The City College of New York (CCNY), the flagship college of the City University of New York (CUNY) system, is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of academic excellence and institutional accountability. Our programs are registered with the New York State Education Department (NYSED), and the College is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), a regional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. In addition, many of our academic programs maintain specialized accreditations from leading professional organizations. These accreditations reflect our commitment to continuous improvement and student success.
Institutional Accreditation
The City College of New York City College is part of the City University of New York. Its programs are registered by the New York State Education Department.
Office of Higher Education and Professions
Cultural Education Center, Room 5B28
Albany, New York 12230
Phone: (518) 474-5851
NYSED Inventory of Registered Programs
Middle States Accreditation
The City College of New York is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE or Middle States). City College’s last comprehensive evaluation took place in Spring 2018, and its accreditation was continued in June 2019 by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The next comprehensive self-study evaluation is scheduled for 2025-2027, with a site visit by a Peer Evaluation Team in Spring 2027.
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
1007 North Orange Street
4th Floor, MB #166
Wilmington, DE 19801
Specialized Accreditation
Some of the academic programs at City College are additionally accredited by professional program accreditation agencies.
Architecture
The Bachelor of Architecture and the Master of Architecture are accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). The Master of Landscape Architecture is accredited by the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB).
Education
The City College of New York is currently pursuing accreditation of its educator preparation programs by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP). Pursuant to §52.21 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, the educator preparation programs offered by The City College of New York are considered to be continuously accredited for purposes of meeting the New York State requirement that all such programs maintain continuous accreditation.
Engineering
All undergraduate engineering and computer science curricula leading to the baccalaureate degree are fully accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
Psychology
The Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology is accredited by the American Psychological Association, Committee on Accreditation (APA-CoA).
Accreditation FAQ
What is Accreditation?
Accreditation is a process of peer review that the educational community has adopted for its self-regulation since early in the 20th century. It is a voluntary process intended to strengthen and sustain the quality and integrity of higher education, making it worthy of public confidence. Institutions choose to apply for accredited status, and once accredited, they agree to abide by the standards of their accrediting organization and to regulate themselves by taking responsibility for their own improvement.
What Does it Mean to be Accredited?
Middle States accreditation is an expression of confidence in an institution’s mission and goals, its performance, and its resources. An institution is accredited when the educational community has verified that its goals are achieved through self-regulation and peer review. The extent to which each educational institution accepts and fulfills the responsibilities inherent in the process of accreditation is a measure of its commitment to striving for and achieving excellence in its endeavors.
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education Accreditation Standards and Requirements of Affiliation are comprised of seven standards and fifteen requirements which serve as an ongoing guide for those institutions considering application for membership, those accepted as candidate institutions, and those accredited institutions engaged in self-review and peer evaluation.
Based upon the results of an institutional review by a team of peers assigned by the Commission, accreditation attests to the judgment of the Commission that an institution has met the following criteria:
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that it has a mission appropriate to higher education;
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that it is guided by well-defined and appropriate goals, including goals for student learning;
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that it has established conditions and procedures under which its mission and goals can be realized;
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that it assesses both institutional effectiveness and student learning outcomes, and uses the results for improvement;
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that it is accomplishing its mission and goals substantially;
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that it is so organized, staffed, and supported so that it can be expected to continue to accomplish its mission and goals;
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that it meets the eligibility requirements and the standards for accreditation of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education;
Accredited institutions are expected to demonstrate compliance with these standards and requirements, to conduct their activities in a manner consistent with the standards and requirements, and to engage in ongoing processes of self-review and improvement.
*excerpted from MSCHE and MSCHE Standards for Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation