Accreditation

Mermaid Unveiling

Old Dominion University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, masters, education specialist, and doctoral degrees.

Old Dominion University also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Old Dominion University may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC's website (www.sacscoc.org).

The Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment (IE&A) supports operations to maintain compliance with the University's institutional accrediting body.

Specialized Accreditation Timeline

Old Dominion University is affiliated with 34 specialized programmatic accreditations, councils, or professional societies, which signifies the quality and rigor of our academic programs. Click here to see ODU's timeline for accreditation review and preparation for specialized accredit programs.

CIP-Codes

Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) is a national taxonomy of academic programs developed by the US Department of Education to assist with the classification of academic programs for federal surveys and reporting of institutional data. Universities assign CIP codes to their academic programs. Click here for ODU CIP-Codes.

How IE&A Supports Accreditation Operations:

  • Interpret and implement best policies and standards from the SACSCOC Resource Manual.

  • Uphold Faculty Credentials.

  • Old Dominion University is authorized to grant degrees by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), and IE&A supports those developments of new programs and certificates.

  • Assist with programs with specialized accreditation requirements to maintain compliance with SACSCOC standards.

  • Report Substantive Changes to SACSCOC.

  • Maintain high-quality educational experience for students through planned assessments.

Assessment Tools to Support Accreditation:

SACSCOC Resource Manual

Explore the resource manual for the principles of accreditation. 

Specialized Accreditation Resources

An outlined self-study plan to complete your program's accreditation review. 

Substantive Change Resources

A list of most common changes considered a Substantive Change that need to be reported.

Qualtiy Enhancement Plan (QEP)

A focus on a specific topic to improve student learning outcomes.

Academic Assessment

Access Weave portal for academic and administrative assessment reports.

Faculty Credential Resources

Professional requirements for all faculty and teaching assistants.

How Accreditation Works:

Accreditation signifies Old Dominion University's success in meeting its mission and achieving its objectives and goals.

The process for initial and continued accreditation involves:

  1. A collective analysis and judgment by the institution's internal constituencies.
  2. An informed review by peers external to the institution.
  3. A reasoned decision by the elected members of the accreditor.

Accredited institutions periodically conduct internal reviews involving their administrative officers, staff, faculties, students, trustees, and others appropriate to the process.

The internal review allows an institution to:

  1. Consider its effectiveness in achieving its stated mission.
  2. Re-evaluate its compliance with the accreditation's requirements.
  3. its efforts in enhancing the quality of student learning and the quality of programs and services offered to its constituents.

At the culmination of the internal review, peer evaluators representing the accreditor apply their professional judgment through a preliminary assessment of the institution; elected Board Members make the final determination of an institution's compliance with the accreditation requirements.

Accreditation Verification Requests

To request an accreditation verification letter please complete the request form to receive a verification letter. Email your request form to Megan Corbett at m4smith@odu.edu

SACSCOC Reaffirmation

The University's next reaffirmation of accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) will take place in 2023. This process is also known as The Decennial. For more information please visit our SACSCOC Reaffirmation site