As the oldest university in Oklahoma, established in 1890, the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) has acquired over 50 national rankings and awards of which UCO students and faculty can be proud.
Through the years, UCO has been listed highly in rankings such as:
- U.S. International University of the Year – Higher Education Review
- Top Regional Universities in the West – U.S. News and World Report
- #1 Jazz Ensemble Programs – Downbeat Magazine
- Top 3 Strongest Professional Master’s Degree in Engineering Physics – American Institute of Physics
- Top 10 Student Engagement Universities – Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education
- Top 20 Accredited Universities – Professional Golf Association
- Top 20 National Debate Tournament – Cross Examination Debate Association
The United States of America does not have a Ministry of Education. As a result, university standards are measured by accreditation agencies. Universities with more prestigious academic programs go through the process of having their quality certified by accrediting agencies which specialize in specific academic disciplines.
Besides verifying academic quality, why do accreditations matter for students?
1. Enhance your career and job prospects
Most employers around the world prefer students coming from universities with accredited programs. For example, an engineering firm might be more likely to hire a student from an ABET-accredited engineering program. (Read more about accreditations below).
2. Expand your educational prospects
Many graduate schools and doctoral programs prefer students coming from programs that have certain accreditations. And, if you are applying for a Ph.D. program, the doctoral program may be more likely to waive some of the foundational classes, reducing your cost and time to graduation.
In sum, making sure you go to a university like UCO with top-notch accreditations will put you on the best path to success. Here are a few notable examples of those types of specialized accreditations through which UCO is certified:
- ABET accreditation is commonly considered as the world’s highest and most prestigious accreditation for engineering.
- AACSB accreditation is the world’s highest and most prestigious accreditation for business, putting its members in the top 5% of universities which offer business degrees (AACSB, 2020).
- NASAD is the only accrediting agency in the USA which covers the entire field of art and design that is recognized by the United States Department of Education (NASAD, 2020).
- NASM is the only accrediting agency covering the entire field of music recognized by the United States Department of Education (NASM, 2020).
- CAEP is the national leader in accrediting education programs.
In addition to the prestigious accreditations mentioned above, UCO has over 25 professional accreditations. Read more about them on the UCO website: https://www.uco.edu/accreditations
References:
AACSB.“AACSB-Accredited Business Schools.” Best Business Schools, 2020, bestbizschools.aacsb.edu/aacsb-accredited.
NASAD. “NASAD Information.” NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF ART AND DESIGN, July 2020, nasad.arts-accredit.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2015/11/NASAD-INFORMATION.pdf.
NASM. “NASM Information.” NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF MUSIC, July 2020, nasm.arts-accredit.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/11/NASM-INFORMATION.pdf.
