COE Recognition by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation

The AVMA Council on Education is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), a nongovernmental agency, as the accrediting body for schools and programs that offer the professional DVM degree, or its equivalent in the US and Canada. (Foreign colleges of veterinary medicine may seek AVMA accreditation status, but neither the US Department of Education nor CHEA recognition is required for the activity.)

CHEA is a highly respected, non-profit organization which assists accrediting bodies like the COE, in assuring quality in the accrediting process. The Council identifies CHEA as the "gold standard" to assure that: 1) standards are reviewed; 2) college evaluation is conducted in a manner which measures the educational quality of the program; 3) fair and informed means are used in the application of the standards and in the conduct of the site visit; 4) that the public is provided with high quality professional veterinary practitioners; and 5) the quality of teaching, research, and service is continually improving in veterinary medical colleges. Recognized accrediting organizations are to adhere to the CHEA Recognition Policy and undergo periodic review. The CHEA website provides detailed information, including an important item that discusses degree mills and accreditation mills. Through the guidance of CHEA, the Council judges the appropriateness of institutional and program purposes, and the educational outcomes indicating that the purposes are being met on an ongoing basis. The AVMA COE has been recognized by CHEA and its predecessors as an accrediting body for veterinary medicine since 1949.

The Council on Education, American Veterinary Medical Association is also recognized by the US Secretary of Education as authorized by US law. The scope of this recognition may differ from the CHEA Recognition Statement. Please consult the USDE website at: www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html for additional information.