According to the Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions, “accreditation is a process of external review used by the higher education community to assure quality and spur ongoing improvement. Accrediting commissions are private, nonprofit organizations whose members are the colleges and universities themselves. The commissions and visiting teams are made up of volunteers, and one of every seven commissioners is a representative of the public. Regional accreditation has a long history and has served the U.S. higher education system for more than 100 years. It relies on the rigorous process of peer review, not governmental monitoring, to define and evaluate whether institutions meet high standards. Self-regulation preserves the autonomy and diversity of higher education, two unique characteristics of our higher education system that contribute to its quality.”
The U.S. Department of Education identifies nine functions of accreditation:
- Verifying that an institution or program meets established standards;
- Assisting prospective students in identifying acceptable institutions;
- Assisting institutions in determining the acceptability of transfer credits;
- Helping to identify institutions and programs for the investment of public and private funds;
- Protecting an institution against harmful internal and external pressure;
- Creating goals for self-improvement of weaker programs and stimulating a general raising of standards among educational institutions;
- Involving the faculty and staff comprehensively in institutional evaluation and planning;
- Establishing criteria for professional certification and licensure and for upgrading courses offering such preparation; and
- Providing one of several considerations used as a basis for determining eligibility for Federal assistance.
Institutional Accreditation -Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Frederick Community College is an accredited institution and a member of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. The College received its initial accreditation in 1971. Frederick Community College accreditation status is Accreditation Reaffirmed. The Commission’s most recent action on the institution’s accreditation status was on June 23, 2016 where the Commission moved to reaffirm accreditation. In 2017, a new accreditation process and timeline was implemented; the accreditation timeline was moved from every 10 years to every eight years. he Accreditation Status for FCC can be viewed on the MSCHE website, which includes the Statement of Accreditation Status (SAS).
The College has begun its reaccreditation process, culminating in the 2024-25 Self-Study, On-site Peer Review, and Notice of Action. Read more here: https://www.frederick.edu/about-fcc/accreditation/self-study.aspx.
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education accepts comments from all interested individuals about the quality of an institution that is approaching a scheduled accreditation review. Member institutions in evaluation (Self-Study) can be found at the Member Institutions in Evaluation. Third-party comments are intended to be an opportunity for individuals to offer more generalized information that is not necessarily specific to individual circumstances. To submit a third-party comment, please use the Third-Party Comment form. Documentation is not required; however, if you choose to attach documents, all documentation must be submitted in English and in PDF format. For further information, consult the Commission’s Third-Party Comments for Institutions Under Review Policy and Procedures.
The contact information for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education is as follows:
1007 North Orange Street - 4th Floor, MB #166,
Wilmington, DE 19801
FCC’s Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO): Kevin Martin ([email protected] or 301.846.2621)
Institutional Approval to Operate
Frederick Community College is authorized by the Maryland by the Maryland Higher Education Commission MHEC to award associate degrees and certificates. FCC is one of 16 public community colleges in the state of Maryland.
The contact information for MHEC can be found below:
Maryland Higher Education Commission
6 North Liberty Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: 410.767.3300
View the College profile on the MHEC website.
Specialized and Programmatic Accreditation
Frederick Community College has specialized or programmatic accreditation by the following entities:
American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accredit Commission ACFEFAC
FCC’s Associate of Applied Science Degree in Culinary Arts and Supervision, Culinary Skills Certificate, Associate of Applied Science in Baking & Pastry Arts, and Baking & Pastry Arts Certificate are accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accredit Commission ACFEFAC, meeting nationally recognized educational standards of excellence and competencies.
The contact information for ACFEFAC can be found below:
6816 Southpoint Parkway Suite 400
Jacksonville, FL 32216
Phone 904.484.0215
If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please contact the Program Manager, Elizabeth DeRose, at 301.846.2404 or by email at [email protected].
Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education CAPTE
Effective April 30, 2024, the Physical Therapist Assistant program at Frederick Community College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)
The contact information for CAPTE can be found below:
Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100
Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085
Phone: 703.706.3245; Email: [email protected]
If needing to contact the FCC program/institution directly, please contact the Program Manager, Amelia Iams, at 301.846.2644 or email [email protected].
Council for the Accreditation of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Education (CAEMHSE)
FCC’s Associate of Applied Science Degree in Public Safety’s areas of concentration in Emergency Management and National Security are accredited by CAEMHSE, meeting nationally recognized educational standards of excellence and competencies in these disciplines.
Contact information for CAEMHSE:
Email: [email protected]
To contact the program/institution directly, please contact the Program Manager, Didi Culp, at 240.629.7952 or [email protected].
Maryland Board of Nursing
The Associate of Science in Nursing and the Certified Nursing Assistant programs are approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing.
Contact information for the Maryland Board of Nursing can be found below:
Maryland Board of Nursing
4140 Patterson Avenue
Baltimore, Maryland 21215
Phone: 410.585.1900
If needing to contact the FCC program/institution directly, please contact the Program Manager, Kyla Newbould, at 301.846.2607 or via email at [email protected].
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing ACEN
The Associate of Science in Nursing program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.
Contact information for the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing can be found below:
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
3343 Peachtree Rd. NE, Suite 850
Atlanta, GA 30326
Phone: 404.975.5000
If needing to contact the FCC program/institution directly, please contact the Program Manager, Kyla Newbould, at 301.846.2607 or via email at [email protected].
Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care CoARC
The Associate of Applied Science in Respiratory Care is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care.
Contact information for the CoARC can be found below:
Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care
264 Precision Blvd.
Telford, TN 37690
Phone: 817.283.2835
If needing to contact the FCC program/institution directly, please contact the Program Manager, Jessica Missavage, at 301.846.2528 or via email at [email protected].
Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs CAAHEP
The Associate of applied Science, Surgical Technology A.A.S. Program is accredited Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.
Contact information for CAAHEP can be found below:
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
9355 - 113th St. N #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
Phone: 727.210.2350
If needing to contact the FCC program/institution directly, please contact the Program Manager, Crystal Shea, at 240.629.7959 or via email at [email protected].
Maryland State Board of Dental Examiners
The Dental Assisting and Oral Radiography courses are approved by the Maryland State Board of Dental Examiners.
Contact information for the Maryland State Board of Dental Examiners can be found below:
Maryland State Board of Dental Examiners
https://health.maryland.gov/dental/
Phone: 410.402.8500
If needing to contact the FCC program/institution directly, please contact the Program Manager, Kelanie Yordy, at 240-629-7971 or via email at [email protected].