Accreditation

Duke's Accreditation

Duke is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Universities, Commission on Colleges. The Office of University Assessment is one of several groups that contributes to compliance processes. While assessment methods and data sources can support all of the SACSCOC Standards (link below), our focus is on Standards 7, 8, and 9.

Section 7: Institutional Planning and Effectiveness

From the 2024 Principles of Accreditation,

“Effective institutions demonstrate a commitment to the principles of continuous improvement. These principles are based on a systematic and documented process of assessing institutional performance with respect to mission in all aspects of the institution. An institutional planning and effectiveness process involves all programs, services and constituencies; is linked to the decision-making process at all levels; and provides a sound basis for budgetary decisions and resource allocations.”

This Standard considers the overall framework for institutional effectiveness across the University, what SACSCOC refers to as “macro-level” planning and assessment. Institutional narratives for Standard 7 typically are oriented within the institution’s history, identity, and mission, and which anchor the institution’s strategic plan. The key feature differentiating Standard 7 from Standard 8 is scope: Standard 7 spans the entire university and likely covers a longer interval than college- or unit-level assessment.

Compliance with Standard 7 requires ongoing, not episodic, planning and evaluation. The Standard includes not only classroom instruction, but also research, community service, and other components of the institution’s mission.

Part 1: Standard 7 documents both planning and evaluation processes. It requires evidence of a systematic program of review consistent with the institution’s mission.

Part 2: The institution produces a Quality Enhancement Plan that documents a substantial educational initiative that has the support of the campus community, focuses on student learning outcomes or student success metrics, is sufficiently resourced, and is properly evaluated.

Part 3: The expectations of administrative support units are documented and assessed.

SECTION 8: Student Achievement

From the 2024 Principles of Accreditation,

“Student learning and student success are at the core of the mission of all institutions of higher learning. Effective institutions focus on the design and improvement of educational experiences to enhance student learning and support student learning outcomes for its educational programs. To meet the goals of educational programs, an institution provides appropriate academic and student services to support student success.”

This Standard extends the principle of institutional effectiveness into its constituent colleges/schools, departments, and programs. The Standard is differentiated into two parts, the second of which has three sub-sections. Part 1 focuses on the metrics of student success that are appropriate for the institution’s mission and the types of programs and services offered. Examples include graduation rates and licensure exam pass rates. Part 2 addresses student learning outcomes (SLOs): both the indication of SLOs and plans for their assessment (data collection, analysis, and evidence-guided decision-making).

The sub-sections of Part 2 differentiate:

student learning outcomes for each of our educational programs
student learning outcomes for general education competencies in the undergraduate programs
outcomes for supportive academic and student services

SECTION 9: Educational Program Structure and Content

From the 2024 Principles of Accreditation,

“Collegiate-level educational programs emphasize both breadth and depth of student learning… General education is an integral component of an undergraduate degree program through which students encounter the basic content and methodology of the principle areas of knowledge. Undergraduate and graduate degrees develop advanced expertise in an integrated understanding of one or more academic disciplines or concentrations. The institution is responsible for the delivery of an appropriate portion of the academic experiences applicable to the degrees or credentials awarded.”

The Standard includes seven parts which together document the sufficiency of the content and structure of its programs. Parts 1 and 3 are supported by the Office of University Assessment. Part 1 evaluates the alignment of our academic programs with the institution’s mission as well as the coherence of each program. The programs also should be appropriate to the purpose of higher education. Compliance with Part 3 requires documentation of reasonable rationales for the academic programs and based on a breadth of knowledge (humanities and fine arts, social and behavioral sciences, and natural science and quantitative science).

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

SACSCOC is the regional accreditor for institutions of higher education in the Southeastern United States. It is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation. Accreditation signifies that Duke maintains clearly specified educational objectives that are consistent with its mission and appropriate to the degrees it offers, has the physical, financial, and human resources to fulfill that mission, and documents systematic methods for studying and evaluating its objectives.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

Learn more about SACSCOC

Accreditation

Duke's Accreditation

Section 7: Institutional Planning and Effectiveness

SECTION 8: Student Achievement

SECTION 9: Educational Program Structure and Content

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

Accreditation Resources