What is Specialized Accreditation?

COSMA reviews sport managements programs and evaluates how well the program educates students and prepares them for a career in the sport management industry.
 
When programs are reviewed by COSMA, the focus is at the program-level - on its faculty, curriculum, linkages to business and industry, and more. It is the degree-specific program that holds accreditation, not the department or college in which it is housed. Eligibility for COSMA includes having institutional accreditation, so the institutional issues such as financial viability and resources are addressed.

Accredited programs

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WHY Accreditation MATTERS - CHEA REcognition

The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) outlines Ten Ways in Which Accreditation Serves Students, Society, and the Public Interest. CHEA has also created an "Accreditation Tool Kit" for students, faculty, administrators, governing boards, etc. to find resources about accreditation easily

​Need help talking about accreditation? See CHEA's "The Value of Accreditation," "Communicating About Your School's Accreditation," and Accreditation Videos about accreditation, types of accreditation, and President & Chancellor perspectives.

institutional & programmatic accreditation

In the United States, there are two types of accreditation - institutional and specialized. Institutional accreditation looks at the entire institution. Specialized accreditation, such as COSMA, looks at a particular type of professional program at an accredited institution.
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This video by the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA) explains the differences between institutional and programmatic accreditation in further detail.

• Accreditation Principles and Self-Study Preparation Manual (2024)​
• Link to Templates, Forms & Examples
• Accreditation Process Manual
• Site Visit Preparation Manual
• Site Reviewer Resource Guide​

accreditation training

Step 1: program membership

step 2: candidacy status

step 3: writing the self-study

Step 4: hosting a site visit

step 5: accreditation decision

annual report