Accreditation

The University of South Florida is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097; telephone 404-679-4500) to award degrees at the baccalaureate, master's, specialist, and doctoral levels, including the Doctor of Medicine.

The institution was initially accredited in 1965 and was last reviewed and reaffirmed in 2005.  The institution is scheduled to receive its next reaffirmation of accreditation review in 2015.

Inquiries to the Commission should relate only to the accreditation status of the institution, and not to general admission information.

Institutional Accreditation

Accreditation, as it is practiced in relation to colleges and universities in the United States, is voluntary on the part of an institution. It is a recognition that an institution or program has been evaluated and that it meets a set of standards of quality that are determined by the members of the association or agency granting the accreditation. The chief aims of accrediting associations are to help assure the consumers of higher education-parents, students, and employers--that an institution or program is meeting minimum standards and to stimulate those institutions and programs to improve beyond the minimum standards. The accrediting activities are carried out by volunteers from the accredited institutions and programs.

The Provost, as chief academic officer of the institution, has primary responsibility for institutional accreditation. Dr. Kathleen Moore is the University's SACS Liason Officer.

The SACS Commission on Colleges is an institutional accrediting body and accredits the entire institution. Although it evaluates programs as part of the accreditation process, it does not accredit specific programs.

Specialized Accreditation

Specialized accrediting bodies accredit programs of study such as business, medicine, medical technology, nursing, theology, teacher education, and engineering. They do not usually accredit institutions. Approximately half of USF's 215 degree programs have such specialized accreditation.