Accreditation Status

For a list of programs with Candidacy Status or Accreditation Status, click here

Programs with accreditation status have demonstrated compliance with the OTA & PTA EAP Accreditation Standards.

Obtaining and Maintaining Accreditation Status

The required steps towards obtaining and maintaining accreditation status are outlined in the Program Accreditation Handbook. Accredited education programs have first been awarded Candidacy Status, and have then completed a full accreditation review, including an onsite peer review team visit. Accreditation status is awarded for a period of six years and maintenance of accreditation status requires:

1. submission of Progress Reports as required in the AR & SR
2. submission of an annual accreditation report (online survey)
3. payment of an annual fee (GUIDE-03-Fee Schedule)
4. reporting of any substantive change in an education program which may affect compliance (ACC-07 Substantive Change)
5. publication of accreditation status using required text (ACC-09 Disclosure)

Clarification to Compliance Terminology

Two years ago, we introduced new terminology to describe strength of compliance with each criteria in the Accreditation Standards. The terms Issue, Weakness and Deficiency were replaced with Partially Met or Not Met. Since then, feedback has been overwhelmingly positive that this terminology is clearer for Programs, Peer Review Teams, and members of the Joint Accreditation Committee (JAC).

Effective November 30, 2019, the new terminology will be used for all progress and accreditation reviews. After their next review, the report received by programs from the OTA & PTA EAP will reflect the new compliance language (each criterion will be Met, Partially Met, or Not Met).

Please rest assured that there will be no change to a program’s accreditation status based on this change. The only level of compliance that impacts overall accreditation status is criterion Not Met (Deficiency). The terminology has been changed but there is no change in the definition of this level of compliance.

Click here to read our May 2019 memo: Integration of New Criterion Compliance Language