College of Optometry - Accreditation Status - College of Optometry

College of Optometry

College of Optometry - Accreditation Status

Accreditation Status

Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE)

Schools and Colleges of Optometry in the United States are accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE). The Accreditation Council on Optometric Education services the public by establishing, maintaining, and applying standards to ensure the academic quality and continuous improvement of optometric education that reflect the evolving practice of optometry. The scope of the ACOE encompasses professional optometric degree (O.D.) programs, post-graduate optometric residencies, and optometric technician programs.

The College of Optometry was granted the pre-accreditation classification of "Preliminary Approval" by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education on February 15, 2008. "Preliminary Approval" is granted to a professional optometric degree program that has clearly demonstrated it is developing in accordance with Council standards. The program has approval to begin student recruitment, selection and admissions, and to begin offering the program. The pre-accreditation classification of preliminary approval is the only classification available to a new professional optometric degree program, since the ACOE will not grant the accreditation classifications of "Accredited" or "Accredited with Conditions" until the program is fully operational (i.e. nearing the end of its fourth year of implementation.)

The ACOE will review the preliminary approval classification annually during the first three academic years of the program through written reports and/or site visits as deemed necessary by the Council. Not less than 12 months prior to graduation of the program's first class, the ACOE will visit the program at the University's invitation to determine accreditation status. If the program is found to meet the standards of accreditation, the classification of accredited will be granted from the date of evaluation visit, which will occur prior to the graduation of the first class. Information on the ACOE's standards of accreditation and accrediting procedures may be found on the ACOE web page at www.theacoe.org. Information on the various states' licensure requirements may be accessed from the web site of the Association of Regulatory Boards in Optometry at www.arbo.org.

Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)

Western University of Health Sciences is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). When a University that is already accredited by WASC makes what is called a "substantive" change to its program, it is required to obtain prior approval. The "substantive change" process is designed to ensure the consistency of quality across all institutional operations. The addition of the new College of Optometry, along with the Colleges of Dental and Podiatric Medicine, represents an "increase in the number of degree programs at the existing degree level" and requires approval by WASC.

Effective December 8, 2008, the WASC Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities granted final approval of the substantive change proposal for the Doctor of Optometry program.

For more information on the accrediting agency, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), click here.

Last Updated:05/05/2009

Tell a Friend