Accreditation Information
Tufts University and Graduate School of Arts and Science Accreditation Statement
Tufts University and all of the graduate programs in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences are accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE; formerly the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.). You can read more here.
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Program Accreditation Summary
The graduate school has several programs in different departments that are accredited by the organizations appropriate to the field of study and offer professional licensure opportunities for students with the qualifying degrees. These are listed below by department and program.
Department of Education
Master of Arts in Teaching programs
Our Master of Arts in Teaching programs are in Elementary Education (Online), Middle and High School Education, and Art Education. These programs lead to eligibility for an Initial License in Massachusetts in the area studied. The programs are limited to students located in Massachusetts only, and the programs make no warrant or guarantee to its applicability for licensure outside of Massachusetts.
Massachusetts does have reciprocity agreements with other states regarding teaching certification. Specific state licenses may be more applicable and/or require additional standards. Licensure requirements, exam eligibility, and appropriate pathways are subject to change and may differ based on individual student backgrounds, including coursework taken outside the scope of the program. More information about the latter is available at this website: Teacher License Reciprocity: State Profile - Massachusetts
School Psychology Master of Arts/Educational Specialist program
This program is designed to meet the Massachusetts state licensure requirements and to meet the licensure requirements of states that accept the Nationally Certified School Psychologist requirements (NCSP). The latter is done through the accreditation of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). Candidates are not required to obtain the NCSP credential, but are qualified to do so. NASP maintains a website that provides information about whether the NCSP is accepted and what, if any, other exams or requirements must be satisfied for every state. Information about the latter is available on NASP's website.
Department of Occupational Therapy
Entry-Level Doctorate and Master’s Programs in Occupational Therapy
These programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). Completing degree students are eligible to sit for the National Board Certification in OT Examination (NBCOT). Once a student passes this exam, they are eligible to apply for licensure in the state to which they want to practice.
Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning
Master of Arts in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning & Master of Science in Environmental Policy and Planning programs
These two programs are accredited through the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB), which is associated with the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning. The PAB is the national accrediting body for the field of urban policy and planning. Accreditation is valid in all United States and Canada. According to the PAB website, its standards require a program to routinely provide reliable information to the public on its performance, specifically: student achievement as determined by the program; the cost for a full time student for one academic year; student retention and graduation rates, and number of degrees produced; the percentage of students who pass the AICP exam; and the employment rate of full time graduates at one year of graduation.