Accreditation & Disclosures

MAY THE PROGRAM BE EARNED PRIMARILY ONLINE?  No

OTHER NOTES and LINKS:
The music therapy program at CSU is approved by the American Music Therapy Association. The acquisition of a music therapy degree at CSU, which includes completion of at least 1200 pre-internship (180-300) and internship (900 – 1020) clinical hours, and successful completion of the board exam will result in professional certification by the Certification Board for Music Therapists. Students who have a bachelor’s degree in music or a related field are permitted to take courses required by the American Music Therapy Association in order to sit for the board exam given by the Certification Board for Music Therapists. Successful completion of coursework, internship and a passing exam score result in professional certification. Several states require Music Therapy licensure; a passing board exam score meets all of those states’ licensure requirements. In other states, including South Carolina, a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC) may practice without completing a licensure process. The American Music Therapy Association provides additional information about music therapy program approval and state licensure, and the Certification Board for Music Therapists website is the repository for all information related to music therapy board certification.

MAY THE PROGRAM BE EARNED PRIMARILY ONLINE?  No

OTHER NOTES:
Within the program, students attending onsite will earn the Federal Aviation Administration Private Pilot certification, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot certification, Multi-Engine Rating, Remote Pilot Operator certification, and will have the opportunity to earn Certified Flight Instructor certification as well. Once graduated, students will have the opportunity to work as flight instructors until they can meet the FAA-required 1000 flight hours to become an airline pilot with a Restricted Airline Transport Pilot (R-ATP) certification.

Federal Aviation Administration-certified Pilot School (14 CFR 141) – Ground Only

PROGRAMS:
Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Middle Grades Education, Secondary Education, Music Education, and Physical Education

MAY THE PROGRAM BE EARNED PRIMARILY ONLINE?  No

OTHER NOTES:
The College of Education at Charleston Southern University operates within a unified conceptual framework to prepare candidates who are “called to serve as competent, caring educators committed to student success.” The conceptual framework guides all our undergraduate and graduate programs, syllabi, teaching, service, scholarship, assessment, and unit accountability. Collaboratively developed both institutionally and within the College of Education’s greater educational community, the framework constitutes what we believe to be a highly qualified professional who will contribute positively and productively to programs and practices that are in the best interest of students and the broader community. Three major standards across all programs comprise the conceptual framework and support the unit’s programs and actions. These standards assessed by specific performance indicators are aligned to the standards of professional organizations (INTASC, CAEP); state curriculum standards, Expanded ADEPT Support and Evaluation System (Expanded ADEPT SES); and the unit’s vision and mission as outlined in the CSU College of Education Undergraduate Handbook. All programs are recognized or accredited by their respective specialty association (ACEI, AMILE, NAEYC, NCTE, NCTM, NCSS, NCST, and SHAPE).  The College of Education at Charleston Southern University is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Candidates can only be recommended for a teaching license if they have met all requirements previously outlined in their official programs of study and passed the required licensing examinations.  It takes approximately eight weeks for the teaching license to be processed.

Completion of an approved program and passing the required licensing examinations does not automatically ensure recommendation for licensure by the Dean of the College of Education.  Although completion of an approved program of study will usually result in recommendation, it may in fact be withheld as a result of failure to satisfactorily complete requirements and activities described by the faculty, unsatisfactory performance during any field experience or Clinical Practice, or the candidate’s failure to modify behaviors that are considered to be impediments to successful teaching. Candidates are reminded of the CSU Code of Conduct and policies and procedures related to being a responsible member of the community.

For candidates seeking licensure in states other than South Carolina, CSU can only recommend licensure to the South Carolina Department of Education.  Thus, it is recommended that program completers obtain a South Carolina teaching certificate first.  Many states have reciprocal agreements with South Carolina that allow individuals who hold a South Carolina teaching certificate to receive initial licensure in those states.

MAY THE PROGRAM BE EARNED PRIMARILY ONLINE?  No. The accelerated BSN program does have many online didactic classes, but clinical courses are completed locally and there are numerous other face-to-face requirements.

The baccalaureate and master’s nursing programs at Charleston Southern University at the Charleston campus located in Charleston, South Carolina are accredited by the:

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)

3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, Georgia 30326
(404) 975-5000

The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the baccalaureate nursing program is Continuing Accreditation. The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the master’s nursing program is Continuing Accreditation.

The baccalaureate nursing program has Full Approval of the South Carolina Board of Nursing. Information regarding the program is provided to the Board of Nursing. The phone number is 803-896-4550. The program is nationally accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC). Information regarding the program is provided to the NLNAC and is available from that organization at 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850 Atlanta, GA 30326. The phone number is 404-975-5000.

MAY THE PROGRAM BE EARNED PRIMARILY ONLINE?  No

OTHER NOTES:

Effective April 26, 2022, Charleston Southern University has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education(3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org). If needing to contact the program directly, please call 843-863-7186 or email jtankersley@csuniv.edu.

Candidate for Accreditation is an accreditation status of affiliation with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education that indicates the program may matriculate students in professional courses. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status does not assure that the program will be granted Initial Accreditation.

