Professional accreditation is a means of testing and evaluating undergraduate educational programs and recognizing those that meet the required standards in preparing graduates for professional practice. Because its mandate is the provision of applied professional education, over the past decade the University has given priority to obtaining accreditation of its programs wherever applicable. As a result, accrediting bodies provide input to the development of curriculum in a number of Ryerson programs.
The Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science at Ryerson University currently offers seven accredited engineering programs. The baccalaureate degree programs in Aerospace, Chemical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Industrial, and Mechanical Engineering are accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board of the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers (CEAB). Like graduates from other accredited engineering programs, Ryerson students must acquire four years of relevant experience and successfully complete the professional practice and ethics examination of the Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO) before they can obtain a license. Access to graduate school is enhanced with the accreditation.
The Ryerson program in Architectural Science has been granted full accreditation by the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB).
In Canada, all provincial architecture associations recommend a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. The Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit Canadian Professional degree programs in architecture, recognizes two types of accredited degrees: The Bachelor of Architecture and the Master of Architecture. A program may be granted a six-year, three-year, or two-year term of accreditation, depending on its degree of conformance with established education standards.
In 2011, the Ted Rogers School of Business Management, the Ted Rogers School of Information Technology Management and the Ted Rogers School of Retail Management were accredited for a five year period by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) for both our undergraduate and masters programs. AACSB accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in business education and is based on a mission-based assessment of 20 criteria.
Master's degrees may consist of a pre-professional undergraduate degree and a professional graduate degree, which, when earned sequentially, comprise an accredited professional education in architecture. However, the Bachelor of Architectural Science, Ryerson’s pre-professional degree, is not, by itself, recognized as an accredited degree.
In December 2006, the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) renewed the full certification of the School of Health Services Management, originally granted September 2001. The Certification was unconditional and extends for a period of five years. The School of Health Services Management is the first Canadian undergraduate program to be formally recognized by the AUPHA.
In 2003, the Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management received accreditation from the Institute of Hospitality, an international organization that promotes the highest professional standards of management and education in the hospitality industry.
The School of Interior Design offers one of only two university degree programs in Canada accredited by (CIDA) Council for Interior Design Accreditation, the recognized accrediting body in North America for interior design schools. Accreditation of the four-year program ensures that the quality of education is maintained at a high level.
The Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing has maintained its accreditation status with the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing since 1993. Successful accreditation signifies that the School has achieved a recognized level of ‘excellence’ based on national standards.
The School of Nutrition offers a baccalaureate degree program in Nutrition and Food. The program is accredited by Dietitians of Canada (DC). Eligible graduates of DC accredited programs are required to complete a one-year internship or an accredited Master's degree prior to becoming members of a provincial college of dietitians.
The School of Occupational and Public Health has remained the leader in undergraduate education for Canadian public health since 1960. It continues to meet unconditionally all the requirements of the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors, the national body that approves such programs.
The School of Social Work’s baccalaureate degree program is accredited by the Canadian Association of Schools of Social Work. Graduates and students are eligible for membership in the Ontario Association of Social Workers. Graduates are eligible for membership in the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. Graduates are also eligible to apply to post-BSW, Master’s in Social Work programs across Canada. To receive membership in the Ontario College of Certified Social Workers, graduates must acquire two years of relevant work experience and successfully complete an examination. Graduates are eligible to apply to one-year, post-BSW, Master of Social Work programs across Canada.
The School of Urban and Regional Planning’s four- and two-year degree programs are one of only six undergraduate programs in Canada recognized by the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP). The accreditation means graduates have a shorter time frame required in becoming full members. The CIP is the recognized body for professional planners in Canada. These programs are also accredited by the Ontario Professional Planners Institute.
