Institutional and Programmatic Accreditation
Samuel Merritt University is regionally accredited through Spring 2031 by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). As a consistently high-performing institution, the University was selected as one of the inaugural group of institutions eligible in 2020 for a new Thematic Pathway for Reaffirmation process based on a theme of the University’s choosing.
Student success is the reaffirmation theme selected by SMU to develop and implement over the next several years because, as the demands on healthcare professionals become more complex, the education SMU provides needs to nurture a broader range of skills in students, including the ability to contribute to interprofessional healthcare teams. In support of this Thematic Pathway for Reaffirmation, faculty and staff from every division of the University have been engaged in an analysis of how the University promotes, supports, and measures student success.
In addition to this continuous internal assessment, the University uses progam-specific accreditation reviews as opportunities to evaluate how well programs and initiatives are serving the mission, vision, and values of the University. Specialty accreditation information can be found below.
Programs and Accrediting Organizations
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN); Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN); Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN)
- Approved by California Board of Registered Nursing
- Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education*
- Last/Next Accreditation 2020/2030
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)—Case Management
- Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education*
- Last/Next accreditation 2020/2030
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)—Family Nurse Practitioner Program
- Conforms to the Standards of Education for Nurse Practitioner Program
- Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education*
- Last/Next accreditation 2020/2030
Entry-Level Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT)
- Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education
- Last/Next accreditation 2018/2028
Entry-Level Master Physician Assistant (MPA)
- Accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc.
- Last/Next accreditation 2019/2029
Entry-Level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
- Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education
- Last/Next accreditation 2018/2023, 2024
Entry-Level Doctoral of Physical Therapy (DPT)
- Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
- Last/Next accreditation 2017/2028
Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM)
- Accredited by Council on Podiatric Medical Education
- Last/Next accreditation 2022/2027
Post-Graduate APRN Certificate
- Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education*
- Last/Next accreditation 2017/2027
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
- Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education*
- Last/Next accreditation 2020/2030
Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP)
- Accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA)
- Last/Next accreditation 2024/2034
* The bachelor, master, and doctoral degree programs in nursing and/or post-graduate APRN certificate program are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (www.ccneaccreditation.org).
WSCUC Accreditation and Thematic Pathway for Reaffirmation
Samuel Merritt University has been selected for re-accreditation under WSCUC's Thematic Pathway for Reaffirmation (TPR) process, focusing on student success through continuous quality improvement, interprofessional practice and education, faculty and staff development, and aligning co-curricular learning with institutional outcomes.
