Accreditation

Loyola University New Orleans is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral degrees. Degree-granting institutions also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Loyola University New Orleans 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).

SACSCOC is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. The Commission’s mission is to assure the educational quality and improve the effectiveness of its member institutions by ensuring that they meet standards established by the higher education community that address the needs of society and students. It serves as the common denominator of shared values and practices among the diverse institutions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Latin America, and other international sites approved by SACSCOC that award baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degrees.

Accreditation by SACSCOC signifies that the institution (1) has a mission appropriate to higher education, (2) has resources, programs, and services sufficient to accomplish and sustain that mission, and (3) maintains clearly specified educational objectives that are consistent with its mission and appropriate to the degrees its offers, and that indicate whether it is successful in achieving its stated objectives.

Additional accreditations held by Loyola include:

• Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN)
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
• The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
• Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC)
• National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)
• American Bar Association (ABA)
• Association of American Law Schools (AALS)
• American Chemical Society (ACS)
• Certification in Education for Public Relations (CEPR)

State Authorizations

Loyola University, a corporation organized under the laws of this State and domiciled in the City of New Orleans, is authorized to confer upon its students, or upon any person deemed by it worthy of such distinction, degrees in the arts and sciences and all the learned professions, such as are granted by other universities in the United States, and to give diplomas or certificates thereof; provided that the curriculum or course of study in the learned professions shall equal that maintained by other standard universities. Louisiana Revised Statues §2075

The US Department of Education requires that any institution offering distance education programs to students outside of its home state to acquire authorization from the states in which students are located.

Loyola University New Orleans participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. The SARA – State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements initiative is a voluntary agreement among 49 member states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The agreement establishes comparable national standards for interstate offerings of postsecondary distance education; participating colleges and universities must adhere to stringent requirements, including accreditation and remaining in good financial standing. As a SARA participating institution, Loyola is able to offer its online programs in SARA member states.

Currently, California does not participate in SARA. It also does not require out-of-state non-profit accredited institutions like Loyola to register online programs without a physical presence with the State.

Loyola Licensure -Track Programs might require additional state authorization to operate in some states. Please see the School of Nursing State Authorization list for the School of Nursing State Approvals.

SARA Student Complaints

Grievance and SARA Complaint Processes

Professional Licensure

SARA has no effect on State professional licensing requirements. Any Institution approved to participate in SARA that offers courses or programs designed to lead to Professional Licensure or certification or advertised as leading to Licensure must satisfy all federal requirements for disclosures regarding such Professional Licensure programs under 34 §C.F.R. 668.43. Additionally, as a participating SARA institution, Loyola makes all reasonable attempts to determine whether a Loyola licensure track program will meet state professional licensure requirements.

The 2019 Department of Education Higher Education Rule requires that Loyola provide published professional licensure disclosures by state for all Loyola licensure track programs regardless of modality. 1) A list of all states for which the institution has determined its curriculum meets the State educational requirements for licensure or certification. 2) A list of all States for which the institution has determined that its curriculum does not meet the State educational requirements for licensure.

The Rule also requires that Loyola make direct individual written disclosures related to professional licensure when Loyola has been able to determine that a program does not meet the state requirements for professional licensure or certification. Loyola does this by email. Additionally, we advise the student or applicant to determine whether the program meets requirements for Licensure in the State where the student or applicant is located.

Relocating during the course of a program to another state may impact state licensure requirements, access to practicums, and/or federal financial aid. Prior to relocation, please contact your program advisor to discuss the potential impact for your individual situation.