Institutional Accreditation
The University of New Hampshire 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 through 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.
Inquiries regarding the accreditation status by the Commission should be directed to the administrative staff of the institution. Individuals also may contact:
New England Commission of Higher Education
301 Edgewater Place, Suite 210
Wakefield, MA 01880
(781) 425-7785
Substantive Changes (adapted from NECHE)
UNH is constantly changing and evolving, and most changes—such as adding new majors, changing personnel, and introducing new courses—fall within the purview of the University.
Other changes, however, are high-impact, high-risk changes that significantly affect the nature of the institution, its mission and objectives, its educational program, and the allocation of its resources.
These are considered substantive changes and must be reviewed by the Commission. The Commission’s Policy on Substantive Change may be found here.
If you’re unsure as to whether your proposal would be considered a substantive change, contact us.
Verification of Accreditation
We are often asked to provide evidence of UNH’s accreditation status for various external agencies. NECHE does not provide a “certificate of accreditation” per se, so we usually provide the link to UNH’s status on the Commission’s website: https://www.neche.org/institutions/university-of-new-hampshire/
We have found this suffices in almost all cases. If your agency requires something more, please contact us.
Questions?
UNH’s Accreditation Liaison Officer is a member of the Educational Excellence & Effectiveness (E3) team and can answer any institutional accreditation questions. Please contact us.
Programmatic Accreditation
Recognition from external accreditors is a solid indication of academic quality, and the University of New Hampshire takes great pride in its accredited programs. Programs that are not accredited externally submit Program Reviews, which are required by NECHE.
Successful accreditation requires committing to continuous improvement, using data to demonstrate student achievement, and harnessing the experience and expertise of faculty members. It also requires some strong project management, writing, editing, and logistical planning skills.
The E3 team can assist you with all aspects of your accreditation. We have years of experience in reading and interpreting accreditation standards, crafting reports, and planning for site visits.
Use this link to request a consultation and/or support with external accreditation.
External Accreditation Resources
Academic Compliance
See the 5 priorities for Academic year 2024-25 by visiting: UNH's Academic Compliance Hub on the E3 SharePoint site.
