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    Mar 28, 2024  
American University Catalog 2017-2018 
    
American University Catalog 2017-2018 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Accreditation and Licensure Information


For information regarding the accreditation and licensing of American University, please visit: http://www.american.edu/academics.

American University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, 267-284-5000. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the US Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). For more information about American University’s Middle States accreditation, go to: www.msche.org/institutions_view.asp?idinstitution=13.

American University is recognized as church-related by the University Senate of the United Methodist Church.

A number of programs are individually accredited by, or are members of, professional organizations:

  • The Department of Chemistry at American University is accredited by the American Chemical Society (ACS), a specialized accrediting agency recognized by the US Department of Education.
  • The School of Education at American University is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), a specialized accrediting agency recognized by the US Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The School of Education is also accredited by the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), which is a member of the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC).
  • The music program of the Department of Performing Arts at American University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music, a specialized accrediting agency recognized by the US Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
  • The doctoral program in clinical psychology of the Department of Psychology at American University is accredited by the American Psychological Association, a specialized accrediting agency recognized by the US Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
  • The School of Communication at American University is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, a specialized accrediting agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
  • The Kogod School of Business at American University is accredited by AACSB International, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, a specialized accrediting agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
  • The School of International Service at American University is a member of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs.
  • The School of Public Affairs Department of Public Administration and Policy at American University is accredited by the Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation of the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA), a specialized accrediting agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, and authorized to accredit master/masters degrees in public affairs and administration. American University’s School of Public Affairs is a member of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) and the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.
  • The Washington College of Law at American University is approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) through ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, a specialized accrediting agency recognized by the US Department of Education. American University’s Washington College of Law is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. The law school also meets the requirements for preparation for the bar in all states and carries the certification for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and the New York State Department of Education.

For American University’s conditional exemption from licensing in the District of Columbia, go to http://osse.dc.gov/service/education-licensure-commission-elc.

State Authorization Information

As of the publication date of this catalog, several online programs of American University are currently authorized, exempt or not subject to approval in all fifty states and the District of Columbia. American University will continue to monitor developments in state laws in each state in which it enrolls students and, if authorization or licensure is or becomes necessary, will obtain such additional approvals.

State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA)

American University became a member of SARA on November 14, 2016. As a member of SARA, the university can deliver distance education programs to residents of member states. American University abides by the policies and standards described in the SARA Manual.

In states where SARA does not apply, we have worked directly with the state to ensure compliance. To find more about SARA, please visit http://nc-sara.org/.

For the most current information about American University state authorizations, go to www.american.edu/academics/state-auth.cfm.