Framingham State University is excited to announce that its teacher preparation and art and design programs earned national accreditation this year.

“This is a huge accomplishment and well-deserved recognition,” says FSU President F. Javier Cevallos. “National Accreditation distinguishes our programs as being among the best in the country. I’m so thankful to the faculty, staff and students who helped us earn this great achievement.”

The University’s teacher preparation programs are accredited through the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The organization examines every aspect of the department in order to ensure all standards are met.

“Every single initial license program we offer here, 11 undergraduate, 11 post-baccalaureate, and four graduate – has a different set of standards which must be met,” says Dr. Julie Zoino-Jeannetti, chair of the Education Department. “The seven graduate programs leading to the professional license also have to meet standards at the advanced level. After each program is reviewed, the teacher education unit as a whole undergoes a rigorous review and three-day site visit to meet the overall accreditation standards in terms of processes, procedures and policies. It’s quite an extensive process involving all departments and entities who are in any way part of preparing teachers, including our partners in the public schools. This national accreditation is in addition to our successful Massachusetts state program approval, which we had previously undergone in 2011.”

FSU’s art and design programs have been nationally accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), joining just 12 other colleges in the state to earn such a distinction.

“This is something we have been working on for over four years,” says Professor Brian Bishop, chair of the Art and Music Department. “It’s a very intensive process involving a comprehensive self-study. They look at our student work, our faculty and our facilities to ensure we meet all of the standards for accreditation.”

The accreditation covers art and design programs from multiple departments on campus, including Interactive Visual Media (Communication Arts Department), Apparel Design (Fashion Design and Retailing Department) and all the Studio Art and Art History programs (Art and Music Department).