Forensic Psychology Accreditation
The University of North Dakota Forensic Psychology (M.A.) master's degree program is accredited on a national and regional level.
American Psychological Association (APA)
The American Psychological Association (APA) does not accredit master's or undergraduate level programs in psychology. The APA only accredits doctoral programs. Therefore, the online bachelor's degrees in Psychology and the online master's degree in Forensic Psychology can not be accredited by the APA.
The University of North Dakota's Department of Psychology offers a doctoral program in clinical psychology that is fully accredited by the APA.
For more information, refer to the APA Accreditation website.
Regional Accreditation
The University of North Dakota as a whole is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. UND has been accredited since 1913, when the Association was first organized.
For information on special accreditations the University has at the college, department or program level, please see UND Accreditation.
Why is accreditation important?
Accreditation assures the quality of higher education institutions and programs. In the United States, accreditation is a voluntary, non-governmental, peer-review process that determines if established quality standards are being met.
- Accreditation is a major way for students, families, employers, government officials and the media to know an institution or program provides a quality education.
- Accreditation helps students choose quality college programs that qualify for federal financial aid.
- Accreditation enables employers to recruit graduates they know are well-prepared. Many employers will only provide tuition assistance to employees for accredited programs.
- Accreditation is used by registration, licensure and certification boards to screen applicants.
- Accreditation gives colleges and universities a structured mechanism to assess, evaluate and improve the quality of their programs.