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The Commission on the Accreditation of
Programs in Applied and Clinical Sociology


Please be sure to attend a CAPACS Informational Panel and/or

CAPACS ARC & SVT Training Workshop or Webinar

CAPACS Informational Panels

The Commission on the Accreditation of Programs in Applied and Clinical Sociology (CAPACS or the Commission) periodically hosts informational panels on "CAPACS Accreditation." The panels feature an overview of CAPACS as an accreditor of higher education programs in sociological practice (applied sociology, clinical sociology, engaged public sociology, translational sociology, and forensic sociology). Panelists discuss the Commission's accreditation standards, timelines, and benefits of CAPACS accreditation for programs and the profession. Focused content covers conventional accreditation reviews vs. virtual accreditation reviews during the COVID-19 pandemic; the global demand to accredit disciplinary and professional programs in the social and behavioral sciences as a process of external quality review; and the oversight of higher education accreditation commissions.

CAPACS recently hosted informational panels on "Accrediting Your Undergraduate or Graduate Program in Sociological Practice: A Workshop on Process, Benefits, and Outcomes by the Commission on the Accreditation of Programs in Applied and Clinical Sociology" at the following conferences:

  • 85th Annual Meeting of the Rural Sociological Society (RSS), on Thursday, August 3, 2023, at the University of Vermont in Burlington, VT. CAPACS Board Members, Dr. Mary Emery (University of Nebraska-Lincoln), joined by Dr. Brandn Green (JG Research & Evaluation, Bozeman, MT), presented the Commission's informational slideshow followed by a Q & A in a well-attended session at the Davis Center (Chittenden Bank). The conference theme was "Pursuing Equity and Access in Development: Roles for Rural-Focused Public Scholars". For more information about the Commission's informational workshop at the 85th RSS Annual Meeting, please click on the Final Program and FAQ links.
  • XX ISA World Congress of Sociology in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, June 26, 2023, 15:30 - 17:20, Melbourne Local Time (AEDT), at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (209 Medium Room). The congress was co-sponsored by TASA, the Australian Sociological Association. The theme was “Resurgent Authoritarianism: The Sociology of New Entanglements of Religions, Politics, and Economies.” Session Organizers, CAPACS Chair, Dr. Michael Fleischer (Organizational Dynamics, Morristown, NJ) and CAPACS Vice-Chair, Dr. Norma Winston (Professor Emerita, University of Tampa), led panel virtually with Session Chair, CAPACS Treasurer, Dr, Amitra Wall (SUNY at Buffalo College) and Panelists, Prof. Pragna Rugunanan and Prof. Tina Uys of the B.A. Honours Program in Sociology, Industrial Sociology and Urban Studies (University of Johannesburg, South Africa). The Commission’s informational workshop was conjointly offered by RC46: Clinical Sociology and RC26: Sociotechnics and Sociological Practice. Please click on the Commission's informational session link for an abstract of the CAPACS workshop and panel on accreditation and the Congress Program Link for the Congress Program Book. Other Congress resources can be accessed on the XX ISA World Congress Web Page.
  • CAPACS hosted an informational panel on "Accrediting Your Undergraduate or Graduate Program in Sociological Practice: A Workshop on Process, Benefits, and Outcomes by the Commission on the Accreditation of Programs in Applied and Clinical Sociology" at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology in Louisville, Kentucky, on Friday, October 7th, 2022, from 1:40 to 3:10 pm, EDT at the historic Brown Hotel. The conference theme was "Repairing Our World." CAPACS Chair, Dr. Michael Fleischer, was joined by Dr. Bruce Friesen, Sociology Department Chair, and Dr. J. E. Sumerau, Program Director of the B.A. and B.S. in Applied Sociology Program at the University of Tampa, for the well-attended session.

