Accreditation and Affiliations

Harrington College of Design is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (230 South LaSalle St., Ste. 7-500, Chicago IL 60604-1411).

The Higher Learning Commission, www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org, is an independent membership organization founded in 1895 as one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. Accreditation by HLC is intended to indicate to other colleges and universities and to the public that an institution meets the HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation. HLC is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a reliable authority regarding the quality of education or training offered by the institutions it accredits.

Harrington College of Design is recognized as a private college by the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

The interior design program leading to the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interior Design is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).

The Associate of Applied Science degree in Interior Design and the Master of Art and the Master of Interior Design degrees contain less than 30 semester credit hours of general education courses and therefore do not meet the qualifications to be considered for accreditation by CIDA. Many Master’s degree programs deliver an advanced level of education beyond that required for entry-level practice. These programs are not eligible for CIDA accreditation because CIDA does not have standards for advanced, post-professional level education.

To learn more about Harrington College of Design, our degree programs or how to apply for admission, please complete and submit the form below.