Accreditation and Authorizations

Institutional Accreditation

South College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award degrees at the doctorate, educational specialist, master’s, baccalaureate, and associate levels, as well as certificates. Questions about the accreditation of South College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

State Authorizations

The South College Main Campus, Parkside Learning Site, and Nashville Learning Site are authorized for operation as a post-secondary institution by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to confer degrees at the doctorate, educational specialist, master’s, baccalaureate, and associate levels, as well as various certificate level programs. South College is approved for the training of veterans and other eligible beneficiaries by the Tennessee Division of Veterans Education.

South College and the Asheville Learning Site are licensed by the Board of Governors of the University System of North Carolina and has received approval to confer degrees at the Master’s, Bachelor’s, and Associate levels. The college is licensed by the North Carolina Community College System to confer certificates and diplomas. The North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges is not an accrediting agency.  The college is approved by the North Carolina State Approving Agency for the training of veterans and other eligible persons. 

South College (Main Campus) and the Atlanta Learning Site have been authorized under the Nonpublic Postsecondary Educational Institutions Act of 1990 to offer instruction in the programs listed on the Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission website (https://gnpec.georgia.gov/).  The college is approved by the Georgia State Approval Agency for the training of veterans and other eligible persons.

South College is an Out of State Registered Institution with the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education in California.

South College has received initial approval of a Certificate of Authority from the Pennsylvania Department of Education to operate an educational enterprise in Pittsburgh, PA for the purpose of marketing.

South College is an institutional participant in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (SARA). SARA is an agreement among member states, districts and territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of post-secondary distance education courses and programs. It is intended to make it easier for students to take online courses offered by post-secondary institutions based in another state.  SARA covers all interstate placements in clinical or practica situations among SARA member states, no matter the nature of the main program. However, some such placements may also be subject to the rules of professional licensing boards, in which case the placement must also meet such requirements.  

For the most current information regarding the members of SARA, please visit the below:

http://nc-sara.org/state-actions/state-actions-regarding-sara

For more information about SARA, please visit http://www.nc-sara.org/.​

Professional Licensure

Important Note for Prospective Students: If considering an academic program that leads to a professional license in your planned state of residence, it is highly recommended that you first seek guidance from the appropriate licensing agency in that state BEFORE beginning the academic program located outside that state. South College provides information during the enrollment or orientation process (which you must acknowledge receipt of), but it is important to follow-up yourself by contacting the appropriate licensing board to confirm whether a South College program will meet the requirements for licensure in that state). For onground/hybrid programs, the institution ensures that the program meets requirements for the state in which the campus is located.

Relocation to Another State

Students who consider moving to another state during their enrollment at South College must meet with their academic advisor and the financial aid department prior to this move in order to discuss consequences of this move.  Consideration of these consequences is very important and could include loss of eligibility for federal student aid or, if applicable, rescheduling of clinical or other rotations if the move is to a state in which the institution is not authorized if required for a program or where clinical agreements are not established.  The student should contact the appropriate licensing board in his/her new home state to confirm whether a South College program will meet the requirements for licensure in that state.

Programmatic Accreditation/Approval

Various programs have earned programmatic accreditation or approval.

Associate of Science in Accounting
Associate of Science in Business Administration
Bachelor of Business Administration
Master of Business Administration
The School of Business and Technology at South College has received specialized accreditation for its business programs through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) located at 11374 Strang Line Road in Lenexa, Kansas, USA. For a list of accredited programs, visit https://iacbe.org/memberpdf/SouthCollege.pdf.  The current grant of accreditation is through 2025.

Certificate in Dental Assisting
Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene
The Certificate in Dental Assisting program offered at the Nashville campus has been granted the accreditation status of “Approval without Reporting Requirements” and the Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene program offered at the Nashville campus has been granted the accreditation status of “Initial Accreditation” by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at (312) 440-4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL  60611-2678. The Commission’s web address is: http://www.ada.org/en/coda. 

Associate of Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography
The South College Associate of Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography - General Program offered at the Knoxville campus was granted continuing accreditation on July 17, 2020 by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)(25400 U.S. Highway 19 North, Suite 158, Clearwater, FL 33763, 727-210-2350, www.caahep.org). The next review is anticipated for 2025.

The South College Associate of Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography - General Program offered at the Asheville campus was granted the initial 5 year accreditation award on November 17, 2017 by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) (25400 U.S. Highway 19 North, Suite 158, Clearwater, FL 33763, 727-210-2350, www.caahep.org). The next review is anticipated in 2022.

