Accreditation
MERCY COLLEGE ACCREDITATION
WHY IT MATTERS
Accreditation is one of the most important factors you should consider when looking at colleges. Accreditation ensures that institutions meet the quality and rigorous standards that are expected by students and employers.
MERCY COLLEGE
ACCREDITATION
Mercy College of Health Sciences is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
ACCREDITED BY THE HIGHER LEARNING COMMISSION (HLC)
Higher Learning Commission
230 S LaSalle St #7-500
Chicago, IL 60604
Phone: (800) 621-7440
www.hlcommission.org
DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL SONOGRAPHY – DMS
The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program at Mercy College of Health Sciences is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography.
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
9355 – 113th St. N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
Phone: (727) 210-2350
www.caahep.org
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES – EMS
Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Educational Programs (CAAHEP)
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
9355 – 113th St. N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
Phone: (727) 210-2350
www.caahep.org
MEDICAL ASSISTING – MA
The Mercy College of Health Sciences Medical Assistant program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB, www.maerb.org).
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
9355 – 113th St. N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
Phone: (727) 210-2350
www.caahep.org
Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB)
2339 N California Ave. #47138
Chicago, IL 60647.
www.maerb.org
MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE – MLS
Accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)
National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
5600 N River Rd Suite 720
Rosemont, IL 60018-5119
Phone: (773) 714-8880
E-Mail: info@naacls.org
www.naacls.org
ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE IN NURSING – ASN
Accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
3390 Peachtree Rd NE Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA 30326
Phone: (404) 975-5000
www.acenursing.org
Approved by the Iowa Board of Nursing (IBON)
Iowa Board of Nursing
400 SW 8th St, Suite B
Des Moines, IA 50309
Phone: (515) 281-3255
www.nursing.iowa.gov
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING – BSN
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Mercy College of Health Sciences is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org)
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
655 K Street, NW, Suite 750
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 887-6791
www.ccneaccreditation.org
Approved by the Iowa Board of Nursing (IBON)
Iowa Board of Nursing
400 SW 8th St, Suite B
Des Moines, IA 50309
Phone: (515) 281-3255
www.nursing.iowa.gov
Master of Science in Nursing – MSN
The master’s degree program in nursing at Mercy College of Health Sciences is pursuing initial accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org). Applying for accreditation does not guarantee that accreditation will be granted.
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
655 K Street, NW, Suite 750
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 887-6791
www.ccneaccreditation.org
At the January 20, 2021 board meeting, the Iowa Board of Nursing approved the application for interim approval for the Master of Science in Nursing: Organizational and Systems Leadership Program, submitted by Mercy College of Health Sciences.
As of January 15, 2025, the Iowa Board of Nursing approved the application for interim approval for the Master of Science in Nursing in Education Program, submitted by Mercy College of Health Sciences.
Iowa Board of Nursing
400 SW 8th St, Suite B
Des Moines, IA 50309
Phone: (515) 281-3255
www.nursing.iowa.gov
PARAMEDIC
The Emergency Medical Services program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. (www.caahep.org) upon recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP).
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
9355 – 113th St. N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
Phone: (727) 210-2350
www.caahep.org
To contact CoAEMSP:
8301 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 111-312
Rowlett, TX 75088
Phone: 214.703.8445
Fax: 214.703.8992 www.coeemsp.org
PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT – PTA
Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)
Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100,
Alexandria, VA 22305-3085
Phone: (703) 706-3245
E-Mail: accreditation@apta.org
www.capteonline.org
RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY – RT
Accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)
Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology
20 N Wacker Dr, Suite 2850
Chicago, IL 60606-3182
Phone: (312) 704-5300
E-Mail: mail@jrcert.org
www.jrcert.org
MERCY COLLEGE TRAINING CENTER
Accredited by the American Heart Association
American Heart Association
7272 Greenville Ave
Dallas, TX 75231
www.heart.org
STATE AUTHORIZATION RECIPROCITY AGREEMENT (SARA)
If a student will be located outside the state of Iowa while enrolled and taking classes at Mercy College, the College must be authorized to deliver the education by the state in which the student will be located.
Mercy College complies with the authorization requirement as a participant under the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), an agreement among member states that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance education courses and programs. SARA is overseen by a National Council and administered by regional education compacts. The regional compact of which the state of Iowa is a member is the Midwest Higher Education Compact. The state of Iowa became a member of SARA on June 1, 2015 and assigned administrative responsibility for the program to the Bureau of Iowa College Aid which may be contacted at:
Bureau of Iowa College Aid, Iowa Department of Education
400 E. 14th St., Des Moines, IA 50319-0416
877-272-4456
Iowa Department of Education website: https://educate.iowa.gov/
Student Complaints Webpage – https://educate.iowa.gov/higher-ed/student-complaints
Students may contact the Bureau to make an inquiry about Mercy College or to file a complaint. Not all states are members of SARA; membership and school participation may change. If you are located in a state other than Iowa and wish to enroll in one of our online offerings, please contact us before enrolling to determine if we are able to offer online courses in your state. Email your inquiry to admissions@mchs.edu or call (515) 635-1133.
PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE & CERTIFICATION DISCLOSURES FOR ONLINE PROGRAMS
If you live outside Iowa and are considering enrolling in an online program that leads to a professional license, we encourage you contact the appropriate state licensing agency in your state, or the state where you intend to work, to seek the most up-to-date information about state licensure requirements before enrolling at Mercy College of Health Sciences. Separate from educational requirements, state licensure boards may require applicants to complete a set number of hours in various settings, professional examinations, background checks, years of professional experience, etc. Mercy College has not determined whether any of our programs meet the educational requirements for licensure of certification for any state other than Iowa. Please reference the State Professional Licensure List on our consumer information page for more details.
PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE & CERTIFICATION DISCLOSURES FOR ON-CAMPUS PROGRAMS
Mercy College of Health Sciences academic programs are designed to prepare students to apply for applicable licensure or certification in Iowa. Completion of a Mercy College program may not meet education requirements for a license or certification in another state and Mercy College has not determine the eligibility of our programs to meet the educational requirements any other state other than Iowa.
Separate from educational requirements, state licensure boards may require applicants to complete a set number of hours in various settings, professional examinations, background checks, years of professional experience, etc. If you live outside Iowa and are considering enrolling in a program that leads to a professional license, we encourage you contact the appropriate state licensing agency in your state, or the state where you intend to work, to seek the most up-to-date information about state licensure requirements before enrolling at Mercy College of Health Sciences.
VIEW COMPLETE LISTING OF COLLEGE AND PROGRAM ACCREDITATION STATUSES
Mercy College of Health Sciences has numerous individual and programmatic accrediting bodies. View all accreditation statuses.
INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers
American Society of Colleges of Nursing
American Health Science Education Consortium
Association of American Colleges and Universities
Associate of Catholic Colleges and Universities
Association of College Administration Professionals
Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges
Catholic Campus Ministry Association
Catholic College Cooperative Tuition Exchange
College/University Professional Association for Human Resources
Conference for Mercy Higher Education
Council for Advancement and Support of Education
Des Moines Area Interprofessional Education Collaborative
Home Base Iowa
Iowa Association for College Admission Counseling
Iowa Association of Colleges of Nursing
Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
Iowa Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
Iowa Campus Compact
Iowa Distance Learning Association
Iowa Organization of Nurse Leaders
Iowa Private Academic Libraries
National Association of College Admission Officers
National Association of Colleges and University Business Officers
National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
National Campus Compact
National League of Nursing
National Orientation Directors Association
National Student Nurses Association
The Alpha Eta Society
The Tuition Exchange, Inc.
Upper Midwest Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers
