About USD and Accreditations

About USD

As the flagship institution of the state university system, the University of South Dakota has a legacy of serving South Dakota through excellent teaching, innovative research and effective service. USD’s academic offerings span the arts and sciences, business, education, fine arts, health sciences, law and medicine, with an array of regionally and nationally recognized undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. USD is the largest provider of graduate education in the state and is home to South Dakota’s only medical and law schools.  

Designated as South Dakota’s liberal arts university, USD provides an enriching and well-rounded education for students - preparing them to be adaptable leaders and lifelong learners. USD students graduate with a wealth of skills and experiences that serve them in their careers and throughout their lives. Both in and beyond the classroom, the university’s faculty, staff and students generate knowledge that has real-world impact on our local and global communities. 

University of South Dakota Mission Statement: SDBOR Policy 1.2.6

University and Program Accreditations

The University of South Dakota has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1913 (http://www.hlcommission.org). The University is an active member of the Association of American Colleges and Universities, the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, the Council of Graduate Schools, and many other educational organizations.

Individual schools, departments, and programs have received additional accreditations from their appropriate professional organizations. These schools/departments, their accrediting agencies, and dates of their initial accreditation are shared below (Note: not all of these are undergraduate programs)

University of South Dakota
	Higher Learning Commission (HLC) 1913 (http://www.hlcommission.org)
Center for Disabilities
	Deaf-Blind Program 1999
	Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disorders (LEND) 1991
	Pediatric Mental Health Care Access (PMHCA) Program 2023
	University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) 1973
School of Business
	Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB) 1949
School of Education
	Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) [Formerly known as NCATE/National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education) 1956
	South Dakota Department of Education
Knudson School of Law
	Council on the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association (ABA) 1923
	Council on the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association Foreign Programs Subcommittee of the Accreditation Committee 2011
Sanford School of Medicine
	Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) 1929
Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
	Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP) 2005
	Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) 2009
Addiction Studies
	National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission 2006
Art
	National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) 1979
Chemistry
	American Chemical Society (ACS) 1941
Clinical Psychology
	American Psychological Association (APA) 1971
Communications Sciences and Disorders
	Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) 1974
Computer Science
	Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET) 2017
Counseling and Psychology in Education
	Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP) 1993
	National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) 2000
Dental Hygiene
	American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation 1969
Health Services Administration
	Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) 1998
Media & Journalism
	Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism & Mass Communication (ACEJMC) 1997
Music
	National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) 1956
Nursing
	South Dakota Board of Nursing 2006
	Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) 2011
Nurse Anesthesia
Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Programs (COA) 2022
Occupational Therapy
	Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) 1993
Physical Therapy
	Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) 1993
Physician Assistant Studies
	Accreditation Review Commission on Education for Physician Assistants (ARC-PA) 1995
Public Administration
	National Association of Schools of Public Affairs & Administration (NASPAA) 1983
Public Health (MPH)
Council of Education for Public Health (CEPH) 2021
Social Work
	Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) 1974
Theatre
	National Association of Schools for Theatre (NAST) 1991