Accreditation

Loras College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an independent corporation founded in 1895 as one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. HLC accredits degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions in a 19-state region of the United States.

Higher Learning Commission 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500 Chicago, IL 60604 info@hlcommission.org 800.621.7440

A number of specific academic programs are accredited through external professional organizations. The undergraduate teacher education Program is accredited by the Iowa Department of Education, as is the MA program in school counseling. The Council on Social Work Education has accredited the social work major at the baccalaureate level. The Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) has accredited the master of athletic training program and the engineering program is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

Program Accreditation and Licensure Information:

Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education
6850 Austin Center Blvd., Suite 100
Austin, TX 78731-3184
512-733-9700
caate.net

 

ABET
415 North Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
410.347.7700
abet.org

 

Council on Social Work Education
1701 Duke Street, Suite 200
Alexandria, VA 22314-3457
703.683.8080
info@cswe.org | cswe.org

 

Iowa Department of Education
400 E. 14th Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0146
515.281.5294
educateiowa.gov 

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State Professional Licensure and Certification Board Information:

 

Federal regulations (34 CFR 668.43) require institutions of higher education to disclose if an educational program fulfills the educational requirements for professional licensure or certification for a specific occupation in a state.  The programs at Loras that require professional licensure or certification include: accounting, alcohol and drug counseling, athletic training, counseling, education, school counseling, and social work.  If you are seeking licensure information on any of these programs, individual state links can be found on this webpage.  Information regarding Certified Financial Planning is not required by the Department of Education as the Certified Financial Planner Board regulates the requirements to become a Certified Financial Planner.

 

Information on licensure or certification can also be found at the websites:

 

National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements  (NC-SARA)
https://www.nc-sara.org/professional-licensure-directory.

 

United States Department of Education
https://sites.ed.gov/international/professional-licensure/#LIP

 

Information on this website is updated annually as state licensure webpages and information change regularly. For questions related to state licensure requirements, please contact the program director or the Director of Graduate and Continuing Education Programs.

 

Accounting

Loras College’s Accounting program allows students to complete the 150-hour requirement for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam. Students are encouraged to the work with the Loras College accounting faculty to ensure that they are eligible for the exam if they are interested in becoming a CPA. Students in the Loras College accounting program are eligible to become in all 50 states if they meet additional residency and ethics requirements. Individual state licensure information can be found through the state links below.

Alcohol & Drug Abuse

Loras College’s Alcohol & Drug Counseling Certification Education program meets the educational requirements to be eligible to become a certified alcohol and drug counselor in Iowa. Alcohol and drug counseling certification varies by state. Loras College is unable to determine if the alcohol and drug counseling certification education program meets the requirements for a similar certification in all other states. The links for all states and territories are found here.

Athletic Training

The Loras Master of Athletic Training Program is a CAATE accredited program in good standing, which meets the educational requirements for students to sit for the national Board of Certification (BOC) examination upon program completion. Passing the BOC exam then allows students to become eligible for state licensure, registration, or certification within the United States. Currently, 49 states and the District of Columbia regulate the practice of athletic training. Individuals must be legally recognized by the appropriate state regulatory agency prior to practicing athletic training. The BOC exam is recognized by all Athletic Trainer state regulatory agencies to meet their exam requirement. Compliance with state regulatory requirements is mandatory and the only avenue to legal athletic training practice.

Counseling

Loras College’s Counseling program meets the educational requirements to allow students to become mental health counselors in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, with their specific state titles. If an applicant or student is interested in becoming licensed in another state, they should work with the Program Director individually to determine if they are eligible for licensure in that state.

Education

Loras Teacher Education Programs are aligned with the State of Iowa teacher licensure requirements; the College’s authority to recommend candidates for an initial Iowa teaching license and/or additional endorsements is maintained through program approval issued by the Iowa Department of Education. As most states offer reciprocity for Iowa license holders, students who plan to seek teacher licensure in another state after earning their initial Iowa teaching license should contact the teacher licensing authority in the prospective state to determine current licensure and testing requirements for an out-of-state candidate. Our graduates regularly seek employment and obtain licensure in other states. As of June 2021, California requires a basic skills test and within five years an additional English learner authorization, Illinois offers full reciprocity with Iowa license holders, and Wisconsin, for some licensure levels/grades, an additional reading test is required. Training in Minority Group Relations – WI American Indian Bands and Tribes may also be required, and can be completed through workshops/courses taken in the first year of employment.

School Counseling

Loras College’s School Counseling program meets the educational requirements to allow students to become school counselors in Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, with Wisconsin requiring an additional Praxis exam. Students claiming any other state as their home state need to identify that state’s educational requirements to become a school counselor as Loras College is unable to determine if the educational requirements meet licensure in other states. For example, California requires post-bachelor’s degree study consisting of 48 credits. The Loras College School Counseling program is 39 credits. Graduates of the School Counseling program have been from Iowa, Wisconsin, New York, California, Florida, Minnesota, and Illinois. The Program Director works individually with each student throughout the program to ensure that the student is eligible for licensure in another state.

Social Work

The Loras Social Work Bachelor’s Program mission is to provide a supportive learning community that graduates competent, ethical, value-based, generalist social work practitioners who critically use their liberal arts background in service to others. Working with and in partnering agencies, students, grounded in empowerment, actively learn knowledge values and skills, reflect upon those through opportunities in and outside the classroom, adopt and adhere to ethical approaches with diverse populations, and contribute responsibly to an ever growing and changing world. The Social Work Program is an accredited program by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) every 7 years. The Social Work program allows individuals to become licensed in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Individual state licensure information can be found through the state links below.