Accreditation

Accreditation Reports: 

Sam Houston State University submitted its most recent SACSCOC 5th year Interim Report  in March 2025.

Sam Houston State University submitted its most recent SACSCOC Reaffirmation of Accreditation Report in September 2018 (for a 2019 reaffirmation decision).

Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP):

Sam Houston State University submitted its most recent SACSCOC QEP Impact Report in March 2025.

Sam Houston State University submitted its most recent SACSCOC Quality Enhancement Plan in April 2019.

Archived Accreditation Reports:

• SACSCOC Fifth-Year Interim Report March 2015
• QEP Impact Report March 2015
• SACSCOC Reaffirmation of Accreditation Report September 2008  (for a 2009 reaffirmation decision)
• SACSCOC Quality Enhancement Plan September 2008 

What is Accreditation?

According to the U.S. Department of Education, "the goal of accreditation is to ensure that education provided by institutions of higher education meets acceptable levels of quality. Accrediting agencies, which are private educational associations of regional or national scope, develop evaluation criteria and conduct peer evaluations to assess whether or not those criteria are met. Institutions and/or programs that request an agency's evaluation and that meet an agency's criteria are then "accredited" by that agency."

From which agencies does SHSU seek/hold accreditation?

SHSU seeks accreditation both for the institution as a whole and for specific degree programs.  Institutional accreditation is subject to the institution meeting and remaining in compliance with the accrediting standards of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), a recognized regional accrediting body in the eleven U.S. Southern states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia) and in Latin America for those institutions of higher education that award associate, baccalaureate, master's or doctoral degrees.  Program specific accreditations are discipline and agency specific.  A complete listing of accreditations held by SHSU is available on the University/Program Accreditations webpage.  

What are SACSCOC accrediting standards?

The Commission on Colleges bases its accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions and entities on requirements in the Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement. These requirements apply to all institutional programs and services, regardless of location or delivery method.

Additional Resources

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

The Council for Higher Education Accreditation

U.S. Department of Education - Accreditation in the United States