Governing Body

• The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) possesses the power of accreditation for all colleges and universities in 11 states in the southern portion of the United States, including Florida. Improving education through the establishment and enforcement of standards designed to meet the needs of the general public and students remains its goal. All colleges and universities in the state of Florida that award associate, bachelor, master or doctoral degrees must satisfy the standards of SACSCOC.
  
  

Application

• For a college or university in Florida seeking accreditation by SACSCOC, the process begins with a pre-applicant workshop with representatives of the school attending a one-day event to receive information and guidance prior to submitting an application. This process is for new schools or a new branch of an accredited school seeking separate accreditation. The next step involves submission of the application. According to SACSCOC, the time to prepare a successful application can be anywhere from several months to one year. If the application appears to have merit, a candidacy committee visit is authorized. That committee visits the school and then submits a report to SACSCOC. Upon approval, the school receives candidacy status for four years and an accreditation committee visit takes place during that time. A successful visit and report results in accreditation for the school.
  
  

Standards

• All schools in Florida must comply with the standards set out by SACSCOC for initial accreditation and continuing accreditation. These standards, entitled "Principles of Accreditation: Foundation for Quality Enhancement," are reviewed and modified on almost a yearly basis with the latest edition issued in 2010.
  
  

Specialized Schools

• Certain schools or colleges in Florida must meet the standards of different organizations. An example would be law schools. According to the American Bar Association (ABA), in 2011, the state of Florida contains 11 approved law schools that meet the ABA's standards. Another example involves colleges of medicine that require approval from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). As of 2011, the LCME lists 6 medical schools in Florida with LCME approval, including two with preliminary accreditation: Florida International University and the University of Central Florida.