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School Accreditation / Standards
Official Standards Document

Accreditation Standards

Comprehensive evaluation criteria across six domains. These standards apply to all holistic health education programs seeking ICONIC Board accreditation — from foundational programs to doctoral curricula.

About These Standards: ICONIC Board evaluates school programs across six domains with a composite scoring model. Programs must meet minimum thresholds in each domain, with a weighted composite score determining accreditation level. Standards are organized into Required (all programs must meet) and Enhanced (required for Distinguished accreditation) criteria.
01

Curriculum Quality & Depth

Evaluation Domain · 25% of composite score
25% Weight
1
Scope & Coverage RequiredCurriculum must cover foundational holistic health theory, anatomy, physiology, client assessment, ethical practice, and at least one recognized specialty modality. All programs — regardless of length — must demonstrate coverage of these core areas.
2
Evidence Basis RequiredCourse materials must reference peer-reviewed or professionally recognized sources. Programs must demonstrate a commitment to evidence-informed curriculum development and regular review of current research.
3
Logical Sequencing RequiredCourses must be structured in a coherent progression — foundational content preceding advanced content. Programs must provide a documented curriculum map showing prerequisite relationships.
4
Scope of Practice Alignment RequiredAll clinical or applied curriculum must align with legally recognized scope of practice for holistic health practitioners in the jurisdictions where the program primarily serves students.
5
Annual Curriculum Review Process EnhancedDocumented process for annual curriculum review, including stakeholder feedback collection, industry benchmarking, and formal revision procedures. Required for Full and Distinguished accreditation.
6
Minimum Contact Hours by Pathway RequiredPrograms must meet minimum contact hour requirements by discipline path: Holistic Health Foundations (60 hrs minimum), Clinical Practice (120 hrs minimum), Expert/Educator track (180 hrs minimum), Doctoral pathway (240 hrs minimum).
02

Faculty Credentials & Qualifications

Evaluation Domain · 20% of composite score
20% Weight
1
Demonstrated Competency RequiredAll instructors must hold credentials, degrees, or documented professional experience directly relevant to the subject matter they teach. Programs must maintain current faculty credential files for review.
2
Active Clinical or Professional Experience RequiredFaculty teaching applied or clinical content must have active (within 5 years) professional practice in their subject area. Purely academic faculty may satisfy this through research or consulting roles.
3
Continuing Education Participation EnhancedFaculty must complete at minimum 10 CE hours annually in their subject area. Programs seeking Distinguished accreditation must document faculty CE compliance annually.
4
Faculty-to-Student Sufficiency RequiredPrograms must maintain sufficient qualified faculty to ensure individual student support. Maximum student-to-faculty ratio for applied/clinical courses: 20:1. Lecture-only courses: 40:1.
5
Background and Ethics Screening RequiredAll faculty and administrators with student contact must complete background screening prior to engagement. Programs must maintain documented screening records.
03

Student Outcome Tracking & Reporting

Evaluation Domain · 20% of composite score
20% Weight
1
Program Completion Rates RequiredPrograms must track and annually report student completion rates. Programs with completion rates below 60% must submit a formal improvement plan with specific milestones.
2
Credential Application Outcomes EnhancedAccredited schools must track the percentage of graduates who apply for ICONIC credentials within 24 months of program completion. This data informs the pipeline value of the accreditation relationship.
3
Graduate Employment & Practice Data EnhancedPrograms seeking Distinguished accreditation must collect and report on graduate employment outcomes, including whether graduates are actively practicing in their trained field within 12 months of completion.
4
Learning Assessment Methods RequiredPrograms must use documented assessment methods — competency evaluations, practical demonstrations, written examinations, or portfolio review — that verify students meet program learning objectives before completion.
5
Annual Reporting Compliance RequiredSchools must submit complete annual reports to ICONIC Board by the designated deadline each year. Failure to submit on time results in Good Standing suspension pending compliance.
04

Institutional Governance & Ethics

Evaluation Domain · 15% of composite score
15% Weight
1
Documented Organizational Structure RequiredPrograms must maintain an organizational chart, defined governance policies, and documented decision-making procedures. Sole proprietor programs must demonstrate adequate oversight structures.
2
Enrollment Disclosures RequiredAll enrollment materials must clearly disclose: program costs (including any additional fees), completion requirements, refund policies, and the scope of the credential earned upon completion.
3
Grievance and Appeals Procedures RequiredPrograms must maintain and publish written student grievance procedures with defined timelines for response and resolution. Procedures must include an escalation path for unresolved grievances.
4
Ethics Instruction RequiredAll programs must include dedicated instruction on professional ethics, scope of practice, and practitioner boundaries. Ethics content must be evaluated — not merely presented.
5
Financial Stability Evidence EnhancedPrograms seeking Full or Distinguished accreditation must demonstrate financial viability through financial statements, operational history, or other evidence satisfactory to the ICONIC Board review panel.
6
Non-Discrimination Policy RequiredPrograms must maintain and publish a non-discrimination policy covering admissions, program access, and faculty hiring — inclusive of protected classes under applicable law.
05