Candidacy is considered to be an accredited status, as such the credits and degree earned from a program with Candidacy status are considered, by CAPTE, to be from an accredited program. Therefore, students in the charter (first) class should be eligible to take the licensure exam even if CAPTE withholds accreditation at the end of the candidacy period. That said, it is up to each state licensing agency, not CAPTE, to determine who is eligible for licensure. Information on licensing requirements should be directed to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT; www.fsbpt.org) or specific state boards (a list of state boards and contact information is available on FSBPT’s website.

The Master of Athletic Training degree program at CSU is full residential professional program and cannot be completed as an online program.

The Charleston Southern University Master of Athletic Training Program is a Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) accredited program. The program is currently accredited through 2027-2028.

A student must complete a CAATE accredited program in order to be eligible to sit for the Board of Certification, Inc. Exam for Athletic Trainers. This certification allows individuals to practice nationally as an athletic trainer. Regulation of the athletic training profession varies from state to state but at minimum an individual has to be nationally certified. Students are responsible for investigating the specific requirements of the state in which they are planning to practice following graduation.

MAY THE PROGRAM BE EARNED PRIMARILY ONLINE?  Yes

OTHER NOTES:
The College of Education at Charleston Southern University operates within a unified conceptual framework to prepare candidates who are “called to serve as competent, caring educators committed to student success.” The conceptual framework guides all our undergraduate and graduate programs, syllabi, teaching, service, scholarship, assessment, and unit accountability. Collaboratively developed both institutionally and within the College of Education’s greater educational community, the framework constitutes what we believe to be a highly qualified professional who will contribute positively and productively to programs and practices that are in the best interest of students and the broader community. Three major standards across all programs comprise the conceptual framework and support the unit’s programs and actions. These standards assessed by specific performance indicators are aligned to the standards of professional organizations (INTASC, CAEP, NBPTS, ELCC, ACEI); state curriculum standards, Expanded ADEPT Support and Evaluation System (Expanded ADEPT SES); and the unit’s vision and mission as outlined in the CSU College of Education Master of Education Handbook. The program is approved by the South Carolina State Board of Education. The programs are recognized by ELCC. The College of Education at Charleston Southern University is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Candidates can only be recommended for a teaching license if they have met all requirements previously outlined in their official programs of study and passed the required licensing examinations.  It takes approximately eight weeks for the teaching license to be processed.

Completion of an approved program and passing the required licensing examinations does not automatically ensure recommendation for licensure by the Dean of the College of Education.  Although completion of an approved program of study will usually result in recommendation, it may in fact be withheld as a result of failure to satisfactorily complete requirements and activities described by the faculty, unsatisfactory performance during their internship or the candidate’s failure to modify behaviors that are considered to be impediments to successful teaching. Candidates are reminded of the CSU Code of Conduct and policies and procedures related to being a responsible member of the community.

For candidates seeking licensure in states other than South Carolina, CSU can only recommend licensure to the South Carolina Department of Education.  Thus, it is recommended that program completers obtain a South Carolina teaching certificate first.  Many states have reciprocal agreements with South Carolina that allow individuals who hold a South Carolina teaching certificate to receive initial licensure in those states.

MAY THE PROGRAM BE EARNED PRIMARILY ONLINE?  No.

OTHER NOTES:
The Charleston Southern University Physician Assistant Program is an Accreditation Review Commission on Education (ARC-PA) Accredited program.

All 50 states require graduation from an ARC-PA accredited program and National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) certification following successful completion of the Physician Assistant National Certification Exam (PANCE) as conditions for initial PA licensure.  Successful completion of the CSU PA Program affords our PA graduates the opportunity to sit for the PANCE.

Successfully passing the NCCPA PANCE exam meets all 50 state licensure requirements.  Additional licensure information for each state may be found on the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) website: https://www.aapa.org/download/19739/.

Students are responsible for investigating the specific requirements of the state in which they are planning to practice following graduation. 

MAY THE PROGRAM BE EARNED PRIMARILY ONLINE?  Yes.

The MSCC program has the option of in-person or synchronous/virtual attendance.  The program of study prepares graduates to sit for professional counselor exams in clinical mental health counseling and leads to state licensure as professional counselors.

The MSCC program prepares students to sit for the National Counselor Exam and the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination. In SC, either exam is accepted for licensure; most other states also require one (or both) of these exams for licensure, which is specified within professional licensure requirements for each individual state. See https://nbcc.org/search/stateboarddirectory for information about specific states for each exam.

The MSCC is in the accreditation process with the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) – https://www.cacrep.org/program/auto-draft-75/.

Provisional counseling licensure in SC, and most other states, takes at least 2 years to complete. Once full licensure is attained in a Counseling Compact state such as SC, the Counseling Compact will allow licensed counselors to obtain counseling privileges in other Counseling Compact states, starting in 2025. See a map of participating states – https://prod761aul1.wpenginepowered.com/map/.

MAY THE PROGRAM BE EARNED PRIMARILY ONLINE?  Yes.

The MSN program is for those who are already licensed RNs.  The program of study prepares graduates to sit for certification exams in nursing education and nursing leadership, but not additional licensure as an advanced practice nurse. Certification is not a requirement for completion of the MSN program.

MSN/Post-Master’s Certificate

The master’s/post-master’s certificate nursing program at Charleston Southern University at the Charleston campus located in Charleston, South Carolina is accredited by the:

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)

3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, Georgia 30326
(404) 975-5000

The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the master’s/post-master’s certificate nursing program is Continuing Accreditation.