St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Reaches Important Accreditation Milestone

On Thursday June 12, 2025, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) board of trustees granted candidacy status to the St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

SACSCOC is a regional accrediting body that evaluates institutions on their quality, effectiveness, and ability to fulfill their mission. Achieving accreditation demonstrates our dedication to providing our students with a top-tier education and ensures that our degrees are widely recognized and respected.

This milestone follows a rigorous assessment by a committee of eight expert peer reviewers from institutions across the southeast who conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the St. Jude Graduate School’s compliance with SACSCOC’s fundamental standards and requirements during their visit to St. Jude in early April. Achieving SACSCOC candidacy is a critical milestone that is required prior to achieving institutional accreditation with the commission.

Obtaining SACSCOC accreditation is a multi-step process that includes applying, becoming a candidate following a peer review site visit and finally, becoming a member institution (accredited) following a second site visit.

“Attaining accreditation with SACSCOC has been a top priority of mine and our board of trustees since I became Dean in 2023,” said Steven Varga, PhD, Dean of the St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. “After years of hard work by the Graduate School staff, students and faculty, I am pleased to announce we are now on the path towards SACSCOC membership.”

For more information, please email sjgraduateschool@stjude.org or visit SACSCOC.org