Accreditation

Accreditation is a system for recognizing educational institutions and professional programs affiliated with those institutions for a level of performance, integrity, and quality which entitles them to the confidence of the educational community and the public they serve. The Planning Accreditation Board (PAB) is the accrediting body that establish criteria for accreditation, arrange site visits, evaluate those institutions and professional programs which desire accredited status, and publicly designate those which meet their criteria.

The educational institutions and professional programs must then prepare an extensive self-study report to be submitted to the PAB. The self-study report must contain and address all required sections detailed by the PAB. A site visit team is sent to the institution to review and assess the program and submits their report to the PAB. The PAB then conducts a review of the self-study report and the site visit team's report and decides whether to grant accreditation or not.

The planning accreditation program is a cooperative undertaking sponsored jointly by three organizations:  the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP), and the American Planning Association (APA).

East Carolina University's Bachelor of Science degree in Urban and Regional Planning was accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board effective January 1, 2003.