Accreditation Status

Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE)

The Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) recently voted the program’s classification of “Accredited” be continued. The classification “Accredited” indicates that the program generally meets the ACOE standards for accreditation. This classification indicates that the program has no deficiencies or weaknesses that compromise the educational effectiveness of the total program. The Council finds the program to be in compliance with all of the ACOE standards. The next scheduled evaluation visit to the professional optometric degree program at the Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry is in March 2030.

Information on the ACOE’s standards of accreditation and accrediting procedures may be found on the ACOE web page. Information on the various states’ licensure requirements may be accessed from the web site of the Association of Regulatory Boards in Optometry.

Any inquiries, concerns or requests for information may be sent to accredit@theacoe.org.

Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)

Western University of Health Sciences is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). When a university that is already accredited by WASC makes what is called a “substantive” change to its program, it is required to obtain prior approval. The “substantive change” process is designed to ensure the consistency of quality across all institutional operations.