Accreditation

Berklee College of Music is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education* (NECHE) of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC), and authorized by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. Inquiries regarding the accreditation status by the Commission and authorization by the state of Massachusetts should be directed to the administrative staff of the institution. Individuals may also contact: 

*As of August 1, 2018, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education is listed on the Department of Education's list of recognized accrediting agencies as the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).

Institutional Research and Assessment maintains Berklee's accreditation. Berklee completed its 10-year self-study and reaccreditation visit in 2013. In its official letter to the college summarizing the results of the 10-year self-study and evaluation process, NEASC commended Berklee for “the remarkable progress made by the institution since its last comprehensive evaluation.”

The letter specifically praised Berklee for:

• implementing “a mandatory audition and interview as part of the admissions process”;
• tripling “applications over the past decade”;
• increasing selectivity and reaching enrollment goals;
• increasing the percentage of ALANA (African American, Latino, Asian American, and Native American) students by 100 percent;
• increasing the number of female students by 20 percent;
• increasing student financial aid from $10 million to $36 million and creating the Presidential Scholar program;
• developing a music theory and technology program for visually impaired students;
• ensuring that “institutional assessment and systematic review are in place in all areas of the institution”;
• exceeding the “first capital campaign goal by raising $54.5 million and constructing its first ‘purpose-built’ 16-story facility”; and
• expanding the online program and offering new degrees through Berklee Online.

In addition, NEASC commended Berklee’s “robust financial resources and excellent physical and IT resources.”

NEASC also confirmed accreditation for the Master of Music and Master of Art degrees and praised the graduate and study abroad programs offered at Berklee’s campus in Valencia, Spain. It was impressed by “the fact that all 74 students” in the first class of the graduate program graduated in July 2013, and they praised the way that the Valencia campus is integrated into Berklee.

Our most recent official confirmations of accreditation are as follows: