Accreditation

Professional accreditation

ASU’s School of Community Resources and Development (SCRD) offers two degrees that are accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions (COAPRT). The Parks and Recreation Management program at ASU was first accredited in 1994, while the Concentration in Therapeutic Recreation was conferred by COAPRT in 1994. The Recreational Therapy major was accredited in 2021.

COAPRT, established in 1974, accredits baccalaureate programs in parks, recreation, tourism, sport management, event management, therapeutic recreation, and leisure studies offered at regionally accredited institutions within the United States and its territories, and at nationally accredited institutions in Canada and Mexico. The organization is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as an accrediting body that meets specific procedural and organizational criteria necessary for effectively conducting the accrediting process. The process of accreditation is rigorous and lengthy, and it aims to assess quality and assure improvement of the educational content offered.

A further benefit to the accredited program is broader recognition in the academic community and the professional field. Employers can be assured that graduates of accredited programs are fully qualified for entry-level positions. Students from accredited programs are eligible to sit for the Certified Park & Recreation Professional (CPRP) examination, a recognized credential in the field, prior to graduation, while those from non-accredited programs must be fully employed in the field for a minimum of two years before becoming eligible.

Assessment of Learning Outcomes

The following data demonstrate how ASU’s programs meet various learning outcomes consistent with COAPRT Standards for its parks and recreation management program curriculum and recreational therapy.

Please review the annual reports for the Parks and Recreation Management program here:

Please review the annual reports for the Recreational Therapy program here:

CHEA requires accredited institutions to inform the public about “degree and accreditation mills.” Cautions concerning these are summarized at http://chea.org . According to CHEA:

Degree mills and accreditation mills mislead and harm. In the United States, degrees and certificates from mills may not be acknowledged by other institutions when students seek to transfer or go to graduate school. Employers may not acknowledge degrees and certificates from degree mills when providing tuition assistance for continuing education. "Accreditation" from an accreditation mill can mislead students and the public about the quality of an institution. In the presence of degree mills and accreditation mills, students may spend a good deal of money and receive neither an education nor a useable credential.

Our undergraduate and graduate nonprofit leadership and management degrees were accredited in 2020 and 2019, respectively, by the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council (NACC). Established in 1991, the NACC is dedicated to the promotion and networking of centers that provide research and education in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector. Learn more at the NACC .

University accreditation

Arizona State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges. The Higher Learning Commission is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. This federally recognized body provides assurance to students, parents and all stakeholders that ASU meets clear quality standards for educational and financial performance, https://www.hlcommission.org/ .