What is Accreditation?
Accreditation is the process to ensure that school, post-secondary institutions, and other education providers meet, and maintain minimum standards of quality and integrity regarding academics, administration, and related services. The Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) defines accreditation as “A review of the quality of higher education institutions and programs. In the United States, accreditation is a major way that students, families, government officials, and press know that an institution or program provides a quality education”.
THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS 
Benefits of Accreditation
Accreditation” is the primary means of assuring and improving the quality of higher education institutions and programs in the United States. Active for the past 100 years, this private, voluntary system of self-examination and peer review has been central to the creation of a U.S. higher education enterprise that is outstanding in many respects.
The primary public symbol of legitimate higher education for over 100 years
- A key litmus test of threshold academic quality
- Approximately 7,600 higher education institutions and more than 23,500 programs accredited as of 2017
Successful in encouraging major innovation while maintaining quality over the years, which include:
- The development of community colleges
- The growth of for-profit higher education
- The advent of online learning, schools, programs and classes
- The emergence of innovative non-institutional providers
Central to states carrying out licensure of the professions
- Many states require that professional programs be accredited and require that individuals who sit for licensure examinations in various professions graduate from accredited programs
Protection against fraud and abuse for students and consumers
- Primary barrier against degree mills, accreditation mills and visa mills
- Maintain standards that hold institutions and programs accountable for the integrity of their work with students and the information they provide the public
Essential to international mobility
- Vital to international students, governments and higher education institutions for judgments about transfer of credit, recognition of qualifications and degrees, and judgments about entry to U.S. higher education from other countries
Responsive to current climate of accountability and equipped to meet current challenges
- Development of student learning outcomes
- Greater transparency about institutional and program performance
- Improving transfer credit
The primary “reliable authority” for federal and state governments funding for higher education
- Accreditation required for student access to federal and state grants and loans, now $170 billion annually
- Accreditation required for institution and program access to other federal funds for research and programs or funds for operating in some states
The primary reliable authority for private sector financial support for higher education
- The primary reliable authority for private sector financial support for higher education
Vital to maintaining key features of higher education that have contributed to the enterprise as among the best in the world
- A diverse array of institutions
- A mission-based system
- Responsible institutional independence for academic judgment
- Responsible academic freedom
Programs for Review
The following programs are proposed for review in 2023. Comments regarding accreditation review of any of these programs should be submitted to the JRCERT Chief Executive Officer no later than 60 days before the projected date.
LEARN MORE
Monthly Statistics
Each month the JRCERT publishes statistics regarding the number of accredited programs. Click the learn more button to view the statistics.
LEARN MORE
Board Meeting Summaries
Board meeting summaries include discussion and actions taken by the board of directors at the semi-annual board meetings in Chicago.
Learn MoreAdministrator Testimonials
“I have been associated with a JRCERT-accredited program for 27.5 years. JRCERT accreditation is of considerable benefit, as it is a mechanism for programs to take a retrospective and proactive look at themselves to assure didactic and clinical educational standards for student success are being met or exceeded. Voluntary programmatic accreditation, unlike regional accreditation, provides a focused means of a 360-degree evaluation for radiologic science educational programs to evaluate student success from the point of entry though graduation. The Standards provide for minimal expectations of all programs that choose to be part of the voluntary programmatic accreditation. These minimal expectations place the same onus on all programs to demonstrate that students attending and graduating from programs meet the didactic and clinical obligations in a safe and educationally rich environment. The Standards (effective January 2021) have enriched the Medical Imaging (MI) baccalaureate program at Misericordia University by encouraging “…additional professional content when developing their goals and student learning outcomes (6.3)”. The MI program added a “Research” goal to the assessment process. We were able to garner information from several existing courses, and from a newly added course to identify and assess student learning outcomes regarding our newly added goal of “Research”. The thorough insights from office leadership, staff, accreditation specialists, and peer evaluators are unmatched. I am grateful to have the JRCERT oversee the quality of education afforded to students though the programmatic accreditation process.”
Lorie Zelna, M.S., R.T.(R)(MR)
Associate Professor | Medical Imaging Program
Misericordia University
“I have been teaching over 20 years and have always worked with a JRCERT accredited program. Even before I was an educator, I worked as a technologist with students at another JRCERT accredited program. In short, JRCERT accreditation shows that a program meets quality standards. Students, technologists, employers, educators, and the public know that a JRCERT accredited program has met specific requirements and is held to high standards. The peer-review process has been an excellent tool for us to honestly examine what we are doing to ensure that we are meeting the highest standards. It allows our program to reflect on what we are doing and improve. Additionally, having a site visit team review our program helps us know that we are doing all we can to have a solid and successful program. I honestly believe that JRCERT accreditation makes our program stronger. Students, technologists, employers, educators, and the public can know that we take the quality of our program seriously since we work to be in compliance with the JRCERT standards. We learn more about what we are doing that works and what can be improved through the peer-review process.”
Laura Aaron, Ph.D., R.T.(R)(M)(QM), FASRT
Professor | School of Allied Health
Northwestern State University
“Accreditation ensures students, potential employers, and the public that the educational program is in compliance with the quality standards for an educational program. The peer review process has improved the programs at NSU by identifying strengths and gaps in programs and processes. JRCERT accreditation provides formal recognition by peers, both within the institution and across the country, that our program is a quality program.”
Kelli Haynes, Ed.D., R.T.(R)
Department Head | School of Allied Health
Northwestern State University
“I believe that those who benefit the most from JRCERT accreditation are the students. Students enrolled in a JRCERT accredited program are assured that the program content is being delivered by qualified and experienced faculty, with facilities and other resources that fully support the instruction. Student learning must be measured, and data must be analyzed, resulting in JRCERT accredited programs constantly improving. JRCERT accreditation also requires that students gain a knowledge foundation prior to performing procedures on patients and are guaranteed appropriate clinical supervision. JRCERT accreditation means students experience high-quality, safe programs where their learning is paramount.”
Catherine Ford, M.Ed., R.T.(R)
Dean | School of Nursing and Health Professions
Owens Community College
“I have been associated for 33 years, first as a student, then as a clinical staff member, next as a clinical coordinator, and currently as a Division Chair/Dean. Seeing peer review shift from a process to an outcomes focus has given the program many more opportunities to respond to and engage with the regional medical imaging community. Networking also allows program officials to learn from peers. How refreshing to finally understand the point is not to always meet goals 100%, but instead to stretch, be creative, and explore possibilities. Programs need to learn to be as adaptable, flexible, and responsive as new Radiographers are expected to be upon graduation! When institutions of higher education start preparing for regional/institutional self-study & site visit, leadership instinctively turns to the health sciences faculty as experts on developing goals, objectives, and targets; identifying measurement tools; collecting data; analyzing actual results; and developing improvement strategies. The institutional shift towards outcomes & benchmarking has given health sciences faculty opportunities for greater contribution at the institutional level. This engagement across disciplines has also resulted in greater collaboration and faculty collegiality!”
Kae Fleming, Ed.D., R.T.(R)
Dean | Health Sciences
Columbia State Community College