SOE Earns National Accreditation of Program for Master’s Degree in Secondary Teacher Preparation
Albany, NY (September 12, 2024) – The Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) has awarded full 7-year accreditation to the Master’s of Science in Secondary Education Program at the University at Albany, SUNY.
After reviewing the evidence collected through a process of self-study and peer review, the AAQEP Accreditation Commission issued the decision at its August 9 meeting along with the following rationale:
The Commission evaluated the program’s evidence for each AAQEP standard and determined that all four standards are met. The program works closely with candidates to ensure that they are prepared to work effectively as professional educators who can adapt to different contexts and continue to grow professionally. The University at Albany maintains quality in its secondary teacher preparation program by analyzing evidence of its effectiveness and making responsive revisions to benefit candidates and strengthen the program. It engages with stakeholders and partners to strengthen the P-20 education system.
“Congratulations to the University at Albany and to all of the faculty, staff, and stakeholders who have achieved their goal of national accreditation by AAQEP,” said AAQEP President and CEO Mark LaCelle-Peterson. “The Secondary Education Program is dynamic and responsive to the needs of its partners and to the evidence it gathers of candidate and program performance.”
National accreditation assures the quality of professional preparation programs through a nongovernmental, nonregulatory process of self-study and peer review. This standards- and evidence-based process serves two broad aims: accountability and continuous improvement. The AAQEP model is also designed to honor local context and foster innovation and collaboration among institutions. AAQEP currently has members in 38 states and other jurisdictions with over 200 educator preparation providers participating in the accreditation system.
Virginia Goatley, dean of the School of Education noted, “The AAQEP accreditation further supports the nature of secondary education, including a strong foundation in the academic discipline and ongoing collaborations with P-12 partners toward more inclusive and equitable educational preparation.”
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About the School of Education
Founded in 1844, the School of Education at the University at Albany, SUNY is New York’s oldest and leading public higher education institution focused on the preparation of many career areas, including teacher educators, leaders, policy makers and mental health practitioners. Approximately 1,500 students from across New York and around the world are educated annually in more than 40 graduate programs, 17 combined programs, four undergraduate majors and undergraduate minors in education and leadership. The School offers 16 certificate, master’s, and doctoral programs fully online and is consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s top 10 providers of online graduate education. Graduate programs are accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), American Psychological Association (APA), National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), and Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC). Faculty are leaders in their fields, both nationally and globally, engaging in more than $6 million in externally funded research annually. Visit albany.edu/education to learn more.
About AAQEP
Founded in 2017, AAQEP is a membership association and quality assurance agency that provides accreditation services and formative support to all types of educator preparation providers. The organization promotes excellent, effective, and innovative educator preparation that is committed to evidence-based improvement in a collaborative professional environment. AAQEP is nationally recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Visit aaqep.org for more information.