Accreditation and Re-Accreditation Process: Suggested Timeline

1. Program submits application for accreditation with application fee of $100 to Commission Chair.

If preconditions are met per application information, program begins work on self study report. Note: Before submitting an application, Programs should carefully assess whether or not they meet the preconditions specified in the Commission's checklist.

The Program will refer to the following documents throughout this process: Accreditation Standards (BA or MA), Guidelines for the Accreditation Self-Study Report (BA or MA), Accreditation of Applied Sociology, Clinical Sociology, Public Sociology and Sociological Practice Programs: Policies and Procedures, and Accreditation Review Process Guidelines.

Estimated time: 2-3 weeks

2. Program prepares Self Study Report.

Estimated time: 2-3 months

3. Program submits Self Study Report (1 copy) with accreditation fee of $2000 to Commission Chair.

Chair reviews Self Study Report for completeness. If Self study Report is deemed complete Chair forms an Accreditation Review Committee and requests an additional 5 copies of the Self Study Report for distribution to this committee.

Estimated time: 3-4 weeks

4. Accreditation Review Committee reviews Self Study Report and schedules conference call and additional conference calls as necessary to discuss the self study.

Estimated time: 2-3 months

5. If Self Study Report is deemed acceptable by Accreditation Review Committee a site visit is scheduled.

Estimated time: 2-3 weeks

6. Site visit (September, October, November, February, March and April; see Section 7.1)

Estimated time: 3 days (Refer to Review Process Guidelines for details)

7. Site visitors write report and submit to Accreditation Review Committee members.

Estimated time: 2-3 weeks

8. The Chair of the Accreditation Review Committee forwards the site visit report to the Program Chair for review and rebuttal.

Estimated time: 1 month

9. Upon receipt of the response from the Program Chair, the Accreditation Review Committee writes final report with recommendations.

Estimated time: 2-3 weeks

10. Accreditation Review Committee Chair submits final report with recommendations to Commission Board (summer meeting/August or winter meeting/February).

Board accepts or rejects recommendation.

Estimated time: 1 day