Accreditation
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, the master's degree program in nursing, and the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at the University of San Francisco School of Nursing and Health Professions are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
All programs are also approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing.
About CCNE
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) is an autonomous accrediting agency, contributing to the improvement of the public’s health. A specialized/professional accrediting agency, CCNE ensures the quality and integrity of baccalaureate and graduate education programs preparing effective nurses. CCNE serves the public interest by assessing and identifying programs that engage in effective educational practices. As a voluntary, self-regulatory process, CCNE accreditation supports and encourages continuing self-assessment by nursing education programs and supports continuing growth and improvement of collegiate professional education.”
CCNE accreditation aims to accomplish the following:
- Hold nursing education programs accountable to the community of interest—the nursing profession, consumers, employers, higher education, and students and their families—and to one another by ensuring that these programs have mission statements and goals and outcomes that are appropriate for programs preparing individuals to enter the field of nursing
- Evaluate the success of a nursing education program in achieving its mission, goals, and outcomes
- Assess the extent to which a nursing education program meets accreditation standards
- Inform the public of the purposes and values of accreditation and to identify nursing education programs that meet accreditation standards
- Foster continuing improvement in nursing education programs—and thereby in professional practice
Master of Public Health
The University of San Francisco Master of Public Health Program housed in the School of Nursing and Health Professions received notice on January 7, 2020 that the Council of Education for Public Health (CEPH) has granted full accreditation status for the USF public health graduate program. Accreditation status is awarded for seven years through December 31, 2026.
The goal of CEPH is “to enhance health in human populations through organized community effort.” CEPH’s focus is the improvement of health through the assurance of professional personnel who are able to identify, prevent, and solve community health problems.
The objectives of CEPH are as follows:
- Promote quality in public health education through a continuing process of self-evaluation by the schools and programs that seek accreditation
- Assure the public that institutions offering graduate instruction in public health have been evaluated and judged to meet standards essential for the conduct of such educational programs
- Encourage—through periodic review, consultation, research, publications, and other means—improvements in the quality of education for public health
Doctor of Psychology (PsyD in Clinical Psychology)
The University of San Francisco, School of Nursing and Health Professions is pleased to announce that our Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program (PsyD) has received ten years of accreditation from the American Psychological Association (APA), effective October 28,2023. The ten-year term is the highest level of accreditation given by the association.
APA accreditation recognizes that the program meets the rigorous standards set by the Commission on Accreditation and that students receive training from a diverse group of expert faculty within a well-resourced program committed to training students for preparation for entry into the field of health service psychology.
Learn more about why APA accreditation matters. Questions related to the program's accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:
The American Psychological Association
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
750 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
Telephone: (202) 336-5979
TDD/TTY: (202) 336-6123
Fax: (202) 336-5978
The Program is also accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) and has Associate Member status in the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSPP).