Accreditation

The UCCS School of Public Affairs offers quality education to students who seek noble careers in the field.  Not only do we offer an unprecedented combination of rigorous academics, relevant research and practical application, some of our programs are also accredited by nationally recognized organizations. 

Accredited Programs

Bachelor and Master of Social Work (MSW)

The Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work are in the process of being accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the national association representing social work education in the United States. The CSWE is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.  

The BSW and MSW have achieved Candidacy for Accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation.

Candidacy for a baccalaureate or master’s social work program by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation indicates that it has made progress toward meeting criteria for the assessment of program quality evaluated through a peer review process.  A program that has attained Candidacy has demonstrated a commitment to meeting the compliance standards set by the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards, but has not yet demonstrated full compliance. 

Students who enter programs that attain Candidacy in or before the academic year in which they begin their program of study will be retroactively recognized as having graduated from a CSWE-accredited program once the program attains Initial Accreditation.  Candidacy is typically a three-year process and attaining Candidacy does not guarantee that a program will eventually attain Initial Accreditation.  Candidacy applies to all program sites and program delivery methods of an accredited program.  Accreditation provides reasonable assurance about the quality of the program and the competence of students graduating from the program.

For more information about social work accreditation, you may contact Accreditation.

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

The School of Public Affairs is one of the premier schools of public administration in the Rocky Mountain West. The Master of Public Administration is accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), the global standard in public service education.