Academic Accreditation

ACADEMIC ACCREDITATION

Academic Accreditation is an assurance of the quality of an academic program.  

WHO GETS ACCREDITED BY COAPRT?

Undergraduate baccalaureate programs in parks, recreation and leisure services are eligible to apply for this accreditation. At present, no accrediting program exists for two-year programs or for advanced master's and doctoral programs in the field.

WHAT IS THE COAPRT?

The Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions, formally established in 1974, conducts the process of accreditation for recreation, park resources and leisure services curricula. The Council was first recognized by the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation (COPA) in 1986 and by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) in 2003.  Recognition by CHEA affirms that the standards and processes of the accrediting organization are consistent with the academic quality, improvement and accountability expectations that CHEA has established, including the eligibility standard that the majority of institutions or programs each accredits are degree-granting.

WHO ASSURES THE QUALITY OF ACCREDITATION?

Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) is a nongovernmental organization that scrutinizes the capacity of accrediting bodies (councils, associations, and similar organizations) to assure and improve the academic quality of institutions and programs.  The United States Department of Education (USDE) is a federal government agency that scrutinizes the capacity of accrediting organizations to assure the quality of institutions and programs that are eligible for federal student aid and other forms of federal funding.

ARE ALL DEGREES FROM ACCREDITED PROGRAMS?

No!  The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and accrediting organizations are concerned the degree mills demean the value of learning and the importance of educational standards by treating degrees only as a commodity to be bought and sold.  Additional information from CHEA about: