Information from APA OPCA Regarding "Accredited, Inactive" Status

The following message is posted at the request of Dr. Jacquie Wall, Director of the APA Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation:

The APA Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation (OPCA) has learned that questions have arisen about whether doctoral programs that are “accredited, inactive” hold an accredited status, and, also about what the term, teach-out in a program’s title may mean. Doctoral programs that hold an accredited, inactive status are accredited programs and typically are those that have decided to phase out and close and are no longer accepting students. A teach-out refers to a written plan that allows an institution to enroll students from a closed institution into equivalent programs so students can complete their course of study.

Programs that applied to offer teach-out instruction for students enrolled at Argosy University programs were reviewed by the Commission on Accreditation and awarded accredited, inactive status. These programs have accepted students from the accredited Clinical PsyD programs taught at Argosy University; these are the only students eligible for enrollment in the teach-out programs. Like other accredited doctoral degree programs, those that are inactive and those that are providing a teach-out are required to operate in accord with accreditation standards during the time when the teach-out is ongoing (e.g., students are enrolled to complete their doctorate degree).

Additional information describing transfer and teach-out programs is available on the APA website.  The list of programs holding accredited, inactive teach-out status is available on the OPCA website in the Notice of Actions and in the online program directory. If there are questions about the accreditation status of any program, the OPCA is available to provide verification. Also, feel free to contact the office at 202.336.5979 to address questions about this matter or other accreditation issues.

Jacquie Wall, PhD, HSPP
Director, Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association