The Art Institute of Pittsburgh is authorized by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to confer the Bachelor of Science degrees, Associate of Science degrees and diplomas to graduates of approved programs, approved for the training of veterans and eligible veterans’ dependents, and authorized under federal law to enroll non-immigrant alien students. The Art Institute of Pittsburgh is also authorized to offer degrees and diplomas through the online delivery modality. The Department of Education can be reached by writing to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, department of Education Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education, 333 Market Street, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17126, or by telephone at 1-717-783-6788.
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh has been granted accreditation by The Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Middle States accreditation marks the culmination of The Art Institutes’ academic transition, beginning in 2000, when it received authorization by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to award baccalaureate degrees.
"This is a significant and defining chapter of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh’s history and our process of redefining our mission as an academic institution," said George L. Pry, President. "The recognition of the Middle States Commission is an important validation of how we have woven academic rigor into our core mission of graduate career preparedness," he said. "The Art Institute has always placed great importance on accreditation and its value on a student’s investment."
The college maintains programmatic accreditation with the American Culinary Federation (ACF) and the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).
The accreditation process was managed by a steering committee comprised of faculty and staff under the leadership of Dr. Cynthia Liefeld, Vice President of Academic Affairs with focus on collegiate mission, strategic planning and assessment of outcomes and investments.
A two-year, substantive college-wide self-study analysis was evaluated during a formal review by an eight-member visiting team who spent several days on campus in March 2008 chaired by Ms. Patricia McGuire, President of Trinity Washington University in Washington D.C.
"The visiting team observed a deep sense of mission and purpose flowing through the work of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh," said President McGuire. "In addition to our recommendation for accreditation, the team commends The Art Institute on their commitment to excellence in the creative and commercial arts."
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh has met all fourteen Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education—including eligibility requirements and standards for accreditation -- as defined by the regional accrediting agency, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
"This peer-reviewed accreditation is an expression of confidence that The Art Institute of Pittsburgh will continue, over the years, to substantially accomplish its mission and goals," said Dr. Liefeld. "We have demonstrated that we methodically evaluate student learning outcomes and institutional effectiveness and use the results toward a continuous cycle of improvement."
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh currently offers 14 Bachelor of Science degree programs and is comprised of approximately 12,300 students, as of Spring 2008, who pursue degree programs through coursework both at the Downtown Pittsburgh campus and through The Art Institute of Pittsburgh – Online Division.
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh offers bachelor’s degree programs in Advertising, Culinary Management, Digital Media Production, Entertainment Design, Fashion & Retail Management, Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Hotel & Restaurant Management, Industrial Design, Interior Design, Media Arts & Animation, Photography, Visual Effects & Motion Graphics and Web Design & Interactive Media.
Associate’s degree programs are also offered in Culinary Arts, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Photography and Video Production.
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh is accredited by The Middle States Commission on Higher Education. For more information, contact the college at 1-800-275-2470 or visit artinstitutes.edu/pittsburgh.
Advertising, Fashion & Retail Management, Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Media Arts & Animation and Web Design & Interactive Media programs are also available fully online through The Art Institute Pittsburgh – Online Division.
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), a system of 40 education institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.
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About accreditation: Accreditation is a process of peer review that the educational community has adopted for its self-regulation since early in the 20th century. It is a voluntary process intended to strengthen and sustain the quality and integrity of higher education, making it worthy of public confidence. Institutions choose to apply for accredited status, and once accredited, they agree to abide by the standards of their accrediting organization and to regulate themselves by taking responsibility for their own improvement.
Accreditation is a process of peer review that the educational community has adopted for its self-regulation since early in the 20th century. It is a voluntary process intended to strengthen and sustain the quality and integrity of higher education, making it worthy of public confidence. Institutions choose to apply for accredited status, and once accredited, they agree to abide by the standards of their accrediting organization and to regulate themselves by taking responsibility for their own improvement.
About the Middle States Commission on Higher Education: As a regional accreditor, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education examines the entire institution, including its educational programs and curricula, student achievement, faculty, facilities and equipment, student support services, recruiting and admissions practices, the institution’s financial condition, administrative effectiveness, governing boards, and several other aspects of the institution.
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is a voluntary, non-governmental, membership association that defines, maintains, and promotes educational excellence across institutions with diverse missions, student populations, and resources. The Commission is dedicated to quality assurance and improvement through accreditation via peer evaluation. Middle States accreditation instills public confidence in institutional mission, goals, performance, and resources through its rigorous accreditation standards and their enforcement.
The Associate of Science degree in Culinary Arts is accredited by the American Culinary Federation’s Accrediting Commission. The American Culinary Federation (ACF) may be reached by writing to 180 Center Place Way, St. Augustine, Florida 32095, or by calling 1-800-624-9458.
The Interior Design program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Interior Design is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), www.accredit-id.org, 146 Monroe Center NW, Suite 1318, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503-2822. CIDA accreditation is designed to provide assurance that a college’s program meets educational standards and positively positions graduates for entry-level employment with future growth potential in the interior design industry. Completion of a CIDA-accredited degree program also provides (but does not ensure) an easier professional certification process in many states, as well as favorable status for (but does not guarantee) graduate school admission. The Art Institute of Pittsburgh administration and Interior Design department value CIDA accreditation not only as an important recognition of the quality of our academic program, but also as an essential collaboration of leaders committed to advancing the standards of the interior design profession. In order to graduate from The Art Institute of Pittsburgh’s Interior Design program as a "CIDA Accredited Program", a student must complete a minimum of 151 residential credits out of the possible 180 earned credits. At this time, the online delivery of this program is not eligible for CIDA accreditation.
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh is a member of the American Council of Education, the American Association for Higher Education, the Allegheny Counselors Association, the Pennsylvania Association of Private School Administrators, the Pennsylvania Association of College Admissions Counselors, the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, the National Art Education Association, the Ohio Council of Private Colleges and Schools, and the Ohio Association for College Admission Counseling.