Accreditation
We have accreditations you can trust
Accreditation is very important for any university. Assessments of Dakota State show the quality of programs across campus.
Accreditations impact the institution in a variety of ways, including student eligibility for federal assistance or loans, enabling graduates to sit for certification exams, and assuring all our constituencies that DSU meets or exceeds quality standards.
Institutional accreditation
Dakota State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), founded in 1895, and is one of a number of institutional accreditors in the United States. HLC accreditation indicates that DSU has the standards, processes, and assurance that it delivers quality educational experiences. DSU must meet 18 core components within the five HLC Criteria for Accreditation.
DSU completes periodic reviews for reaffirmation of accreditation through HLC’s Open Pathway, a ten-year cycle with an assurance review in year four and a comprehensive evaluation in year ten. The Open Pathway also includes an improvement component, the Quality Initiative, between years four and ten, that provides DSU the opportunity to pursue improvement projects that meet institutional needs.
Program accreditations
ACBSP accredits DSU’s undergraduate and graduate business programs. The ACBSP is a leading specialized accreditation association for business education supporting, celebrating, and rewarding teaching excellence. The mission of the ACBSP is to establish, promote and recognize educational standards that contribute to the continuous improvement of business education and, through accreditation, to recognize business schools and programs that adhere to these standards.
The College of Business and Information Systems' programs include accreditations from the following organizations; the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) for Business Programs Business Management (AS), Business (BBA) with an accounting specialization, Business (BBA) with business technology specialization, Business (BBA) with a finance specialization, Business (BBA) with management specialization, Business (BBA) with marketing specialization, Professional Accountancy (BS) and a General Management (MBA).
DSU’s eight teacher education programs are accredited by the South Dakota Department of Education. This assures quality with educator preparation. Any institution seeking to recommend candidates for certification must have its programs approved by the State Board of Education. The South Dakota Department of Education reviews the courses and experiences an institution requires candidates to complete and recommends approval to the state board on a seven-year cycle. In addition, the institutions must also be accredited by a regional accrediting agency; DSU is accredited through The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
Employer Satisfaction Survey
- Educator Preparation Program (EPP) 2021-2022
1-Year-Out Employer Satisfaction Survey (PDF) - Educator Preparation Program (EPP) 2020-2021
1-Year-Out Employer Satisfaction Survey (PDF)
Graduate Satisfaction Survey
- Educator Preparation Program (EPP) 2021-2022
- Educator Preparation Program (EPP) 2020-2021
DSU’s Health Information Management programs are accredited by CAHIIM. CAHIIM is an independent accrediting organizations whose mission is to serve the public interest by establishing and enforcing quality Accreditation Standards for Health Informatics and Health Information Management (HIM) educational programs.
DSU’s undergraduate and graduate Cyber programs are accredited by the National Security Agency (NSA). NSA leads the U.S. Government in cryptology that encompasses signals intelligence (SIGINT) insights and cybersecurity products and services and enables computer network operations to gain a decisive advantage for the nation and our allies.
DSU is designated as the Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations (CAE-CO), Center of Academic Excellence in Research (CAE-R), and Center of Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD). Universities designated as National Centers of Academic Excellence are eligible to apply for scholarships and grants through the Federal and Department of Defense Information Assurance Scholarship Programs.
DSU’s teacher education programs are accredited by the Department of Education. Any institution seeking to recommend candidates for certification must have its programs approved by the State Board of Education. The Department of Education reviews the courses and experiences an institution requires candidates to complete and recommends approval to the state board on a seven-year cycle. In addition, the institutions must also be accredited by a regional accrediting agency or The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).