News
Accreditation Visits
The ACPHA Commission will conduct in-person, virtual, and hybrid accreditation visits during the 2021-2022 academic year. ACPHA realizes that as each University continues to navigate the pandemic, there may be different operating policies and procedures regarding campus visitors as well as learning modalities.
Programs seeking reaccreditation can have an in-person site visit. They can also choose to have a virtual site visit, especially where visitors are not allowed on campus or students are still fully remote. If visitors are allowed on campus, a third option, a hybrid visit, is available where the accreditation chair is in-person and the remaining two accreditation team members complete their work virtually. It is important that each program seeking reaccreditation during this academic year contact the ACPHA Office as soon as possible to discuss these options and begin the planning process.
Programs seeking initial accreditation will only be able to have an in-person site visit and should contact the ACPHA office for more information.
ACPHA Standard Changes and Common Program Learning Outcomes
ACPHA realizes that requiring each accredited program to change to the Common ACPHA Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) will require a transitional period. During this phase, flexibility will be granted while migrating from Individualized PLOs to the Common ACPHA PLOs. This also applies to the Program’s Assessment Plans/Data. Programs are encouraged to move to the Common ACPHA PLOs as soon as possible. Starting in fall 2022, all programs will be required to utilize and assess the Common ACPHA PLOs. These PLOs should be posted on the Program’s website landing page, course syllabi, and be incorporated into the assessment plan. Once programs make this change, they will be evaluated only on the results of the assessment of the Common ACPHA PLOs during an accreditation visit. ACPHA held several virtual training sessions on the migration to the new standard changes and common PLOs.
For those programs that could not be present at a virtual training session, below is the link to a recorded session as well as the presentation:
ACPHA Standard Changes and Common PLOs Recorded Training Session
ACPHA Standard Changes and Common PLOs PowerPoint Presentation
The five (5) ACPHA Common Program Learning Outcomes:
1. Identify and apply the knowledge and skills necessary for hospitality and tourism operations
- Overview of the hospitality industry, guest experience, and the profession
- Operations relative to lodging management
- Operations relative to food service management
- Relationship of tourism to hospitality management
- Field experience
* Required only for four-year programs
- Operations relative to facility maintenance and management *
- Allow students to develop a depth of knowledge or a broad exposure to the diverse segments of the industry *
- An evaluative culminating/capstone experience *
2. Develop and integrate a core set of business skills necessary to successfully operate a hospitality and tourism organization
- Human resource management relative to business operations
- Marketing of goods and services relative to business operations
- Accounting procedures/practices relative to business operations
- Legal environment relative to business operations
- Economic environment relative to business operations
- Technology relative to business operations
* Required only for four-year programs
- Financial management relative to business operations *
- Ethical considerations and socio-political influences affecting organizations *
- Strategic management relative to business operations *
- Leadership theory relative to business operations *
3. Demonstrate competence in the communication skills necessary for hospitality and tourism management
- Written communication skills required for hospitality and tourism management
- Oral communication skills required for hospitality and tourism management
- Interpersonal communication skills required for hospitality and tourism management
- Digital communication skills required for hospitality and tourism management
4. Formulate business decisions in hospitality and tourism management
- Analytical skills required for hospitality and tourism management
- Critical thinking skills required for hospitality and tourism management
- Problem solving skills required for hospitality and tourism management
5. Evaluate leadership principles necessary in the diverse and global hospitality and tourism industry
- Leadership skills necessary to effectively manage in the hospitality industry
- Relationship between ethical leadership, culture, and performance
- Exposure to internal and external stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and cultures