The South College Associate of Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography - General Program offered at the Nashville campus was granted the initial 5 year accreditation award on March 15, 2019 by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) (25400 U.S. Highway 19 North, Suite 158, Clearwater, FL 33763, 727-210-2350, www.caahep.org). The next review is anticipated for 2024.

Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education (K-5)
Master of Education in Elementary Education (K-5) Initial Licensure
The South College Bachelor of Science in Teacher Education - Elementary (K-5) program and the Master of Education Elementary Education (K-5) Initial Licensure program offered at the Knoxville campus are approved by the Tennessee Department of Education. 

Certificate in Medical Assisting
The South College Certificate in Medical Assisting program offered at the Knoxville campus is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) (25400 U.S. Highway 19 North, Suite 158, Clearwater, FL 33763, 727-210-2350, www.caahep.org) upon recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB).Reaccreditation affirmation was awarded in September 2014 for a period not to exceed ten years.

The Medical Assisting Certificate program offered at the Asheville campus is also accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) (25400 U.S. Highway 19 North, Suite 158, Clearwater, FL 33763, 727-210-2350, www.caahep.org) upon recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB). Reaccreditation affirmation was awarded in August 2015 for a period not to exceed 10 years.

Certificate in Nuclear Medicine
BS Health Science w/Concentration in Nuclear Medicine (RT and NON-RT Tracks)
The South College Certificate in Nuclear Medicine program and the BS Health Science w/Concentration in Nuclear Medicine program offered at the Knoxville campus is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRCNMT) (820 W. Danforth Rd, #B1 Edmond, OK 73003, (405) 285-0546, www.jrcnmt.org). In 2019, the program was awarded continued accreditation for a period of 7 years. The next review is scheduled for 2026.

Master of Science in Nursing/Bachelor of Science in Nursing/Certificate in Practical Nursing
State Authorization (Asheville, Atlanta, Knoxville, Nashville)
The South College Bachelor of Science in Nursing program offered at the Parkside Learning Site (Knoxville) received initial approval from the Tennessee Board of Nursing in December 2003, with full approval granted in September 2008. Approval for the addition of the Nashville Learning Site was granted in November 2016. The Master of Science in Nursing program received initial approval in November 2016. The South College Bachelor of Science in Nursing program offered at the Asheville Learning Site received initial approval from the North Carolina Board of Nursing in February 2016, with full approval granted in May 2019. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program offered at the Atlanta Learning Site received initial approval from the Georgia Board of Nursing in September 2018.

The South College Certificate program in Practical Nursing offered at the Parkside Learning Site (Knoxville) received initial approval from the Tennessee Board of Nursing in February 2018. Approval for the addition of the Nashville Learning site was granted in November 2018.  The Certificate program in Practical Nursing was approved by the Georgia Board of Nursing for the Atlanta Learning Site in May 2019 to begin the first class in June 2020.

Programmatic Accreditation
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing and the Master of Science in Nursing programs offered at South College are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791 (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

Associate of Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant

The South College Occupational Therapy Assistant program offered at the Asheville campus is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929, www.acoteonline.org, (301) 652-6611. Accreditation was granted in April 2014 for 7 years with the next site visit to be scheduled during the 2021-2022 academic year.  

The South College Occupational Therapy Assistant - Knoxville campus program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-6611 and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the ACCREDITATION COUNCIL FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY EDUCATION ACCREDITATION MANUAL VI.E. Revised July 2019 Section VI - Page 19 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.  Accreditation was granted for 7 years with the next site visit to be scheduled during the 2025 academic year.

The South College - Nashville Occupational Therapy Assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-6611 and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. 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. 

Certificate in Paralegal
Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies
Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies
The South College Certificate in Paralegal, Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies, and Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies programs offered at the Asheville campus are approved by the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Paralegals (321 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654-4778, www.americanbar.org) and are North Carolina Bar Qualified Programs. Graduates who successfully complete the optional state examination may apply to become North Carolina Bar Certified Paralegals (North Carolina State Bar, 208 Fayetteville Street, Raleigh, NC 27601; (919) 828-4620; www.nccertifiedparalegal.org.   

