DMU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. At its meeting on January 10, 2022, the Institutional Actions Council of the Higher Learning Commission voted to continue the accreditation of Des Moines University-Osteopathic Medical Center with the next comprehensive evaluation to be scheduled for 2031-32. The Higher Learning Commission is an independent corporation that was founded in 1895 as one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. HLC accredits degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions in the North Central region, which includes 19 states. HLC is legally empowered to conduct accrediting activities for educational organizations. For further information please contact the Higher Learning Commission at 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604; telephone: 800-621-7440.
Program Accreditations
Doctor of Occupational Therapy
The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education of the American Occupational Therapy Association, located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. The program must have a pre-accreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered. In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. Any individual who believes that the OTD program may not be in compliance with a standard of accreditation has the right to file a complaint. ACOTE’s formal complaint policy can be accessed here.
Des Moines University submitted an application for the OTD program and was approved by the Higher Learning Commission in May 2022.
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
The College of Osteopathic Medicine is accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association. To contact COCA: 142 E. Ontario St., Chicago, IL 60611; telephone: 800-621-1773; email: predoc@osteopathic.org.
As an accredited college, COM is a member of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, or AACOM. We are fully accredited by the COCA through 2028. To review accreditation, approval, or licensing documentation, please contact the Dean's office at 515-271-1513.
DMU is responsible for maintaining records of complaints and grievances, including those which apply to AOA-COCA accreditation standards. Therefore, any individual who believes that the College may not be in compliance with a standard of accreditation has the right to file a complaint using the following policy.
Doctor of Physical Therapy
The Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Des Moines University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: 703-706-3245; email accreditation@apta.org; website: www.capteonline.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 515-271-1634 or email traci.bush@dmu.edu.
To review accreditation, approval, or licensing documentation, please contact the Program Director’s office at 515-271-1597.
Doctor of Podiatric Medicine
The Des Moines University College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery is accredited by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education. Accreditation is an indication of public approbation, attesting to the quality of the podiatric medical education program and the continued commitment of the institution to support the educational program. The Council is recognized as the professional institutional accrediting agency for podiatric medical education by the U. S. Department of Education and by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. For further information, please contact the Council on Podiatric Medical Education at the following address: Council on Podiatric Medical Education, 9312 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone 301-581-9200.
To review accreditation, approval, or licensing documentation, please contact the Dean's office at 515-271-1464.
Master of Health Care Administration
The MHA program is a member of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration. The MHA program has been approved for a three-year accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education. For further information, please contact CAHME at P.O. Box 911 Spring House, PA 19477; telephone 301-298-1820. Additional information is available within the CAHME Accredited Programs Database.
To review accreditation, approval, or licensing documentation, please contact the Program Director’s office at 515-271-1497.
Master of Public Health
The MPH program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health. For further information, please contact CEPH at 1010 Wayne Avenue, Suite 220 Silver Spring, MD 20910; telephone 202-789-1050.
To review accreditation, approval, or licensing documentation, please contact the Program Director’s office at 515-271-1432.
Physician Assistant
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Des Moines University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Des Moines University. Accreditation-Continued is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards. Accreditation remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards. The approximate date for the next validation review of the program by the ARC-PA will be September 2025. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accreditation Standards and ARC-PA policy.
The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at https://www.arc-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Accreditation-History-Des-Moines-Univ-47-1.pdf.
For further information on ARC-PA, please contact:
3325 Paddocks Parkway, Suite 345
Suwanee, Georgia 30024
Telephone: 770-476-1224
Fax: 470-253-8271
To review accreditation, approval, or licensing documentation, please contact the Program Director’s office at 515-271-1685.