Accreditation

Click here to access Viridis Graduate Institute 2022 Student Achievement Disclosure for the Public.

The Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP) school code for Viridis Graduate Institute is: DAPIP#247481

Viridis Graduate Institute is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). The Distance Education Accrediting Commission is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a recognized accrediting agency. The Distance Education Accrediting Commission is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA – http://chea.org/).

DEAC’s scope of recognition by USDE and CHEA is the accreditation of postsecondary institutions in the United States that offer degree and/or non-degree programs primarily by the distance education method up to and including the professional doctoral degree.

The DEAC is also recognized by the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE), a world-wide association of over 280 governmental and private organizations that promote and advance excellence in higher education through the active support of an international community of quality assurance agencies and the promotion of quality assurance for the benefit of higher education institutions, students, and society at large.

The scope of VGI’s accreditation extends to the following degree programs:

Master of Arts in Social Sciences with Emphasis in Ecological Psychology and Environmental Humanities
Doctor of Arts in Ecological Psychology and Environmental Humanities
Doctor of Arts in Ecological Psychology and Environmental Humanities with a Specialization in Climate Response and Resilience

What Accreditation Means

Accreditation by DEAC is a reliable indicator of the value and quality of the distance education that an institution offers. In receiving accreditation, VGI has demonstrated its commitment to educational standards and ethical business practices that assure quality, accountability, and improvement in higher education.

Accreditation is a private, voluntary, non-governmental peer-review process that reviews the educational quality of an institution or program. In the United States, accreditation is the primary means of assuring educational quality. Accreditation status confirms that an institution has voluntarily undergone a comprehensive self-study and peer examination that demonstrates the institution meets the standards of accreditation.

To receive accreditation, the institution must clearly demonstrate that it has established educational goals; offers formal, organized learning experiences and services that enable students to meet these stated goals; and that students and graduates have benefited from the learning experiences provided.

Furthermore, accreditation assures that an institution operates on a sound financial basis, has approved programs of study, qualified instructors, adequate facilities and equipment, ethical recruitment and admission policies, engages in continual improvement through self-evaluation and planning, and promotes its programs truthfully.

Distance Education Accrediting Commission
1101 17th Street NW, Suite 808
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-234-5100
Email: [email protected]

Nondegree Professional Development Courses

Professional development offerings are outside the scope of accreditation granted by DEAC.

Professional development offerings are not and do not require licensing by the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education.

AZ SARA – Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement

As a member of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) the Council provides oversight and guidance to postsecondary institutions in the State of Arizona that elect to follow the national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance education courses and programs. The purpose of SARA is to make it easier for institutions in Arizona to provide online and distance education options in other states and to provide basic protections for the students engaged in those activities. SARA is overseen by a National Council and administered by four higher education association regional compacts. The Arizona SARA Council is overseen by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). Visit the AZ SARA website.

NC-SARA – National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements

SARA is an agreement among member states, districts and territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance education. Viridis Graduate Institute has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. Visit the NC-SARA website.