St. Petersburg College Accreditation

ACCREDITED BY THE SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS COMMISSION ON COLLEGES (SACSCOC)

St. Petersburg College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)  to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. St. Petersburg College also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of St. Petersburg College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

SPC's Offices of Institutional Effectiveness and Institutional Research (IE & IR) provide information and analytical support to college-wide internal decision-making, external accountability, strategic planning, and ongoing continuous institutional improvement. Through collaborative leadership, these offices support a broad range of planning, research and assessment activities, including those that support student learning outcomes assessment, department/program review, as well as institutional and programmatic accreditation.

Student Achievement Information

St. Petersburg College provides student achievement data online to ensure transparency and accountability by publicly displaying key student performance indicators, including persistence, retention, completion, transfer, job placement, and licensure passage rates. This data is made easily accessible to help students, prospective students, and stakeholders make informed decisions about educational and career outcomes. By providing clear and reliable performance metrics, the College demonstrates its commitment to continuous improvement and institutional effectiveness.

Why accreditation matters

SACSCOC accreditation means an institution is dedicated to providing quality higher education and ongoing improvement through planning, assessment, and quality enhancement.

• Credits from accredited institutions are transferable to and from other accredited institutions,  ensuring students receive a credible, top-quality education.
• Only accredited institutions are permitted to award federal financial aid to students.
• By law, an A.A. degree from SPC grants you admission as a junior to one of the state's public universities.

In addition, the following programs are accredited or approved by state or national organizations. The last accreditation year indicates the most recent accreditation or approval decision following the completion of a self-study.

Bachelor's degree programs

+The Florida Dept. of Education grants approval to individual programs within the College of Education, which currently consists of five active B.S. programs. These programs include Elementary Education; Exceptional Student Education; Prekindergarten Primary Education; Secondary English Education with Reading and ESOL; and Secondary Math Education.

*The American Bar Association evaluates the A.S. degree, B.A.S. degree, and the post-baccalaureate certificate during a single visit. This agency "approves" programs but does not "accredit."

Associate in Science programs

+  The Funeral Services program at St. Petersburg college is accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE) 992 Mantua Pike, Suite 108, Woodburry Heights, NJ 08097 (816) 233-3747. Web:  www.abfse.org

*Ongoing accreditation with yearly completion of Annual Program Assessment Report

The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at St. Petersburg College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: www.capteonline.org.  

Lower-Division Certificate programs

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate programs

+ The Florida Dept. of Education grants approval to individual programs within the College of Education, which currently consists of two active Post-Baccalaureate Certificate programs. These programs include Educator Preparation Institute and Educator Preparation Institute with Reading.
¹Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education  (USDE)
²Recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
³Recognized by the Association for Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA)