Accreditation

Current Accreditation Status

Brooklyn College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Brooklyn College’s last comprehensive evaluation took place in spring 2019, and its accreditation was continued in June 2019 by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The next comprehensive evaluation will be scheduled for spring 2028.

• Brooklyn College’s Accreditation Status
• The Brooklyn College 2019 Middle States Self-Study Report (PDF)
• MSCHE 2019 Team Visit Report (PDF)
• Specialized Accreditation

For questions, contact us via e-mail.

Accreditation FAQ

What is accreditation? Why should a college be accredited?

Accreditation is a voluntary, peer review process. It serves four main purposes:

• to assure quality to the public,
• to ease student transfer between institutions by signaling quality,
• to provide institutions with access to federal financial aid, and
• to certify a graduate’s credentials to employers.

An “accredited” institution meets the Standards for Accreditation established by an accrediting agency. The Standards ensure that an institution has appropriate and clear goals, sufficient resources to achieve them, is fulfilling its objectives, and will continue to do so.

The process provides colleges and universities with an opportunity for reflection and honest assessment of strengths and weaknesses, along with a chance to develop strategies for continued improvement.

Who accredits Brooklyn College?

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) accredits Brooklyn College. More information can be found at the MSCHE website.

Who accredits the accreditors?

Accreditors, such as MSCHE, are organizations federally recognized through the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI), a bipartisan committee established under the Higher Education Act Amendments of 1992. NACIQI recognition indicates that an accreditor can adequately determine whether an institution is of sufficient quality to qualify for federal funds for financial aid and other programs.

In addition, MSCHE is recognized through the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, which has five standards for accreditors:

• They are required to advance academic quality.
• They demonstrate accountability.
• They encourage purposeful change and needed improvement.
• They employ appropriate and fair procedures in decision-making.
• They continually reassess accreditation.

How does reaccreditation work? What is the process?

According to MSCHE, accredited institutions are typically reviewed for accreditation every eight years. That process, called the comprehensive evaluation, begins with the preparation of a self-study, which typically takes 18 to 24 months to prepare and addresses all of the Standards for Accreditation. After reading the self-study, a committee consisting of faculty and administrators from similar institutions visits the campus to meet with the college president, students, staff, and faculty. The committee provides recommendations to the commission, which then makes its determination regarding accreditation.

Between comprehensive evaluations, institutions update the commission on their progress and plans through the Annual Institutional Update. A Mid-Point Peer Review is conducted in the fourth year following the self-study evaluation and on-site evaluation visit.

What are MSCHE Standards for Accreditation?

MSCHE Standards for Accreditation, most recently revised in 2014, examine “institutional quality” in seven areas:

• Mission and Goals
• Ethics and Integrity
• Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience
• Support of the Student Experience
• Educational Effectiveness Assessment
• Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement
• Governance, Leadership, and Administration

More detailed information about the Standards for Accreditation can be found on the MSCHE website.