Accreditations

This is an archived copy of the 2020-2021 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.shsu.edu.

Sam Houston State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call (404) 679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Sam Houston State University or visit their website.

College of Arts and Media

The Department of Art’s degree programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

The School of Music’s undergraduate and graduate degree programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).

The School of Music’s Music Therapy programs are approved by the American Music Therapy Association.

College of Business Administration

The College of Business Administration’s undergraduate and graduate degree programs are accredited by AACSB International, The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

College of Criminal Justice

The Master of Science in Forensic Science is accredited by the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC).

College of Education

The College of Education’s Educator Preparation Program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). As one of only thirteen universities in Texas with CAEP accreditation, the educator preparation program stands out among the top programs in the nation. The college’s educator preparation certification programs are also accredited by the Texas Education Agency.

Many of the college’s undergraduate programs are recognized by Specialized Professional Accreditors (SPA), which indicates that the program has taken the extra steps necessary to meet rigorous standards set for the program’s specific educational field. The following teacher preparation programs have been nationally recognized by their respective SPA: Elementary Education EC-6 (Association for Childhood Education International); Middle School Education 4-8 (Association for Middle Level Education); Biology 8-12 (National Science Teachers Association); Kinesiology EC-12 (National Association of Sport and Physical Education); Mathematics 8-12 (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics); and Special Education (Council for Exceptional Children).

Many of the college’s graduate programs are also recognized by their respective Specialized Professional Accreditors. The following professional educator preparation programs have been nationally recognized by their respective SPA:  Library Science (American Association for School Librarians); Educational Diagnostician (Council for Exceptional Children); Principal (Educational Leadership Constituents Council); Superintendent (Educational Leadership Constituents Council); Reading Educator (International Literacy Association); and Instructional Technology (International Society for Technology in Education). Additionally, the Clinical Mental Health Counseling, M.A.; School Counseling, M.Ed.; and Counselor Education, Ph.D have been accredited by the Council of Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.

College of Health Sciences

The Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) at the undergraduate level and the Dietetic Internship (DI) Program at the graduate level in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences are currently granted accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606-6995. (312) 899-0040, ext. 5400. Website.

The Interior Design Program in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences is granted accreditation by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) and by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Sam Houston State University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.

The BS in Kinesiology-all-levels Teacher Certification Program-The Physical Education Teacher Education Program was awarded “National Recognition” status by the National Association of Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) through the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), formerly the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

The Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). The program has been placed on Probation as of February 11, 2020, by the CAATE, 6850 Austin Center Blvd., Suite 100, Austin, Texas, 78731-3101. 

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

The Doctoral Program degree in Clinical Psychology is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).

The Specialists degree in School Psychology is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists to ensure high quality school psychology training and services. Any individual interested in reviewing the official document listing the accreditation, approval or licensing of Sam Houston State University, will have access to such material in the Reference Department of the Newton Gresham Library.

College of Osteopathic Medicine

SHSU-COM has been awarded Pre-Accreditation from the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA).  For more information on COCA accreditation or to file a complaint with the accrediting body, please visit Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation.  

College of Science

The American Chemical Society recognizes the Department of Chemistry as having adequate faculty, facilities, library, curriculum, and research for training professional chemists.

Sam Houston State University’s Bachelor of Science degree in Computing Science has been accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, the recognized accreditor of college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology.  ABET accreditation demonstrates a program’s commitment to providing its students with a quality education.