IUP holds itself to incredibly high standards, and the university takes great pride in offering the highest quality education possible.
But you don’t have to take our word for it.
IUP is very proud to hold university-wide regional accreditation through the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, the “gold standard” of external evaluation.
In addition, scores of individual programs have undergone self-study and external review by experts in those disciplines to ensure that the programs meet professional standards and prepare students for careers in those fields. Even the IUP Allegheny Arboretum has accreditation from ArbNet and the Morton Arboretum!
Specialized Accreditations
The following programs have earned special accreditation or national recognition:
Academy of Culinary Arts
Culinary Arts Certificate: American Culinary Federation Education Foundation (ACFEF)
Baking and Pastry Certificate: American Culinary Federation Education Foundation (ACFEF)
Administration and Leadership Studies
Administration and Leadership Studies, DEd: National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP, formerly ELCC)
Art
Art, BSEd: National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)
Art, MA: National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)
Art History, BA : National Association of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation
Art Education, BS: National Association of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation
Interior Design, BS: National Association of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation
Studio Art (2-D, 3-D, Individualized Track) - National Association of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation
Studio Art, BA: National Association of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation
Business
Accounting, BS: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Business Education, BSEd: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Business Education, MEd: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Business Technology Support, BS: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Business/Workforce Development, MEd: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Executive MBA: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Finance, BS: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Human Resource Management, BS: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
International Business, BS: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Management, BS: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Management Information Systems, BS: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Master of Business Administration, MBA: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Computer Science
Computer Science Languages and Systems Track: Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET (CAC)
Counseling
Community Counseling, MA: Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP)
School Counseling, MEd: Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP)
Education
Primary accreditation through National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education.
Curriculum and Instruction, DEd: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Early Childhood Education, BSEd: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
Early Childhood Education with Special Education – Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
Education of Exceptional Persons (MEd: Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
Literacy (MEd: International Literacy Association
English Education, BSEd: National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
English Education, MEd: National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
Family and Consumer Science Education, BSEd: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Health and Physical Education, BSEd: American Association for Health Education (AAHE) and National Association of Sport and Physical Education (NASPE)
Health and Physical Education, MEd: American Association for Health Education (AAHE) and National Association of Sport and Physical Education (NASPE)
Instructional Technology Specialist: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Master’s in Education, MEd: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Mathematics Education, BSEd: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)
Middle Level Education, BSEd: Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE)
Principal Certification: Educational Leadership Constituent Council (National recognition by ELCC through NCATE)
Safety and Driver’s Education: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Science Education grades 7-12: biology, chemistry, Earth and space science, physics, BSEd: National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
Social Studies Education, BSEd: National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)
Spanish Education, BSEd: American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)
Teacher Education (Certification, MEd, MA, MA/Teaching English, DEd): National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education and approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education
Vocational Education certificate program: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Vocational Leadership certificate program: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Vocational Cooperative Education certificate program - Pennsylvania Department of Education
Food and Nutrition
Food and Nutrition, MS Internship: Commission on Accreditation for Dietetic Education of the American Dietetic Association
Hospitality
Hospitality Management, BS: -- Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA)
Literacy
Literacy Specialist or CAS – International Reading Association (IRA)
Mathematics, BSEd: International Reading Association (IRA)
Music
Music, BA: National Association of Schools of Music
Music, BFA: National Association of Schools of Music
Music Education, BSEd: National Association of Schools of Music
Music Education, MA: National Association of Schools of Music
Music Performance, MA: National Association of Schools of Music
Music, MA: National Association of Schools of Music
Nursing
Nursing, BS: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Nursing, MS: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Physical Education and Sport
Physical Education and Sport/Exercise Science, BS: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
Psychology
Clinical Psychology, PsyD: American Psychological Association
Educational and School Psychology, DEd, Post-Master’s Certificate: National Association of School Psychologists
Respiratory Care
Respiratory Care, BS: Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)
Safety Sciences
Safety Sciences, BS: Applied Science Accreditation Commission (ASAC) of ABET
Speech Language-Pathology
Speech-Language Pathology, MS - American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology MEd: American Speech-Language-Hearing Associations (ASHA)
Theater
Theater (Design/Tech, General, Performance, Theory/History: National Association of Schools of Theatre Commission on Accreditation