Accreditation
Springfield Technical Community College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). (Prior to August 2018, the College was accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.) 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 may also contact:
New England Commission of Higher Education
3 Burlington Woods Drive, Suite 100, Burlington, MA 01803-4514
781-425- 7785
E-Mail: info@neche.org
The College is approved by the Board of Collegiate Authority, Massachusetts Department of Education; by the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission; by the United States Office of Education for listing in the Directory of Higher Education; for the National Defense Student Loan Program; for federal assistance from any unit of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare; by the United States Veterans Administration for the admission of veterans and war orphans; by the United States Department of Justice as a place of study for non-immigrant students; and by the United States Internal Revenue Service as a non-profit organization. Please contact the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (755-4440), located in Room 223-Garvey Hall (B16), for procedures for obtaining or reviewing documents describing accreditation, approval, or licensing.
NECHE Accreditation Self-Study
In 2019-21, Springfield Technical Community College engaged in a process of self-study, addressing the NECHE Standards for Accreditation. The final document that resulted from the process of self-study can be accessed below.
Calculation of Credit Hours
Springfield Technical Community College defines its credit hour in accordance with Federal Regulation 34 CFR 600.2 published in the US Department of Education final regulations of October 29, 2010.
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
All courses are constructed to allow students to achieve the stated outcomes/objectives. Lecture courses meet for 50 minutes per credit hour (one contact hour) each week of the semester. A typical onsite 3-credit lecture course would meet for a total of 150 minutes per week, either as three 50-minute class sessions, two 75-minute class sessions, or another configuration adding up to 150 minutes. For each hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction, students should assume a minimum of two hours of additional work outside of class. For online courses, students are expected to devote the same amount of time as with onsite courses, and engage regularly with the instructor, such that course outcomes/objectives are achieved.
Individual Program Accreditations
Individual programs in the School of Health and Patient Simulation are accredited as follows:
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American Dental Association (ADA) Commission on Dental Accreditation |
2019-2026 |
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Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRCDMS) |
2015-2026 |
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CAHIIM CAHIIM Accreditation is not time limited. Once achieving accreditation, the program's |
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Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB) |
2017-2025 |
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National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) |
2023-2032 | |
| Nursing |
ACEN© Accrediting Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. |
2022-2030 |
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The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) |
2020-2030 |
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Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA/CAPTE) |
2020-2028 |
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| Radiologic Technology |
Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) |
2017-2025 |
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Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (COARC) |
2016-2026 |
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Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC/STSA) |
2015-2025 |