Accreditation

Reaffirmation of Accreditation

In Spring of 2023, SCC will undergo a comprehensive evaluation in order to maintain our accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission. Learn more about SCC’s current reaccreditation process, activities, events, HLC criterion information, and the re-accreditation process.

What is Accreditation?

Accreditation in higher education is a process of external quality review to ensure that a college or university meets established standards. Accreditation involves a comprehensive evaluation on how the college is meeting standards and a review of the college by trained peer reviewers who evaluate the college's efforts at maintaining standards.

In the U.S., accreditation is carried out through private, nonprofit organizations designed for this specific purpose. Accreditation is required in order for students to gain access to federal funds including student grants and loans. Non-accredited institutions are not eligible for federal financial aid.

Types of Accreditation

• Institutional Accreditation: In the United States, schools and colleges voluntarily seek accreditation from nongovernmental bodies. Accreditation provides assurance to the public, in particular to prospective students, that an organization has been found to meet clearly stated requirements and criteria and that there are reasonable grounds for believing that it will continue to meet them. The institutional accreditors are private, nongovernmental organizations created for the specific purpose of reviewing higher education institutions and programs for quality. SCC is accredited by the largest institutional accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission, which is one of 19 recognized accrediting organizations.
• Specialized and Professional Accreditation: Specialized and professional accreditation is granted to non-profit organizations that review programs within a narrowly defined profession or field of study. SCC has 18 programs that maintain specialized, professional accreditation with accreditors that are recognized by the United States Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
  • Specialized Program Accreditations (PDF)
• Professional Industry Organization: SCC has six programs that regularly evaluated by a professional industry organization and meet their organizational standards. As a result, SCC graduates may be eligible for certification in their respective fields.
  • Professional Industry Organizations (PDF)