Pennsylvania is a SARA (State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements) member state, and Duquesne University
is a SARA member institution. SARA establishes comparable national standards for interstate
offering of postsecondary distance education programs and courses amongst member states.
Duquesne University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. SARA is intended to make it easier for students to participate in online programs offered by authorized postsecondary institutions that are located outside of a student's home state.
Please note, SARA does not deal with professional licensing board approval for programs leading to state licensure. See the information below to learn more.
Professional Licensure
Duquesne University is approved to offer programs that may lead to licensure or certification in Pennsylvania. However, licensure requirements vary from state to state. If you are planning on seeking licensure or certification outside of Pennsylvania, it is highly recommended you contact the appropriate licensing board where you plan to be licensed prior to starting the academic program.
Professional Licensure and Certification Disclosures
For state-by state information concerning how Duquesne's programs relate to professional licensure and certification, see the links below:
- Education
- Health Sciences
- Law
- Liberal Arts
- Medicine
- Music Education
- Music Therapy
- Nursing
- Pharmacy
- Science & Engineering
For programs leading to licensure or certification that are not linked above, Duquesne cannot confirm whether these programs meet the specific requirements for licensure or certification as applicable in states or territories other than Pennsylvania.
For additional information:
- Nursing students should visit School of Nursing website and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) to learn more about state licensure requirements.
- Other students should view Links to Licensed Professions Per State to learn about any licensure requirements that exist in your field in your state (provided by the State Authorization Network (SAN)).
- Search the CareerOneStop License Finder database (sponsored by The U.S. Department of Labor) for more information concerning licensure requirements by occupation by state.
Supervised Field Experiences
Students seeking to complete any field experience or out-of-state learning placement should contact the appropriate program coordinator before initializing any contact with a business or agency outside of Pennsylvania. This applies to students enrolled in any academic program, either online or on-campus.
Complaint Resolution
Duquesne University adheres to the SARA student complaints process. These guidelines require all students to first seek resolution of a complaint through Duquesne University's internal complaint procedure. (Note: complaints about grades or student conduct violations can only be handled internally at the institutional level).
For complaints that cannot be resolved through Duquesne University's internal complaint process, contact the appropriate agency for your home state as listed in the Student Complaint Information by State and Agency document. Note: California Students can file a complaint via the State of California Department of Consumer Affairs website.
Additionally, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) will review all written and signed student complaints against colleges, universities and seminaries certified to operate in Pennsylvania.