Thomas College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (formerly the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.).
Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the Commission indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality periodically applied though a peer review process. An accredited college or university is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.
Accreditation by the Commission is not partial but applies to the institution as a whole. As such, it is not a guarantee of every course or program offered, or the competence of individual graduates. Rather, it provides reasonable assurance about the quality of opportunities available to students who attend the institution.
Thomas College adheres to NECHE and federal guidelines regarding the determination of credit hours awarded for courses and programs and awards academic credit based on those guidelines in combination with the stated learning objectives as approved through the faculty governance system. Courses that are offered in non-traditional or accelerated formats are approved by the faculty based on a review of the academic plan at the course or program level that includes the attainment of the approved learning outcomes and how they are accomplished in that non-standard format.
Inquiries regarding the accreditation status by the Commission should be directed to the administrative staff of the institution. Individuals may also contact:
New England Commission of Higher Education
301 Edgewater Place, Suite 210, Wakefield, MA 01880
Phone: (781) 425 7785
E-Mail: [email protected]
The following Thomas College programs in Education are certified by the State of Maine:
- Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education-Endorsement 081 (Birth to 5 Years) and Early Elementary Teacher Endorsement 029 (Pre-K – Grade 3)
- Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education- Endorsement 020 (K-Grade 6)
- Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education (Grade 6 – Grade 12)- English-Endorsement 100S; Social Studies-Endorsement 200S; Mathematics – Endorsement 300S; Life Sciences – Endorsement 395S
Unless indicated otherwise, no program accreditation by any other agency exists.