American Society of Landscape Architects
THOMAS REPLACE WITH FIELD
THOMAS REPLACE WITH FIELD
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INTRODUCTION TO ACCREDITATION

The Council for Higher Education Accreditation recognition of accrediting organizations has three basic purposes:

  1. To Advance Academic Quality
    Accrediting organizations must have standards that:
    • Advance academic quality in higher education
    • Emphasize student achievement
    • Emphasize high expectations of teaching and learning, research, and service
    • Are developed within the framework of the institutional mission
  2. To Demonstrate Accountability
    Accrediting organizations must ensure accountability through:
    • Consistent, clear, and coherent communication to the public and to the higher education community
    • Involvement of the public in accreditation decision-making
  3. To Encourage Purposeful Change and Needed Improvement
    Accrediting organizations must:
    • Encourage, where needed, purposeful change and improvement
    • Anticipate and address needed change
    • Stress student achievement
    • Ensure long-range institutional viability

LAAB has received Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) recognition and must conform to CHEA standards.

Academic Quality

LAAB accredited programs must maintain and monitor—and strive to advance—academic quality within their program and their institution. “Academic quality” at its most basic definition is that the program satisfies (meets or exceeds) student and professional expectations. However, the program must reflect the institutional mission, thus providing diversity amongst programs and fostering innovation in practice, research, and service. The program must have specific processes to determine if its quality standards are being met; this evaluation must be on-going and forward-thinking. In addition to student achievements, academic quality is also indicated by high standards of teaching, research and service. The goals and results of these activities should reflect both the institutional mission and the profession of landscape architecture.