Reaffirmation of Accreditation by SACSCOC

The Periodic Process

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) is an institutional accreditor for quality assurance in higher education. SACSCOC accredits institutions that award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degrees, including those offered via distance and correspondence education, and direct assessment within these institutions. It serves as the common denominator of shared values and practices among its members in the United States and international institutions of higher education approved by the SACSCOC Executive Council, Board of Trustees, and the Appeals Committee of the College Delegate Assembly.

In a letter received in January 2025, SACSCOC announced that its board of trustees met in December 2024 to formally reaffirm Emory University’s accreditation for the next decade, requesting no additional reports.

The accreditation review process is a rigorous, multi-stage examination that is required every 10 years and touches on all aspects of Emory's programs, services, and facilities. The process is specific to an institution seeking reaffirmation of accreditation and consists of preparation by the institution and review by peers.

Emory submitted a Compliance Certification Report demonstrating compliance with the standards contained in the Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement. This document is prepared by the institution and demonstrates its compliance with each of the core requirements, comprehensive standards, and federal requirements. Signatures by the institution's chief executive officer and accreditation liaison certify that the process of institutional self-assessment has been thorough, honest, and forthright, and that the information contained in the document is truthful, accurate, and complete.

Quality Enhancement Plan

The university also submitted a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) that addresses a focused topic or issue related to enhancing student learning. The QEP is an integral component of the reaffirmation of accreditation process and is derived from an institution’s ongoing comprehensive planning and evaluation processes. It reflects and affirms a commitment to enhance overall institutional quality and effectiveness by focusing on an issue the institution considers important to improving student learning outcomes and/or student success. For more information regarding Emory’s QEP, please visit the following website: Connect-Integrate-Reflect: Experiential Education at Emory.

Schedules and Reports

The university's next decennial review will take place in 2034.