Accreditation is a common and voluntary practice among institutions of higher learning, designed to ensure the following:

•  Quality of student education.

•  Effectiveness of the Institution within the community it serves.

•  Fiscal health of the Institution.

•  Continued growth and success of the Institution; its faculty, staff, students and constituencies.

McNally Smith College of Music is currently institutionally and programmatically accredited with the National Association of Schools of Music and is in the process of seeking Regional Accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission. The Self Study focuses on these general criteria:

•  Mission and Integrity

•  Preparing for the Future

•  Student Learning and Effective Teaching

•  Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge

•  Engagement and Service

For more on accreditation as a whole, and a directory of institutions currently accredited with Higher Learning Commission, visit the HLC’s website<http://www.ncahlc.org/Information-for-the-Public/public-information.html>.