Accreditation Scope & Services
Welcome to the accreditation process!
Whether you are a new program administrator or a seasoned writer of accreditation documents, we invite you to explore our accreditation services and resources.
We look forward to collaborating with you as you work towards your program’s accreditation goals.
Scope of the CSWE Board of Accreditation
CSWE’s Board of Accreditation (BOA) recognizes social work education programs in the United States (U.S.) and its territories.
BOA accredits:
-
Professional Practice Doctoral Programs (currently piloting)
Services
Accreditation staff provide services, resources, education and training, and/or general information to the following stakeholder groups:
-
Social work education programs
-
CSWE volunteers
- Members of the public
Consultations
Is your CSWE-accredited or candidate social work education program seeking consultation on an accreditation process, Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS), or interpretations?
Schedule a 30-minute consultation with your program’s CSWE accreditation specialist.
-
Consultations are offered to social work education programs year-round via e-mail, phone, and videoconferencing. The accreditation team also provides services at CSWE’s Annual Program Meeting (APM).
-
A program’s primary contact may contact the program’s CSWE accreditation specialist via the scheduling application conveniently linked in their email signature. Accreditation staff communicate with the program’s primary contact and authorized designees.
-
CSWE does not permit the recording of consultations. If an individual requires an accommodation-related request to record a consultation, contact your program’s CSWE accreditation specialist.
Accreditation staff do not determine compliance. The CSWE-BOA is the accreditation decision-making authority, and the sole and final arbiter of compliance. Accreditation staff do not conduct document reviews, provide written feedback, nor offer live or on-demand reviews of written materials.
Consultations are available to CSWE-accredited and candidate social work education programs only. For public inquires, contact CSWE headquarters at (703) 683-8080 or [email protected] to locate the staff member who can best respond to your inquiry, or review our accreditation FAQs.
Substantive Change Process | Learn more about obtaining approval to offer a new program option at an accredited baccalaureate or master's program
New Program Applicants | Learn more about starting a new baccalaureate or master's program
Training
-
Candidacy Training | for new baccalaureate or master’s social work programs seeking accredited status
-
Reaffirmation Training | for currently accredited baccalaureate and master's social work programs seeking formal training on the EPAS and reaffirmation process
-
Accreditation Lunch & Learn Webinar Series | interactive topical webinar sessions
-
Past Accreditation Presentations | repository of all publicly available past slide decks
-
Site Visitor Training | for social work faculty and/or administrators interested in serving as a volunteer site visitor under the authority of the BOA
Direct questions related to training opportunities to [email protected].
Communicating with CSWE Accreditation Staff
Frequency of Communication
-
It is important to keep a line of communication open between the accreditation staff and program for timely and consistent contact. Programs are responsible for selecting a primary contact and reporting certain changes.
-
Accreditation staff send periodic accreditation news and updates via email to the program’s primary contact after BOA meetings and as-needed.
-
Unsure whom to contact? Email [email protected].
External Accreditation-related Information
-
CSWE’s accreditation team is your primary and verified source of information. If you are unsure of information received from an external source, confirm accuracy with your program’s CSWE accreditation specialist.
-
Neither the CSWE-BOA nor accreditation staff review, comment on, appraise, nor endorse external presentations, publications, resources, or consultants.
-
Accreditation consultations and CSWE-BOA review processes are confidential. Staff do not share program-specific information with other stakeholders, including other programs. This includes discussing other program’s compliance plans, sharing samples, offering networking connections, identifying programmatic innovations, etc.
Program Role & Responsibility
Accreditation is an elective, program-driven, and self-managed peer-review process. Programs are responsible for meeting all deadlines associated with submission(s) of accreditation materials.
Programs are solely responsible for implementing, demonstrating, and maintaining compliance with the EPAS. Thus, it is important to understand all tools and resources available to you to successfully navigate accreditation.
Programs must also demonstrate honesty and integrity, in submitting materials for candidacy, reaffirmation, or other accreditation-related review processes.
Commitment to Quality
The CSWE-BOA and accreditation team are committed to engaging in continuous quality improvement efforts. As we assess and enhance our offerings, we appreciate your participation and feedback. When resources, policies, procedures, and interpretations are clarified or developed, staff send e-mail blast updates.
In all exchanges, program representatives and accreditation staff engage in mutually respectful communication. Accreditation staff reserve the right terminate services and request supervisory support.
Our services and resources fill your toolkit with the essential tools you need to achieve your program’s accreditation goals. You are empowered to reach out as questions arise.