COE accreditation policies and procedures

Last update to this section: December 2023

Appendix A-Staff roster - Council on Education staff responsible for accreditation

Note: the words "College" and "School" may be used interchangeably.

The latest version of the Accreditation Policies and Procedures of the AVMA Council on Education (P&P) and a listing of programs the COE accredits or preaccredits with the year of the next scheduled review are available to the public at all times on the AVMA website (www.avma.org). A hard copy of the P&P manual can be obtained by making a request to the Education and Research Division. Among many other subjects, the P&P manual contains information on the Council and its operational procedures; standards used to grant, reaffirm, reinstate, restrict, deny, revoke, terminate or take any other accreditation or preaccreditation action; procedures for applying for preaccreditation or accreditation; the types of accreditation and preaccreditation the Council grants; and the procedures programs must follow in applying for accreditation or preaccreditation. The public may receive the names, professional qualifications and relevant employment and organizational affiliations of COE members and/or the COE administrative staff upon request to the Education and Research Division.

The AVMA Council on Education is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) as the accrediting body for schools and programs that offer the professional Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree, or its equivalent in the United States and Canada. The Council may also approve foreign veterinary colleges.

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