Accreditation Statements

 

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Stamp of AccreditationUniversity of the Incarnate Word is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, doctorate and professional degrees. Questions about the accreditation of University of the Incarnate Word may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

Numerous UIW programs have also earned accreditations from the organizations below.

An asterisk (*) indicates that students will need additional training, experience or exams — after completing the UIW program — in order to obtain their respective professional credential. Please follow the program links for complete information.

Please see the related page that lists the states for which these programs prepare students for licensure, certification or the related exams.

The UIW Rosenberg School of Optometry is accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association.*

With the successful 2021 graduation of their inaugural class, the UIW School of Osteopathic Medicine (UIWSOM) earned full accreditation status from the American Osteopathic Association Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA).*

In the UIW School of Nursing and Health Professions, the baccalaureate nursing program is approved by the Texas Board of Nursing, the school's BSN, MSN, DNP and Post-graduate Certification programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the MSAT by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education, and the Nuclear Medicine program by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology.*

The UIW Feik School of Pharmacy Doctor of Pharmacy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.*

The UIW entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.*

State Authorizations for Distance Education

On October 29, 2010, the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) released new program integrity regulations, including the need for an institution offering distance education to get authorization from any outside state in which it operates. An institution is required to demonstrate efforts to comply in each state in which it serves students, and states expect that institutions already be in compliance with their regulations before serving any students in those states.

What This Means

Before accepting enrollments for online and correspondence courses from students residing outside of Texas who are not planning on relocating to Texas, UIW must be in compliance with the distance learning regulations of the states in which students reside.

Eligibility

UIW is a member of, and approved by, the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). Our membership enables us to admit students to online degree programs from 49 states and most territories, including Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. California is not yet a member of NC-SARA, however UIW meets the exemption requirement from the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) for out-of-state private institutions.

This page was updated January 2021.