Questions frequently asked about Accreditation
Questions. Answers.
What courses or programs are eligible to be reviewed for accreditation?
PACC accepts requests for an accreditation evaluation of programs and individual courses offered by degree or diploma granting institutions with verifiable and recognized governmental, national, or regional authority to confer degrees or diplomas.
PACC may consider the review of programs and individual courses offered by private companies and organizations.
Applicants must provide sufficiently detailed information about the course/program, instruction, instructors, admission policies, entrance requirements and prerequisites, learning outcomes, entrance enticements/incentives offered to attract students, and other criteria as PACC reviewers may request.
Does PACC accredit fully online programs?
Yes, as long as courses are delivered through synchronous instruction in traditional classroom face-to-face instruction or through remote synchronous instruction that includes real-time faculty-to-student and student-to-student interaction.
Does institutional assessment satisfy the PACC assessment requirements?
Institutional or organizational assessment will likely not satisfy the PACC assessment requirements, although some elements of plans, activities, measures, and results may be considered during the assessment process.
Each course and program to be assessed must have a written plan and defined learning outcomes; obtain input from graduates and employers as part of the assessment process; and prepare a periodic written assessment report that synthesizes and analyzes assessment findings demonstrating how the program is meeting its stated goals and objectives.
How often must the provider gather information on employment and/or educational status of graduates?
The information about employment and/or educational status of graduates must be gathered and provided at least once within six months of student graduation. Failure to do so may result in withdrawal of accreditation being suspended or cancelled.
Once a program/course provider is ready for a site visit, how soon will the visit take place?
Scheduling a site visit depends upon several factors including the number of visits currently waiting to be scheduled in the PACC queue and the availability of volunteers. All site visitors are volunteers. They often are employed full time in the data protection profession or in adjacent fields, which limits their availability. The PACC Site Visit Coordinator will work to match the program’s availability for a Site Visit with volunteers’ availability. It is not unusual for it to take 3-6 months to coordinate and host the visit once the PACC deems the program is ready for a visit.
Who covers the costs associated with an on-site visit?
The applicant bears the cost of travel, meals, and lodging for the on-site-visit team. Prepayment of estimated transportation and lodging costs, must be made by direct payment before the site visit. Additional expenses incurred by PACC site visit personnel must be reimbursed. Applicants that fail to prepay expenses, or fail to reimburse expenses within 10 days of invoice are subject to sanctions, including denial or withdrawal of approval. Virtual site visits typically have no associated expenses to reimburse.
Are conferences, seminars, and workshops eligible for accreditation?
Conferences, seminars, and workshops may be recognized for Continuing Professional Development credits applicable to PACC Professional Certification.
To find out if a course, program, or event qualifies for CPD credit, or to request that one be approved for CPD credit, ***********@*******ap.ca” data-type=”URL” data-id=”malto:ce***********@*******ap.ca“>contact us for a determination.
How long are accreditations valid?
Accreditation of approved courses and programs must be renewed annually. The validity date appears on a certificate issued that reflects the course or program that has been accredited.
How can I tell if a course or program has been accredited by PACC?
To verify if a course or program has been recognized by PACC, and if accreditation is valid, contact us. PACC can confirm if a course or program has been accredited, and the validity period for that accreditation.
