CSWE accreditation is a rigorous peer-review process that can only be accomplished with the help of our dedicated volunteers. There are three types of accreditation volunteers: Board of Accreditation Members, Site Visitors, and Fellowship Review Committee Members.
Board of Accreditation Members:
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA) is the accrediting body for social work education. BOA members are full- or part-time social work faculty members at CSWE-accredited social work programs with site visitor experience.
As the accreditor, the BOA is responsible for both formulating accreditation standards and determining the criteria and process for evaluating these standards. In addition, BOA members conduct candidacy visits for baccalaureate and master’s programs seeking initial accreditation.
Site Visitors:
Site visitors conduct visits to baccalaureate and master’s programs seeking reaffirmation. Site visitors are full- or part-time social work faculty members at a CSWE-accredited or candidate social work programs.
Site visitors operate under the authority of the CSWE-BOA and visit accredited social work programs to gather information related to the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) based on questions provided by the BOA.
Fellowship Review Committee Members:
The Fellowship Review Committee (FRC) serves as the primary review body for post-master’s social work fellowship programs seeking initial or continued accreditation and is responsible for making accreditation decision recommendations to the BOA. The BOA considers FRC recommendations and ratifies accreditation decisions.
As post-master’s social work fellowship programs are practice-based and not degree programs at universities or colleges, the FRC is comprised of social work educators and practitioners which ensures a peer-review based accreditation process for these practice-based programs.