Course Catalog Accreditation Guide

March 22, 2025

Accreditation is a critical milestone for higher education institutions, ensuring they uphold high academic standards and integrity. A key component of this process is maintaining a comprehensive and up-to-date course catalog. More than just a student reference, a well-organized catalog is essential for accreditation agencies to assess whether an institution meets academic requirements.

However, keeping a course catalog accurate and compliant can be challenging. That’s where Clean Catalog comes in. Designed with accreditation in mind, our software simplifies catalog creation and maintenance, ensuring institutions stay prepared for accreditation reviews.

Why Course Catalogs Matter

Accrediting agencies rely on course catalogs as a snapshot of an institution’s academic offerings. Most accrediting bodies refer to an institution’s course catalog for the following content:

Curriculum – Ensuring programs meet standards for learning outcomes, credit hours, and course structure. Course Descriptions – Verifying that course details, prerequisites, and credit hours align with institutional objectives and accreditation standards. Program Integrity – Demonstrating that academic programs are transparent, consistent, and aligned with the institution’s mission.

A poorly maintained catalog can lead to accreditation delays, or even jeopardize accreditation status. With Clean Catalog, institutions can ensure their catalogs remain accurate, compliant, and ready for review.

How Clean Catalog Helps You Stay on Track

At Clean Catalog, we understand that the accreditation process is complex. Maintaining a catalog that meets all of the necessary standards requires attention to detail and continuous updates. That’s why we’ve designed our platform with built-in tools specifically designed to make the accreditation process easier for your staff.

1. Prepare for Accreditation Reviews

Accreditation reviews are often stressful and time-consuming, but Clean Catalog helps reduce that stress by keeping your catalog in top shape year-round. Our platform is built to ensure that your course catalog is up-to-date, complete, and in compliance with accreditation requirements at all times. Catalog updates are always made globally and instantly upon publication, allowing you to submit a comprehensive and accurate document for review at any time during the academic year.

2. Quickly Locate Incomplete Information

One of the most challenging aspects of accreditation is finding missing or incomplete information within your catalog. With Clean Catalog, you don’t have to spend time digging through pages and documents to find inconsistencies or gaps. Our software provides powerful tools to highlight missing details—whether that’s incomplete course descriptions, missing prerequisites, or unclear learning outcomes—so you can address them before the review process begins.

3. Stay on Top of Catalog Health

We know how easy it can be for course catalog information to become outdated over time. That’s why Clean Catalog includes real-time monitoring tools that give you a “pulse check” on the overall health of your catalog. You’ll receive notifications for any issues that arise, ensuring that your catalog is always compliant with accreditation standards. This ongoing monitoring not only helps you stay prepared for accreditation reviews but is valuable for ongoing catalog maintenance.

4. Customizable Reporting

Reporting is another key area where Clean Catalog stands out. Our software allows you to create custom reports that help you assess the accuracy and completeness of your catalog. These reports can be customized to give you a clear overview of your catalog, highlighting details that are particularly important for your accrediting body. Whether you’re preparing for an accreditation visit or reviewing your catalog internally, these reports ensure you always have an accurate picture of your catalog’s completeness.

Supporting Institutions Across All Major Accrediting Bodies

Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJ)

ACCJC is responsible for accrediting associate degree-granting institutions in the Western United States. It ensures that community and junior colleges meet rigorous academic standards and continuously improve student learning and institutional effectiveness. Clean Catalog helps institutions under ACCJC accreditation maintain a well-structured, compliant course catalog by providing tools for real-time updates, ensuring transparency and alignment with accreditation requirements.

Course Catalog Requirements for ACCJ Accredited Institutions

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

HLC accredits post-secondary institutions in the central United States, evaluating them based on mission, integrity, teaching quality, and institutional effectiveness. Clean Catalog supports HLC institutions by simplifying catalog updates, ensuring that course descriptions, program details, and learning outcomes remain current and easily accessible for accreditation review.

Course Catalog Requirements for HLC Accredited Institutions

Case Studies for HLC-Accredited Peer Institutions Using Clean Catalog:

Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

MSCHE accredits institutions in the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond, focusing on student learning outcomes, governance, and financial stability. Clean Catalog’s centralized platform helps MSCHE institutions maintain accurate, accreditation-ready catalogs.

Course Catalog Requirements for MSCHE Accredited Institutions

MSCHE-Accredited Peer Institutions Using Clean Catalog:

New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)

NECHE is the regional accreditor for institutions in New England, ensuring that colleges and universities maintain high academic standards. It evaluates institutions on factors like curriculum rigor, faculty qualifications, and student success. Clean Catalog provides automated catalog tracking and reporting tools, helping NECHE institutions maintain transparency and compliance with accreditation standards.

Course Catalog Requirements for NECHE Accredited Institutions

NECHE-Accredited Peer Institutions Using Clean Catalog:

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)

NWCCU accredits institutions in the Northwest region of the U.S. It emphasizes institutional effectiveness, student learning, and continuous improvement to uphold academic excellence across its member institutions. Clean Catalog enables NWCCU-accredited schools to manage curriculum changes seamlessly, reducing the risk of inconsistencies and ensuring that catalogs reflect the most current academic offerings.

Course Catalog Requirements for NWCCU Accredited Institutions

NWCCU-Accredited Peer Institutions Using Clean Catalog:

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

SACSCOC accredits degree-granting institutions in the southern U.S. Its accreditation process ensures that institutions meet core educational standards and continuously enhance the quality of their academic programs. With Clean Catalog, SACSCOC-accredited institutions can automate catalog maintenance, track updates, and ensure compliance with the rigorous accreditation criteria set by the commission.

Course Catalog Requirements for SACSCOC Accredited Institutions

SACSCOC-Accredited Peer Institutions Using Clean Catalog:

The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WSCUC)

WSCUC oversees the accreditation of higher education institutions in California, Hawaii, and the Pacific. It promotes institutional improvement through rigorous evaluations of academic quality, governance, and student outcomes. Clean Catalog supports WSCUC institutions by simplifying the catalog review process, providing comprehensive reports, and ensuring that all academic offerings align with accreditation requirements.

Course Catalog Requirements for WSCUC Accreditation