Wilkes University is accredited through the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).
MSCHE external website is one of seven regional accreditors in six geographic regions across the United States that accredits nearly 3000 colleges and universities. Accreditation strengthens and sustains higher education to assure institutions are worthy of public confidence and to minimize external control.
MSCHE accreditation requires completion of an institutional Self-Study and a subsequent visit from a team of external peer evaluators. Through the evaluation process, the MSCHE-member institutions must demonstrate they meet the expectations of the Commission's Requirements of Affiliation, the Standards for Accreditation, and relevant federal regulations.
Wilkes’ accreditation status was reaffirmed by MSCHE in 2020 external website, following a virtual site visit (due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Following the 2020 reaffirmation, Wilkes moved to an eight-year accreditation cycle (from previous 10-year cycle). Our next Self-Study will be completed and site visit will occur in 2027-2028.
Few University-wide endeavors rival the Self-Study process, for its importance, inclusiveness and opportunity for institutional refection. Through self-study we demonstrate our commitment to our students and to continuous improvement. The timing of the 2020 Self-Study is also useful for informing the focus of our next strategic plan.