Naturopathic and Holistic Medicine Accreditation

Accreditation is a form of independent, professional certification that focuses on schools and programs in a particular field. Accreditation of naturopathic and holistic medicine schools and programs therefore assures international students and their parents that the school adheres to high quality standards--an important fact when it comes to dealing with people's health. Accreditation ensures the programs are delivered by qualified faculty and are constantly updated to follow the changes and meet the needs of the relevant industry or working world. Attending an accredited college or program is often thought to make you more competitive on the job market.

Accreditation in the US takes place at different levels. First you have governmental and other agencies that govern and recognize the accrediting bodies. The US Department of Education, the Council for Higher Education Association (CHEA) and the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA) grant power to associations that oversee accreditation at the regional, institutional or program level.

Regional and Institutional: The US Department of Education recognizes 6 distinct higher educational regions, each of which is overseen by a different accrediting body. This is the type of accreditation most commonly referred to and is for a university or college as a whole, not for individual programs. Accreditation by these regional agencies isn't automatic: this is voluntary accreditation, and some of these agencies may also restrict the types of schools they will accredit, such as only degree-granting institutions. Depending on the kind of university or college it is (e.g., private, technical, etc.) it may also be accredited by institute-type specific agencies.

Specialized: Specialized accreditation is a type of national accreditation that focuses on specific areas of study and individual programs. This is sometimes called professional accreditation, because it means specific programs meet the national standards for that field of study. There are hundreds of specialized accrediting bodies in the US.

In naturopathic and holistic medicine frields there may also be accrediting bodies that do not have official Department of Education or CHEA approval, but still strive to promote and maintain the quality of programs.

When assessing quality, international students may also want to look at whether a college or program has any memberships in, or endorsements by, discipline-specific professional associations (for example The American Holistic Health Association or AHHA) which reflect certain standards of quality, but this is not the same as official accreditation.

As well, naturopathic and holistic medicine practitioners receive professional certification as individuals, and when checking a school's credentials, don't forget to check whether the instructors are professionally certified and/or licensed.

Accrediting Agencies
The Council on Naturopathic Medical Education
Established: 1978
Location: Great Barrington, Massachusetts
Web: http://www.cnme.org/index.html
Scope: The Council on Naturopathic Medical Education's accredits 4-year naturopathic colleges and programs in the United States and Canada. Students and graduates of CNME accredited programs are eligible to apply for the naturopathic licensing examinations administered by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE), and are generally eligible for state and provincial licensure in the US and Canada.

Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA)
Established: 1989
Location: Evanston, Illinois
Web: www.comta.org
Scope: Accredits professional programs in massage therapy and bodywork at the degree, diploma and certificate levels.

Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)
Established: 1981
Location: Falls Church, Virginia
Web: http://abhes.org/default.htm
Scope: Accredits public and private postsecondary institutions in the United States which offer health care education leading to associate's degrees, diplomas and certificates.

The American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP) Certification and Accreditation Board
Established: 1990
Location: Galveston, Texas
Web: http://www.aadp.net/
Scope: With members worldwide, AADP certifies and represents reputable chiropractors, naturopaths, acupuncturists and other "drugless" healthcare providers.

Some professional certification boardsThe American Naturopathic Certification Board (ANCB): administers a certification program for natural health professionals. Why Accreditation? The goal of accreditation is to ensure that education provided by institutions of higher education meets acceptable levels of quality. Accrediting agencies have no legal control over institutions or programs; they promote certain standards and approve or renew membership of institutions that apply and meet the accreditation standards or criteria. Certain licensing programs may require that you've been through a course of study with specialized accreditation, because it ensures that you have been taught by faculty qualified to teach in that field. The US Secretary of Education and CHEA each maintain and publish a list of nationally recognized accrediting agencies, and most institutions attain eligibility for Federal funds by holding accredited or pre-accredited status with one of the recognized accrediting agencies.