Frequently Asked Questions

During the Fall 2023 semester five Criterion Work Teams will review our previous Assurance Arguments and gather evidence from across all college operations that demonstrates how PC meets the HLC's Criteria for Accreditation. Phoenix College is a dynamic, ever-evolving institution and many changes have taken place at our institution since the last Assurance Argument was submitted. Our first job is to review and update evidence related to our policies, processes, and practices to reflect the current state of our institution. 

The drafting of new Assurance Argument narratives will begin in Spring 2024 and will continue for some time. 

Yes, we have two upcoming visits from the HLC. An HLC peer reviewer will visit Phoenix College in February 2024 for our regularly scheduled Multi-Location Visit. During this visit the peer reviewer will visit three off-campus locations where PC also provides instruction and will evaluate the college's practices related to these locations.

A team of peer reviewers will next visit the college in in Spring 2026 on March 2 -4.  At this time, the peer reviewers will look at our Assurance Argument filing and evidence files that we collect, and they will evaluate the college during their 3 day visit to our institution.

Accreditation is an ongoing reponsibility of the entire college community. Even if you are not currently serving on an HLC Criterion Team, there will be many opportunities to help.

You may be contacted by members of the HLC Leadership Team or by members of the Criterion Teams asking about the operation of your unit or area and you may be asked to provide documentation related to your processes or policies. In addition, as drafts of the Assurance Arguments are completed, you will have opportunities to comment upon and improve our drafts. We encourage everyone to provide feedback. 

Lastly, be knowledgeable about your department, the college, and our students. Be sure that you understand the mission, vision, and values of Phoenix College and how you support those and the success of our students. 

The HLC provides accreditation to institutions of higher education based upon the requirements of the U.S. Department of Education. That accreditation represents an assurance of quality of the entire institution and its policies, practices, and the programs that it offers. Accreditation by the HLC is also required in order for Phoenix College to provide federal financial assistance to our students. 

Several programs of instruction offered at Phoenix College also have their own industry-specific accreditation. This type of programmatic accreditation related to a single specific program and ensures that that program meets the educational expectations of the specific industry in which students are training for future employment.

Accreditation is actually a continuous and ongoing process. There are several regular interactions that are required between our college and the HLC in order to maintain accreditation. Phoenix College follows the Open Pathway 10-Year Cycle for Accreditation. More information about the Open Pathway can be found at the HLC's website here. 

The 2025-26 academic year will be Year 10 of our Open Pathway cycle and we are currently preparing for the Comprehensive Evaluation required in that year. Once that process is completed, the next major interaction with the HLC will be in 2029-30 and our next Year 10 Comprehensive Evaluation will take place in 2035-36.