Certificate in Paralegal Studies
Associate of Science in Paralegal Studies
Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies
The South College Certificate in Paralegal Studies, Associate of Science in Paralegal Studies, and the Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies programs offered at the Knoxville campus are approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) Standing Committee on Paralegals (321 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654-4778, www.americanbar.org).

Associate of Science in Physical Therapist Assistant
The South College Associate of Science in Physical Therapist Assistant program offered at the Asheville campus is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: http://www.capteoline.org. The last review was conducted in 2012 with reaccreditation granted through 2023.  If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 828-398-2527 or email pdement@south.edu.

The South College Associate of Science in Physical Therapist Assistant program offered at the Knoxville and Nashville campuses is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) (1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, 703-706-3245, www.capteonline.org). The last review was conducted in 2013 with reaccreditation granted through 2024.  If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 629-802-3125 or email sharris@south.edu.

The South College-Atlanta campus is seeking accreditation of a new Physical Therapist Assistant education program from CAPTE. Graduation from a physical therapist assistant education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; phone; 703-706-3245; accreditation@apta.org is necessary for eligibility to sit for the licensure examination, which is required in all states.  The program is planning to submit an Application for Candidacy, which is the formal application required in the pre-accreditation stage, on June 1, 2021. Submission of this document does not assure that the program will be granted Candidate for Accreditation status. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status is required prior to implementation of the technical phase of the program; therefore, no students may be enrolled in technical courses until Candidate for Accreditation status has been achieved. Further, though achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status signifies satisfactory progress toward accreditation, it does not assure that the program will be granted accreditation.

Associate of Science in Radiography
The South College Associate of Science in Radiography program offered at the Knoxville campus is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) (20 N. Wacker Drive, Ste. 2850, Chicago, IL 60606-3182, (312) 704-5300, www.jrcert.org).  In June 2017, the program was awarded continued accreditation for a period of eight years.  The next review is anticipated in 2025. 

The South College Associate of Science in Radiography program offered at the Nashville campus is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) (20 N. Wacker Drive, Ste. 2850, Chicago, IL 60606-3182, (312) 704-5300, www.jrcert.org). In 2019, the program was awarded accreditation for a period of 3 years. The next review is anticipated in 2021.

The South College Associate of Science in Radiography program offered at the Asheville campus is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT), 20 North Wacker Drive, Suite 2850, Chicago, Illinois, 60606-3182; phone (312) 704-5300; www.jrcert.org. The program was considered at the August 27, 2019 meeting of the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology and was awarded Accreditation for period of 8 years. The next site visit is tentatively scheduled for 2026.

The South College Associate of Science in Radiography program offered at the Atlanta campus is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) (20 N. Wacker Drive, Ste. 2850, Chicago, IL 60606-3182, (312) 704-5300, www.jrcert.org). In 2020, the program was awarded accreditation for a period of 3 years. The next review is anticipated in 2023.

Master of Health Science in Physician Assistant Studies
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the South College Master of Health Science Physician Assistant Program sponsored by South College. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards.  Accreditation remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards. The approximate date for the next validation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be September 2027. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.  The South College Master of Health Science Physician Assistant Program is a single program with two campuses; one in Knoxville, Tennessee and an extension campus in Atlanta, Georgia.

The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the South College - Nashville Physician Assistant Program sponsored by South College - Nashville.  Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding Accreditation-Provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.  Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class.

Doctor of Pharmacy
The South College Doctor of Pharmacy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 190 South LaSalle Street, Suite 2850, Chicago, IL 60603, 312/664-3575, FAX 866-228-2631, web site www.acpe-accredit.org.

Doctor of Physical Therapy
The Doctor of Physical Therapy program at South College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: http://www.capteonline.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 865-251-1753 or email tnoteboom@south.edu.

Certificate in Surgical Technology
The Certificate in Surgical Technology program offered at the Asheville campus is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org),(25400 U.S. Highway 19 North, Suite 158, Clearwater, FL 33763, 727-210-2350), based upon the recommendation of the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC-STSA). 

The application and self-study for the Associate of Science in Surgical Technology program offered at the Knoxville campus to the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org, 9355 - 113th St. N, #7709, Seminole, FL 33775, 727-210-2350) has been submitted and a site visit scheduled for pursuing initial accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. This step in the process is neither a status of accreditation nor a guarantee that accreditation will be granted. Accreditation must be awarded to the program prior to graduates being able to attempt the required certification examination to practice as a Surgical Technologist.