Accreditation

The Hartford International is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada, and the following degree programs are approved: the MA in Interreligious Studies, the MA in Chaplaincy, the MA in International Peacebuilding, and the Ph.D. in Interreligious Studies. The following programs are retired, are in teach-out status, and are no longer accepting applications for admissions: the MA in Religious Studies, the MA in Transformative Leadership and Spirituality, and the Doctor of Ministry.

The contact information for the Commission is:

The Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools
in the United States and Canada
10 Summit Park Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15275, USA.
Telephone: 412-788-6505. Fax: 412-788-6510. Website: www.ats.edu.

Hartford International University for Religion and Peace is also accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (formerly the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.). The following programs are approved: the MA in Interreligious Studies, the MA in Chaplaincy, the MA in International Peacebuilding, the Ph.D. in Interreligious Studies, and all of the Graduate Certificate programs. The following programs are retired, are in teach-out status, and are no longer accepting applications for admissions: the MA in Religious Studies, the MA in Transformative Leadership and Spirituality, and the Doctor of Ministry.

Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the Commission indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality periodically applied through a peer review process. An accredited college or university is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.

Accreditation by the Commission is not partial but applies to the institution as a whole. As such, it is not a guarantee of every course or program offered, or the competence of individual graduates. Rather, it provides reasonable assurance about the quality of opportunities available to students who attend the institution.

Inquiries regarding the accreditation status by the Commission should be directed to the administrative staff of the institution. Individuals also may contact:

New England Commission of Higher Education
3 Burlington Woods Drive, Suite 100, Burlington, MA 01803-4514
(781) 425 7785
E-Mail: info@neche.org

Comprehensive Evaluation:

Public notice of HIU Accreditation visit:

Statement of Educational Effectiveness

Hartford International has a long history of innovative scholarship and teaching and a strong commitment to preparing reflective religious practitioners in today’s multi-faith and pluralistic world whose influence reaches far beyond the walls of churches, mosques, and synagogues. Our degree and educational programs are designed to develop the leadership capacities of religious leaders who come to Hartford International to take advantage of its curricular strengths in leadership development and practice of ministry in interreligious contexts and also to nurture and mature individual spiritual growth.

In 2021, HIU introduced three new MA programs.

The Master of Arts in Interreligious Studies (MAIRS) program welcomes students that seek to develop knowledge and skills in a multifaith world. The Master of Arts in Chaplaincy (MAC), with an optional specialization in Islamic Chaplaincy, provides for the integration of theory and practice, as outlined in “Common Qualifications and Competencies for Professional Chaplains” and the “Standards of Practice for Professional Chaplains” of the Association of Professional Chaplains. HIU has not yet graduated one full cohort in these new programs since 2021.  HIU anticipates a fuller assessment of its MAIRS and MAC program with the graduation of its first full cohort in 2023.
 

The Master of Arts in International Peacebuilding (MAP) is a one-year, intensive, residential program. HIU graduated its first cohort in 2022. In its first year, students reported a high degree of satisfaction with what they have learned, especially the integration of traditional academic work with practical skills and social and emotional learning about themselves as peacebuilders. This evaluation was garnered through direct assessment by the director of the program through weekly cohort meetings, field education reports, and a capstone assessment.

Hartford International also has a cooperative Master of Divinity pathway through its MAIRS degree with Yale Divinity School, Boston University School of Theology, Drew Theological School, and the Chicago Theological Seminary in which students are allowed to begin their graduate theological studies at Hartford International and then finish their M.Div. program at any of these institutions, if accepted.  Since the last decennial accreditation in 2013, 29 Cooperative M.Div. students have transferred to our partner schools to receive their MDiv. Through our Cooperative M.Div., students receive a strong theological education, especially in interreligious leadership, before moving on to other schools. A review of the program in the summer of 2020 with partner institutions affirmed that COOP M.Div. students bring to their new school interreligious awareness and skill sets that contribute positively to the tradition Christian seminary.

In 2022:

87% of graduates strongly agreed or agreed that they were attracted to HIU because of the importance of the Interreligious perspectives of HIU.
80% of graduates strongly agreed or agreed that as a result of their studies they now have considerable knowledge of other religions.
100% of graduates strongly agreed or agreed that discussing the beliefs of others helped them learn more about their own faith.

These statistics underline the primary mission of HIU’s interreligious education.

State Authorization

Hartford International is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) and is thus authorized to operate in all states that participate in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA).

Student Complaints

Pursuant to federal regulations and the terms of SARA, the Office of Higher Education is responsible for the investigation and resolution of out-of-state students’ complaints against institutions of higher education based in Connecticut and offering distance education via SARA. Note that issues regarding student life, such as discipline, grading, etc., fall solely within the purview of the institution and are not generally investigated. Additionally, the Office of Higher Education does not investigate anonymous complaints or provide legal advice.

Within two years of the incident complained of, out-of-state students enrolled in a Connecticut institution via SARA may file a complaint in accordance with the following steps:

• The student must attempt to resolve the complaint by exhausting the institution’s established internal grievance procedures. These are usually published in the institution’s catalog, student handbook and/or posted on the institution’s website. Absent extenuating circumstances, the Office of Higher Education will not investigate complaints filed by students who have not first sought a resolution with the institution.
• If all remedies at the institutional level have been exhausted and the complaint is not resolved, the student may file a complaint with the Office of Higher Education. To file a complaint, please follow these procedures. All documentation for review related to the complaint must be provided by the student as part of the filing.
• The Office of Higher Education will process the complaint and provide copies of all documents filed with the complaint to the institution. The institution has 20 days to respond. After receiving a response and conducting an investigation, the Office of Higher Education will issue a findings report to all parties. The findings report is final.

If a Connecticut student is enrolled in a distance education program offered by a SARA institution based in another state, the student should contact the portal agency in that state to pursue the complaint process. Connecticut students enrolled in Connecticut institutions must first exhaust an institution’s established internal grievance procedures, and then should contact the Office of Higher Education prior to filing a complaint at emily.bjornberg@ct.gov.