Council on Occupational Education (COE)
The Council on Occupational Education (COE) was first established in 1971 as part of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. It was first known as the Commission on Occupational Education Institutions (COEI). It is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a reliable accrediting authority for post-secondary institutions that offer both non-degree and associate degree programs in specific career fields, including those offered as distance learning programs. Its scope includes private career colleges, public technical colleges, Job Corps Centers, and military institutions.
Mission of the COEAs part of its defined mission, the Council has five specific goals. Briefly summarized, these goals include: offering assurance of educational quality to the public; guiding institutions through a process of continual improvement; promoting high standards (both ethical and educational); enhancing public understanding of the value of career education; and making sure that accreditation validates achievement.
Fundamentally, the Council aims to validate and promote the skills and credentials offered by its member institutions. The portability of credentials, job placement of graduates, relationships between member institutions and business leaders, and the place of occupational education in the global economy are all key issues.
Accreditation ProcessIn order to become accredited by the Council, institutions must meet basic eligibility requirements, engage in an intensive self-study process, and be evaluated by an accreditation team through a site visit. This process encourages one of the Council's main priorities, the goal of continuous institutional self-improvement. Accreditation not only represents a measure of educational quality for the general public; it is also a means for institutions to assess their own offerings.
Article Resources
Council on Occupational EducationThe U.S. Department of Education
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