Accreditation is a process by which external agencies evaluate educational programs at institutions of higher education to ensure they have achieved acceptable quality standards and are committed to maintaining those standards. Institutional accreditation is required from colleges and universities so that students can be eligible for federal financial aid. You can get more information on post-secondary education accreditation on the U.S. Department of Education website.
Institutional Accreditation
Syracuse University has been accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE or Middle States), an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, since 1921. The purpose of accreditation is to ensure that the education provided by Syracuse University meets acceptable levels of quality.
As required by MSCHE, Syracuse University must conduct a self-study of its academic and co-curricular programs and functional operations every 8 years to retain its accreditation. The self-study process identifies the University’s strengths and reveals areas that require improvement. The process is an inclusive effort, achieved by forming committees representing schools, colleges, departments, and units from across the campus, maintaining a dialogue between the University and the community, and communicating in a way that guarantees visibility and transparency. The ultimate goal of ensuring our programs exceed the accreditation standards, while reflecting our vision of a student-focused research university, depends on the support of the Syracuse students, faculty, staff, and community.
The most recent self-study began in fall 2016, culminating in a site visit by a peer review team in spring 2018. Following the site visit, MSCHE reaffirmed the University’s accreditation and commended the institution for the quality of its self-study process.
- View the revised Middle States accreditation standards (*.pdf)
- Learn more about Middle States and accreditation at Syracuse University
- Visit the website of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Student Grievances
Information on how to file a complaint with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) regarding an accredited MSCHE institution can be found on its website at: https://www.msche.org/.
Specialized Accreditation
In addition to MSCHE institutional accreditation, some schools and colleges, academic programs, and units are evaluated by specialized and professional accreditors. The 25 specialized accrediting agencies associated with Syracuse University follow a similar process as MSCHE, requiring a self-study and peer review site visit.
- View the Syracuse University Accreditation Schedule (*.pdf) for additional information about accreditation at Syracuse University
- Learn more about each specialized accrediting agency.