Facilities & Platform Requirements

Evaluation Domain · 10% of composite score
10% Weight
1
Physical Space Adequacy RequiredIn-person programs must demonstrate that physical teaching spaces are adequate for the curriculum delivered — including equipment availability, sanitation, and safety compliance for any hands-on clinical content.
2
Online Platform Functionality RequiredOnline programs must operate on a platform that reliably delivers course content, tracks student progress, supports instructor-student communication, and maintains student records with reasonable data security.
3
Student Records Management RequiredPrograms must maintain student records (enrollment, completion, assessments) for a minimum of 7 years post-graduation. Records must be accessible for ICONIC Board audit requests within 30 days.
4
Library and Reference Resources EnhancedPrograms seeking Distinguished accreditation must provide students access to current professional literature, research databases, or curated reference libraries appropriate to the subject matter taught.
5
Accessibility Accommodations RequiredPrograms must maintain a documented accommodation policy for students with disabilities and must be able to demonstrate reasonable accommodation processes on request.
06

Student Support Services

Evaluation Domain · 10% of composite score
10% Weight
1
Academic Advising Access RequiredStudents must have access to academic advising — whether via faculty, staff, or documented self-service resources — to support program navigation, progression planning, and course selection decisions.
2
Credential Exam Guidance EnhancedAccredited programs must provide students with information about ICONIC Board credential pathways, including eligibility requirements, application process, and available fast-track benefits for program graduates.
3
Career and Practice Preparation EnhancedPrograms seeking Distinguished accreditation must demonstrate career preparation support — including business development resources, professional network access, or mentorship programming for graduates entering practice.
4
Remediation Support RequiredPrograms must have documented procedures for supporting students who fail to meet competency benchmarks — including additional instruction, reassessment opportunities, and defined criteria for program dismissal.
5
Alumni Engagement EnhancedPrograms seeking Full or Distinguished accreditation must demonstrate alumni engagement initiatives — including continuing education announcements, credential renewal reminders, or community of practice access for graduates.
Evaluation Framework

Composite Scoring & Accreditation Levels

Each domain is scored 0–100 and weighted to produce a composite score. All three accreditation levels require that no single domain score falls below the minimum floor — even if the composite is sufficient.

Provisional Accreditation

Provisional

≥70

Composite score of 70 or higher. No individual domain below 60. Valid for 2 years. For new programs meeting all Required criteria. Annual reporting required throughout provisional period.

Full Accreditation

Full

≥80

Composite score of 80 or higher. No individual domain below 70. Valid for 5 years. Requires documented outcome data from at least one graduating cohort. Renewable with satisfactory annual reports.

Distinguished Accreditation

Distinguished

≥90

Composite score of 90 or higher. No domain below 80. All Enhanced criteria met. Valid for 5 years. Programs receive the "Distinguished" designation on the ICONIC school directory listing.

DomainWeightProvisional FloorFull FloorDistinguished Floor
Curriculum Quality & Depth25%607080
Faculty Credentials & Qualifications20%607080
Student Outcome Tracking20%607080
Institutional Governance & Ethics15%607080
Facilities & Platform10%607080
Student Support Services10%607080
Curriculum Alignments

Discipline-Specific Pathways

Standards apply universally, but minimum contact hours and curriculum scope expectations are calibrated to each credential pathway. Schools may seek accreditation for one or more discipline paths.

🌿

Holistic Health Foundations

Aligned with the IBC-HHA™ credential pathway. Entry-level programs covering foundational holistic health theory and wellness practice. Minimum 60 contact hours.

IBC-HHA™ requirements →
⚕️

Clinical Holistic Practice

Aligned with the IBC-HHP™ credential pathway. Clinical programs with client-facing components requiring documented practice hours. Minimum 120 contact hours.

IBC-HHP™ requirements →
🎓

Holistic Health Education

Aligned with the IBC-HHE™ credential pathway. Advanced programs for educators and expert practitioners. Minimum 180 contact hours with mentorship component.

IBC-HHE™ requirements →
✦

Doctoral Studies in Natural Medicine

Aligned with the IBC-HHD™ credential pathway. Doctoral and post-doctoral programs in natural, functional, or integrative medicine. Minimum 240 contact hours.

IBC-HHD™ requirements →

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