Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Trinity is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The commission has consistently reaffirmed Trinity’s accreditation since 1921, most recently in 2016.

 

Accreditation for the School of Education Programs

All School of Education programs are approved by the DC State Education Agency, Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), and meet requirements for state certification.

Additionally, Trinity’s initial-license and advanced-level education programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Individual teacher preparation programs hold recognition from Specialized Professional Associations, as follows:

  • Early Childhood Education:  the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
  • Educational Administration:  the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC)
  • Elementary Education:  the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI)
  • Reading:  the International Reading Association (IRA)
  • Special Education:  the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)

The Trinity educator preparation programs listed above have Accreditation status from CAEP.

Most recent accreditation date:  October 21, 2019

Accreditation term expires:  December 31, 2027

Next accreditation visit:  Spring 2027

Education Accreditation Contacts:

Accreditation for the School of Nursing and Health Professions

Counseling Programs

The Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Initial Accreditation:                               July 19, 2017

Accreditation Term Expires:                 March 31, 2027

Next Evaluation:                                      Fall 2026/Spring 2027

Counseling Accreditation Contact:

Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) 1001 North Fairfax Street, Ste. 510 Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: (703) 535-5990 Fax: (703) 739-6209 

Nursing Program

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Trinity is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.

Initial Accreditation Date:                    October 13, 2007

Most Recent Accreditation Date:        February 27, 2017

Accreditation Term Expires:                December 31, 2027

Last On-Site Evaluation:                      February 2017

Next On-Site Evaluation:                     Spring 2027

Nursing Accreditation Contacts:

Occupational Therapy Assistant Program

Trinity Washington University’s baccalaureate-degree-level occupational therapy assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-6611. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Last On-Site:  2022/2023

Next On-Site: 2029/2030

Master of Occupational Therapy Accreditation

The entry-level occupational therapy master’s degree program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-6611. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Last On-Site : 2022/2023

Next On-site : 2032/2033

OTA and MOT Accreditation Contact:

 Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy (ACOTE) 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814 Phone: (301) 652-6611

Social  Work Program

Trinity Washington University’s baccalaureate program in Social Work is in the candidacy status under the Council For Social Work Education.

The Social Work program has undergone two Benchmark visits and will undergo a third benchmark visit in Spring 2026.  If approved, the Social Work program would be fully-accredited in Fall 2026.

Higher Education Licensure Commission

Office of the State Superintendent of Education
Higher Education Licensure Commission
1050 First Street, NE 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20002
osse.elcmail@dc.gov

NC-SARA Participation

Trinity Washington University is approved as a voluntary institutional member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) through the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) in Washington, DC ( a member of the Southern Regional Education Board compact, or SREB).  This national organization establishes standards for post-secondary distance education that guarantee educational reciprocity through regional compacts (SREB, the New England Board of Higher Education or NEBHE, the Midwestern Higher Education Compact or MHEC, and the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education or WICHE).  Approved institutions are authorized to offer distance education programs in participating states.  To register a student complaint with NC-SARA, please see the following link:  https://nc-sara.org/student-complaints