The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an accrediting body that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit institutions of higher education. While accreditation by Middle States is voluntary, accreditation is necessary for institutions who want to offer federal financial aid. Middle States sets high standards for quality as evidenced by its seven standards that cover mission and goals, ethics and integrity, education programs, student services, assessment of student learning, planning and resources, and leadership and governance.

Middle States accredits a wide range of institutions, from small, specialized colleges to large public institutions.

The self-study is a comprehensive evaluation process conducted to demonstrate an institution’s compliance with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) standards. While the self-study meets a requirement for re-accreditation, it is also designed to help the university advance its strategic goals. Ultimately, the document should serve to help Rowan University identify areas for improvement and strategic growth.

Accreditation is important for several reasons. It helps ensure institutions stay accountable, keep improving, and support student success. Here’s why it matters:

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) is the regional accreditation authority, historically for the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Since 2016, institutes are reaccredited every 8 years. MSCHE is one of six regional accrediting bodies in the United States for four-year institutions.  

The goal of accreditation is to ensure that institutions of higher education meet acceptable levels of quality approved by MSCHE member institutions. Institutions engage in a Self-Study, and other annual reporting and periodic reviews, in order to reflect on current operations and provide evidence to MSCHE reviewers, which identify how they are meeting MSCHE Standards and Requirements of Affiliation. Successful accreditation indicates that an accredited institution of higher education meets the regulatory requirements of the U.S. Department of Education.

MSCHE is one of six accrediting agencies of four-year institutions in the United States, which includes the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), in the Pacific Northwest; the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) & Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACCJC), in California; the Southern Association of Colleges and School Commission on Colleges (SASCSCOC), from Texas to Virginia; the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) in the mid-West; and the New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE), in New England. The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) fosters institutional excellence and continuous improvement at 2-year educational institutions.

In order for students to receive federal student aid from the U.S. Department of Education for postsecondary study, an institution must be accredited by one of these regional accrediting agencies.

The cyclical reaccreditation process helps to maintain a culture of continuous improvement of academic quality at colleges and universities and stimulates a general raising of standards among educational institutions.

The MSCHE reviewers include volunteer peer evaluators who are faculty and staff employees from accredited institutions of higher education.

More than 100 individuals are involved in preparing a draft of the Self-Study. This includes faculty, staff, and students engaged in one of seven Working Groups, analyzing evidence collected by the Evidence Inventory Committee to support our achievement of MSCHE’s Standards of Accreditation and Requirements of Affiliation. The entire Rowan community will have a chance to review a draft of the Self-Study and provide feedback in Spring 2027.

There will be opportunities to attend Rowan University open forums during the Spring 2026 and Fall 2026. You may also send comments or questions through email to middlestates@rowan.edu.  We also have a Google Form to send feedback to our leadership team if you prefer to provide feedback in this format.

Click here for Google form

Upon reaccreditation, the next reaccreditation cycle will occur in 2035-2036.