020-2021
Education Early Childhood Education, M.Ed. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) 2020-2021
Education Educational Leadership, M.Ed. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) 2020-2021
Education Educational Media, M.Ed. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) 2020-2021
Education Elementary Education, M.Ed. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) 2020-2021
Education Health Education, B.S. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) 2020-2021
Education Instructional Specialist, Ed.S. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) 2020-2021
Education K‐6 Education, B.S. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) 2020-2021
Education Physical Education, B.S. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) 2020-2021
Education Physical Education, M.Ed. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) 2020-2021
Education Secondary Education, B.S. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) 2020-2021
Education Secondary Education, M.Ed. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) 2020-2021
Education Special Education, B.S. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) 2020-2021
Education Special Education, M.Ed. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) 2020-2021
Education Student Counseling and Personnel Services, M.Ed. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) 2020-2021
Education Student Counseling and Personnel Services, M.S. Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP) 2020-2021
Engineering Chemical Engineering, B.S.Ch.E. ABET 2017-2018
Engineering Civil Engineering, B.S.C.E. ABET 2017-2018
Engineering Computer Engineering, B.S.E.E. ABET 2019-2020
Engineering Electrical Engineering, B.S.M.E. ABET 2019-2020
Engineering Mechanical Engineering, B.S. ABET 2017-2018
Graduate Clinical and Counseling Psychology, Ph.D.     American Psychological Association (APA)* 2013-2014
Medicine Medicine, M.D. Liaison Committee of Medical Education (LCME)* 2018-2019
Nursing Nursing Post Graduate Certificate, APRN Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) 2020-2021
Nursing Nursing, B.S.N. Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) 2020-2021
Nursing Nursing, D.N.P. Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) 2020-2021
Nursing Nursing, M.S.N. Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) 2020-2021

* indicates US Dept. of Education approved accreditor

Helpful information for coordinators of accredited program (PDF)

▼   University of South Alabama SACSCOC 2023 Reaffirmation

The University of South Alabama is accredited by SACSCOC and was last reaffirmed in 2013. The University is currently in the process of conducting a Comprehensive Compliance Audit as part of the institution’s decennial reaffirmation of accreditation.

What is SACSCOC?

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. This includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Latin America.

Why is SACSCOC accreditation important?

Accreditors provide oversight of institutions on behalf of the federal government. In order to be eligible to accept federal financial aid, federal grants, and most other extramural funding, institutions of higher education must be accredited by a USDOE approved accrediting body.

What is reaffirmation of accreditation?

Reaffirmation of accreditation is required every 10 years and involves off-site and on-site reviews based on a set of core requirements, comprehensive standards and federal requirements as laid out in SACSCOC's Principles of Accreditation. The review also requires the development of a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) targeted at improving student learning and supporting the mission of the University.

The reaffirmation of accreditation is the culmination of more than two years of work by faculty, staff and administrators.

In between these decennial reviews, the University prepares a Fifth-Year Interim Report (FYIR) to demonstrate compliance with the Principles of Accreditation and the efficacy of the Quality Enhancement Plan.

Reaffirmation Components

Compliance Certification

In order to be accredited by SACSCOC, the University is required to conduct a comprehensive compliance audit prior to the filing of the Compliance Certification. The comprehensive compliance audit includes an assessment of all programs and courses offered by the institution on-campus and off-campus, and those offered through distance learning. The Compliance Certification, signed by the institution’s chief executive officer and accreditation liaison, attests to the institution’s honest assessment of compliance with the accreditation requirements of the Commission on Colleges (including all Standards in the Principles of Accreditation) as applied to all aspects of the institution. 

Quality Enhancement Plan 

"The Quality Enhancement Plan is an integral component of the reaffirmation of accreditation process and is derived from an institution’s ongoing comprehensive planning and evaluation processes. It reflects and affirms a commitment to enhance overall institutional quality and effectiveness by focusing on an issue that the institution considers important to improving student learning outcomes and/or student success. The document submitted by the institution demonstrates that its QEP (a) has a topic identified through its ongoing, comprehensive planning and evaluation processes; (b) has broad-based support of institutional constituencies; (c) focuses on improving specific student learning outcomes and/or student success; (d) commits resources to initiate, implement and complete the QEP; and (e) includes a plan to assess achievement.” (from SACSCOC QEP)

Timeline

September 8, 2022 - Compliance Certification report submitted to SACSCOC
December 2022 - Receive feedback from Off-Site Committee
January 31, 2023 - Focused Report due to Off-Site Committee
March 21-23, 2023 - On-Site Committee
December 2023 - Receive Reaffirmation Status

Leadership Team

The leadership team includes: Mr. Jo Bonner, Dr. Angela Coleman, Dr. Andrea Moore Kent, Dr. Michael Mitchell, Ms. Polly Stokey, and Dr. Julie Estis.

Who can answer my questions about SACSCOC?

For general questions or comments, please contact the Institutional Effectiveness Office at 251-460-6447 or effectiveness@southalabama.edu.

▼   Quality Enhancement Plan

Project Overview

The University of South Alabama developed the LevelUP Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) to equip students to explain how their experiences at the University of South Alabama prepared them for what comes next-- further studies or their careers. The LevelUP QEP provides a means of explicitly highlighting the value of learning experiences gained by University of South Alabama students and enhancing opportunities for students to develop competencies and skills that prepare them for life after their degree, as confident, ready, and capable members of the workforce or well-equipped graduate students.

To learn more, please visit the Quality Enhancement Plan website or contact Dr. Julie Estis, Executive Director of Academic Enhancement.

▼   Substantive Change

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) requires all accredited institutions to have a written substantive change policy and procedure that is approved through institutional processes. The approved policy will be accessible to those within the university and to those in the general public.

According to the SACSCOC Substantive Change Policy, “Substantive Change is defined by SACSCOC as a significant modification or expansion of the nature and scope of an accredited institution. Substantive change includes high-impact, high-risk changes, and changes that can impact the quality of educational programs and services.”

The SACSCOC Liaison is responsible for monitoring and reporting compliance with the SACSCOC Substantive Change Policy. The Liaison is also tasked with providing education and training about substantive change across the University so that key personnel recognize when to consult the University’s substantive change policy and when to contact the SACSCOC Liaison about a potential substantive change. When the SACSCOC Liaison is unable to determine definitively whether a change falls within the scope of the SACSCOC Substantive Change Policy, the SACSCOC Liaison or the University President will confer with the University’s assigned SACSCOC staff member.

Just as the entire University is responsible for helping the University maintain its accreditation, the entire University is also responsible for communicating with the SACSCOC Liaison about potential substantive changes as they arise.

The University's Substantive Change Procedure is available on the Academic Affairs website.