CAPACS Accreditation Review Committee and Site Visit Team Training Workshops and Webinars

  • CAPACS Chair, Dr. Michael Fleischer, hosted an "Accreditation Review Committee (ARC) and Site Visit Team (SVT) Training Webinar for newly elected Commissioners, Dr. Brandn Green and Prof. Mariam Seedat-Khan, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, from 12:00 - 4:00 pm, Eastern, USA. Drs. Green and Seedat-Khan are now eligible to serve on CAPACS ARCs and SVTs. The Commission congratulate them for their accomplishment!
  • CAPACS Chair, Dr. Michael Fleischer, hosted an "Accreditation Review Committee (ARC) and Site Visit Team (SVT) Training Workshop" at the 2022 AACS Annual Meeting in Louisville on Thursday, October 6th, 2022, from 1:00 to 4:30 pm, EDT, at the Brown Hotel. The session was attended by Commissioner's seeking a "refresher" using the latest versions of the CAPACS Policies and Procedures, Review Process Guidelines, and Standards as well as other sociologists interested in learning more about CAPACS accreditation.

The Commission on Accreditation of Programs in Applied and Clinical Sociology (CAPACS or the Commission) periodically conducts "Accreditation Review Committee (ARC) and Site Visit Team (SVT) Training Workshops" at the annual meetings of professional sociological associations. During international crises and pandemics such as COVID-19, the Commission will schedule interactive ARC and SVT Training Webinars securely with password and waiting room enabled under its license with Zoom Videoconference. The Commission will provide a passcode to invited participants for accessing the webinar. The Commission's training workshops and webinars are intended for: (1) new Commissioners who will be joining the CAPACS Board of Directors, (2) current Commissioners as a "refresher" course, and (3) other professional sociologists invited by the Commission who are interested in qualifying for participation on a CAPACS accreditation review committee or site visit team for reviewing higher education programs in sociological practice (applied sociology, clinical sociology, engaged public sociology, translational sociology, and forensic sociology). The Commission's training workshops and webinars cover the CAPACS Standards, Self-study Guidelines, Accreditation Policies and Procedures, and Review Process Guidelines. Participants who successfully complete a Commission training workshop or webinar may be eligible to join the CAPACS Board of Directors on a future date. Workshop and webinar activities include an interactive slideshow, live discussion, and exercise. There are no fees for the Commission’s workshops and webinars. Training materials are furnished on-site for workshops, or by email or shared folder in Dropbox for webinars. Please bookmark and visit the Meet the Commission web page on the CAPACS website for more information on recent and upcoming CAPACS training workshops and webinars.

Who is the CAPACS Training Workshop or Webinar For?

The Commission's training workshops and webinar are intended for new Commissioners who will be joining the CAPACS Board of Directors; current Commissioners, as a "refresher" course; and other professional sociologists, invited by the Commission, who are interested in participating on a CAPACS accreditation review committee and site visit team. The Commission's training workshops and webinar cover the CAPACS Standards, Self-Study Guidelines, Accreditation Policies and Procedures, and Review Process Guidelines.

What Happens After I Complete the CAPACS Training Workshop or Webinar?

Participants who successfully complete a Commission training workshop or webinar may serve as accreditors (reviewers) on CAPACS accreditation review committees and as site visitors on CAPACS site visit teams.

  • As "Accreditors," participants who successfully complete a CAPACS training workshop or webinar will be able to differentiate and apply five sets of industry-wide standards for professional programs supported by the Commission. Areas include institutional resources, program structure, practice experience, student learning goals and outcomes, and monitoring and quality control.
  • As "Site Visitors," participants who successfully complete a CAPACS training workshop or webinar will be able to conduct two- and three-day site of visits (or virtual site visits during the COVID-19 Pandemic) of applicant programs to determine program quality and effectiveness. On-site and virtual site visits engage successfully trained participants in semi-structured interviews with program faculty, students, alumni, advisory boards, administrators, and internship supervisors. Areas include matriculation, advisement, resources, curriculum, marketing, and program assessment and evaluation.