Goddard College Accreditation and Approvals
Goddard College 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.). NECHE has issued a Notation that Goddard College is in danger of being found not to meet the standard on Institutional Resources (read more).
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 though 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
301 Edgewater Place, Suite 210
Wakefield, MA 01880
(781) 425 7785
E-Mail: info@neche.org
Goddard College is authorized by the Washington Student Achievement Council and meets the requirements and minimum educational standards established for degree-granting institutions under the Degree-Granting Institutions Act. This authorization is subject to periodic review and authorizes Goddard College to offer specific degree programs. The Council may be contacted for a list of currently authorized programs. Authorization by the Council does not carry with it an endorsement by the Council of the institution or its programs. Any person desiring information about the requirements of the act or the applicability of those requirements to the institution may contact the Council at P.O. Box 43430, Olympia, Washington 98504-3430 or by email at degreeauthorization@wsac.wa.gov.
The transferability of credits earned at Goddard College is at the discretion of the receiving college, university, or other educational institution. Student considering transferring to any institution should not assume that credits earned in any program of study at Goddard College will be accepted by the receiving institution. Similarly, the ability of a degree, certificate, diploma, or other academic credential earned at Goddard College to satisfy an admission requirement of another institution is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Accreditation does not guarantee credentials or credits earned at Goddard College will be accepted by or transferred to another institution. To minimize the risk of having to repeat coursework, students should contact the receiving institution in advance for evaluation and determination of transferability of credits and/or acceptability of degrees, diplomas, or certificates earned.
The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) has authority to investigate student complaints against specific schools. WSAC may not be able to investigate every student complaint. Visit https://www.wsac.wa.gov/student-complaints for information regarding the WSAC complaint process.
Questions about accreditation and state approval can be directed to academicaffairs@goddard.edu.
WA State Residents: The Goddard College BA in Education Program and MA in Education Program do not meet the educational requirements for licensure in Washington State. For further information, refer to the State of Washington Professional Educator Standards Board.
Professional licensure and certification requirements vary by state and are under the purview of individual state licensing agencies. Goddard College courses and programs of study will only meet the educational requirements for professional licensure or certification in the State of Vermont. We strongly encourage all applicants and students who are considering licensure or certification to verify that their program of study will fulfill the requirements for licensure or certification in the state they reside or plan to practice.
The MA in Psychology and the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Programs are not approved by outside organizations. As part of Goddard College, all programs and degrees are accredited by the regional accrediting body, the New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE). Regional accreditation, which can only be offered by organizations recognized by the Department of Education, makes our students eligible for federal student loans. Goddard has not sought approval by private organizations, like CACREP (Council Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs). Some states identify such approvals as automatically meeting preliminary requirements for the educational preparation for application for the state’s licensure. Many states also have regulations providing for non-CACREP graduates to successfully complete their applications through a review of their coursework and internship experiences through an equivalency review conducted by state administrators. There are a few states that do not offer such equivalency. Goddard applicants and students should learn what the licensing regulations are in their states, to determine whether or not a Goddard degree will serve their professional and personal needs.
Goddard College has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA).
Additional Approvals
- The Veteran’s Administration to train Veterans under the G.I. Bill and VocRehab
- The Vermont Agency of Education through its Standards Board for Professional Educators (VSBPE) to offer Teacher Licensure
Institutional Memberships
- American School Counselor Association (ASCA)
- Associated Writing Programs (AWP)
- College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR)
- Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)
- Education Preparation Inquiry Collaborative (EPIC)
- National Association of College Admissions Counselors (NACAC)
- National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA)
- Vermont Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (VASFAA)
- Vermont Consortium of Academic Libraries (VCAL)
- Vermont Council of Educator Preparation Programs (VCEPP)
- Vermont Koha Automated Libraries (VOKAL)