The self-study leader thoroughly review the standards and requirements of the agency and seek the information needed to develop an effective response. This may take some time since, in addition to information internal to the unit, information from the accrediting agency, other units at Texas State, and accredited units at other universities may be required to best address the standards or questions. In particular, data from the Office of Institutional Research, University Libraries or outside agencies may take several weeks, especially if tables or data are required. This information helps guide this process.
External Program Accreditation Process
Programs seeking accreditation or reaffirming accreditation from a U.S. Department of Education (USDE) or Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) recognized accrediting organizations will work with Academic Assessment and Planning in scheduling, auditing, or providing information with this process.
External Program Accreditation is conducted in three phases. Please see the procedures for each phase through the links provided below.
Self-Study Process
On-Site Review
Most reviews include a site visit to the campus after receipt of the application for accreditation/certification and the required documentation. This section will help you through the site visit process.
Action and Follow-up
Typically, the on-site visit ends with the review team providing a closing statement, including cited strengths and suggestions, along with an indication of their recommendation for accreditation/certification. Shortly after the team departs, the unit should collectively discuss the results and formulate actions to improve the program based on the suggestion(s). This section helps guide the follow-up process.