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.
The University of South Dakota offers 74 certificate, 4 associate, 78 baccalaureate and 38 master’s, and 21 doctoral degree programs in addition to 2 graduate education specialist degrees and terminal doctoral degrees in law and medicine within 8 academic units including the College of Arts and Sciences, the Beacom School of Business, the School of Education, the College of Fine Arts, the Graduate School, the Knudson School of Law, the Sanford School of Medicine, and the School of Health Sciences.
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 |
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Higher Learning Commission (HLC) 1913 (http://www.hlcommission.org) |
| Center for Disabilities |
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DeafBlind Program 1999 |
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Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disorders (LEND) 1991 |
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Pediatric Mental Health Care Access (PMHCA) Program 2023 |
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University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) 1973 |
| School of Business |
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Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB) 1949 |
| School of Education |
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Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) [Formerly known as NCATE/National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education) 1956 |
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South Dakota Department of Education |
| Knudson School of Law |
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Council on the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association (ABA) 1923 |
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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 |
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Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) 1929 |
| Office of Research and Sponsored Programs |
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Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP) 2005 |
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Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) 2009 |
| Addiction Studies |
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National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission 2006 |
| Art |
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National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) 1979 |
| Chemistry |
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American Chemical Society (ACS) 1941 |
| Clinical Psychology |
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American Psychological Association (APA) 1971 |
| Communications Sciences and Disorders |
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Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) 1974 |
| Computer Science |
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Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET) 2017 |
| Counseling and Psychology in Education |
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Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP) 1993 |
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National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) 2000 |
| Dental Hygiene |
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American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation 1969 |
| Health Services Administration |
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Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) 1998 |
| Media & Journalism |
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Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism & Mass Communication (ACEJMC) 1997 |
| Music |
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National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) 1956 |
| Nursing |
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South Dakota Board of Nursing 2006 |
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Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) 2011 |
| Nurse Anesthesia |
| Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Programs (COA) 2022 |
| Occupational Therapy |
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Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) 1993 |
| Physical Therapy |
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Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) 1993 |
| Physician Assistant Studies |
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Accreditation Review Commission on Education for Physician Assistants (ARC-PA) 1995 |
| Public Administration |
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National Association of Schools of Public Affairs & Administration (NASPAA) 1983 |
| Public Health (MPH) |
| Council of Education for Public Health (CEPH) 2021 |
| Social Work |
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Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) 1974 |
| Theatre |
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National Association of Schools for Theatre (NAST) 1991 |
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