Accreditation, Authorization, Affiliations, and Memberships
The College was chartered by the State of New Hampshire on November 14, 1962, under the provisions of Chapter 292 R.S.A. In 1965, the State Legislature granted the College statutory authority to grant baccalaureate degrees.
Franklin Pierce University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education,
Inc. (formerly the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England
Associate of Schools and Colleges, Inc.), a non-governmental, nationally recognized
organization whose affiliated institutions include elementary schools through collegiate
institutions offering post-graduate instruction. Accreditation of an institution by
NECHE indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional
quality periodically applied through a peer group review process. An accredited school
or college is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated
purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and
gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future.
Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation. Accreditation by
NECHE is not partial; it applies to the institution as a whole. As such, it is not
a guarantee of the quality of every course or program offered, or the competence of
individual graduates. Rather, it provides reasonable assurance about the quality of
opportunities available to the students who attend the institution.
Inquiries regarding the status of an institution’s accreditation by the New England
Association of Schools and Colleges should be directed to the administrative staff
of the institution. Individuals may also contact the New England Commission of Higher
Education, 3 Burlington Woods Drive, Suite 100, Burlington, M.A. 01803, (781) 425-7785,
(855)886-3272, Fax: (781) 425-1001.
The University is approved by the New Hampshire Department of Education, the U.S.
Immigration and Naturalization Service, the Department of Justice, and the U.S. Department
of Education.
The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) granted accreditation
to Franklin Pierce University’s Master of Physical Therapy Program on April 24, 2002
with permission to advance the curriculum to the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
as soon as all state and regional college accrediting agencies approved the move.
This accreditation occurred in April 2005. In 2010, CAPTE approved the expansion to
Arizona. Both programs are accredited through 2026. Inquiries regarding the status
of an institution’s accreditation by CAPTE should be directed to: CAPTE, 1111 N. Fairfax
Street, Alexandria, V.A. 22314, (703) 706-3245 or email accreditation@apta.org.
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc.
(ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Franklin Pierce University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Franklin Pierce University. 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 ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the Franklin Pierce University
Master of Physician Assistant Studies Hybrid Program sponsored by Franklin Pierce
University. 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. The program’s accreditation history
can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at https://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-franklin-pierce-university/ .
The R.N. to B.S., and Master of Science in Nursing programs are accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, G.A. 30326, phone: (404) 975-5000.
The undergraduate and graduate Business programs are accredited by the International
Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE), 11374 Strang Line Road, Lenexa,
K.S., 66215, phone: (913) 631-3009.
Programmatic accreditation by the International Accreditation Council for Business
Education is mission-driven and outcomes-based, and involves an independent, external
evaluation of the business programs offered by an institution’s academic business
unit. The effectiveness of the academic business unit is evaluated by reviewing the
educational processes related to teaching and learning in the institution, and by
an assessment of the outcomes of the teaching-learning process. IACBE partners with
colleges, universities, and other higher education institutions to recognize business
education excellence. https://iacbe.org/accreditation/
The University holds membership in the following organizations:
American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers American Council of Education American Library Association American Personnel and Guidance Association Association for Continuing Higher Education Association for Innovation in Higher Education Association of American Colleges and Universities College and University Personnel Association Council for the Advancement of Experiential Learning |
Council of Independent Colleges Interstate Certification Compact National Association of College Admissions Counseling National Association of College and University Business Officers National Association of Student Personnel Administrators National Collegiate Athletic Association New England Consortium of Academic Coordinators of Clinical Educators Northeast 10 Conference New Hampshire College and University Council |