Canisius University is accredited by numerous national organizations. These accreditations serve as testament to the excellent quality of a Canisius education. These accreditations include:
Middle States
Canisius University is an accredited institution by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE):
1007 North Orange Street
4th Floor, MB #166
Wilmington, DE 19801
(267) 284-5011
The MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Visit Canisius' page on the MSCHE Website
Canisius’ Reaccreditation Process
Canisius re-accreditation was affirmed in 2015 and are currently undergoing a new re-accreditation cycle. We began a university-wide self-study process in Spring 2023 and will complete a site visit by peer reviewers in Spring 2025.
Canisius University Complaint Process
Students should seek resolution of complaints with all appropriate Canisius University officers, including their professor, academic program director, Dean, or Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs.
If a student has exhausted all these options, the student may address their concern to the appropriate office within the New York State Department of Education or the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights.
AAQEP
Canisius University is a member in good standing of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), a national accrediting organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The educator preparation programs have been awarded full accreditation by AAQEP through December 31, 2031. Accreditation acknowledges that a program prepares effective educators who continue to grow as professionals and has demonstrated the commitment and capacity to maintain quality.
AACSB
The Richard J. Wehle School of Business is the largest private institution in Western New York accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). The University has held this distinction of excellence since 1977. AASCB is earned by the best business schools in the world, and only 5 percent of business schools worldwide meet the rigorous standards of AACSB International Accreditation. To find out more about AACSB, contact them at 777 South Harbour Island Blvd., Suite 750, Tampa, FL 33602 (813-769‐6500).
Program Accreditations
In addition to these, several of our programs have been certified as meeting a high level of excellence by their respective professional societies. These accredited programs include:
| Program | Accrediting Body |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | ACS 1155 16th Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 |
| Clinical Mental Health & School Counseling | CACREP 500 Montogmery Street, Suite 350 Alexandria, VA 22314 703-535-5990 |
| Physician Assistant Studies | ARC-PA 3325 Paddocks Parkway, Suite 345 Suwanee, GA 30024 770-476-1224 |
Please contact the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness to obtain or review available documentation.
Students in the United States, Residing Outside New York State
Canisius University participates in the NC-SARA consortium for distance education. Among other benefits, this provides students in the United States (states and territories), but outside of New York State, with an effective complaint process. As with New York State students:
- Students should seek resolution of complaints with all appropriate Canisius University officers, including their professor, academic program director, Dean, or Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs.
- If a student has exhausted all these options, the student may address their concern to the appropriate office within the New York State Department of Education.
Visit NC-SARA's Student Complaints Guide for a complete description of the process.
Under terms of the NC-SARA agreement, our "state portal entity" - New York State Department of Education - will investigate dishonest or fraudulent activity by any institution (school or university) participating in NC-SARA. This includes the possibility of an institution providing potentially misleading or false information. NC-SARA policies do not cover complaints related to grades or student conduct violations.
Student complaints must be filed first through the appropriate Canisius University channels listed above. However, if a student feels that their complaint or concern was not fairly addressed at Canisius, they may contact New York State Department of Education via the link above, or via the following official:
Andrea Richards
Supervisor of Higher Education Programs
518.474.1551
IHEauthorize@nysed.gov
New York State Education Department
89 Washington Ave
Albany, NY 12234
A student may appeal the institutional decision to the New York State Department of Education within two years of the incident about which the complaint was made.