As a status
Accreditation provides public notification that a college meets standards of quality set forth by an independent accrediting agency. These standards verify that a college has the curriculum, support programs and services, financial and human resources, facilities and other requirements to provide a quality educational experience for its students.
As a process
Accreditation reflects the fact that in achieving recognition by the accrediting agency, the college has prepared a self-study for external review by its peers that addresses each accreditation standard and participates in a site visit that verifies all information documented in the self-study. Accreditation is an important recognition that is required for the transferability of credit to other educational institutions, meet professional licensing requirements, gain employment and permit access to other opportunities.
Lewis and Clark Community College is accredited by:
- Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. (ACEN)
- Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)
- Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools, Medical Assisting (ABHES)
- American Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)
- American Dental Association, Commission of Dental Accreditation (ADA-CODA)
- American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)
- Committee on the Accreditation of Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP)
- Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation
Lewis & Clark is authorized (License Number 510.000057) to confer real estate licenses. - National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF)
Lewis & Clark’s Auto Technology program is accredited and “master certified” through National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), reflecting the highest standards for quality in technician education and training.
Higher Learning Commission
Lewis and Clark Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. During the accreditation process, we create an assurance argument (or self-study report) as an opportunity to reflect on our strengths and weaknesses, to improve institutional and individual effectiveness, and ultimately to better perform our mission, realize our vision, and serve the educational and other needs of our students and community. Following the self-study, the HLC accreditation team conducts a site visit to confirm that the college meets all criteria for accreditation.
Lewis and Clark earned the maximum 10-year accreditation, with no follow-up action required after the self-study and site visit from the HLC accreditation team in March 2013.
The college is currently working on renewing its accreditation in 2023. A self-study report was submitted in March, and the site visit is planned for April.
HLC accreditation Resources