Achieve the highest standards in strength and conditioning education with programmatic accreditation through the Council on Accreditation of Strength and Conditioning Education (CASCE), pronounced KASS-KEY. Our standards and assessment of degree programs helps establish a workforce equipped with the professional knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to meet industry standards and be successful in the strength and conditioning industry.
CASCE accreditation means your program adheres to the highest standard of excellence.
Learn about the steps and requirements from application to accreditation.
Access the necessary information to begin the application process for your degree program.
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Accreditation is a non-governmental peer-review process for educational institutions and programs. Working industry professionals evaluate a program against an established set of standards from a shared perspective. Programs voluntarily submit a request for peer evaluation to gain the seal of approval of accreditation.
In consideration of the membership and their constituencies, the NSCA felt the need to respond to the demands of the profession and to ensure Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists were fully prepared to meet professional standards. CASCE has been charged with the responsibility for implementing a process of accreditation specifically for strength and conditioning education programs.
Gaining accreditation not only benefits the accredited program, but also its students and the industry as a whole. Accreditation strengthens admissions recruitment efforts and enrollment growth. Prospective students can be confident in the quality of the accredited program they choose, and the industry gains a well-prepared and qualified workforce.
Even more importantly, accreditation truly matters because even a minimum standard of education and practical experience for practitioners will help keep athletes safe. For example, standardization could eliminate the increasing prevalence of exertional rhabdomyolysis that has been reported during strength and conditioning sessions in college football. The following excerpt is from The NCAA's Interassociation Recommendations: Preventing Catastrophic Injury and Death in Collegiate Athletes:
"Since 2007, 57 NCAA collegiate athletes have been reported as suffering from exertional rhabdomyolysis in nine team outbreaks representing eight different institutions, with 51 of the afflicted athletes requiring hospitalization.[…]. Team outbreaks of exertional rhabdomyolysis in NCAA athletes have similarities of irrationally intense workouts designed and conducted by coaches and/or strength and conditioning professionals."
The NSCA and CASCE leadership believe our responsibility as the gatekeepers of our profession is to provide highly qualified individuals, and accreditation of the CSCS is a critical step toward that goal.
The NCAA has been taking active steps to minimize the number of both traumatic and nontraumatic catastrophic injuries in collegiate athletics. By 2016, every NCAA division required that strength and conditioning professionals be certified by a strength and conditioning program that is either fully accredited or nationally recognized.
While this is not a mandate for accredited degree programs, these legislative changes demonstrate outward facing affirmation by the NCAA that policy change needs to take place in order to ensure student athlete health and safety. The best approach to ensure athlete safety is through quality education and knowledge.
The NSCA and CASCE leadership believes it is our responsibility as the gatekeepers of our profession to help institutions provide highly qualified individuals. Accreditation of strength and conditioning educational programs is a critical step toward that goal.
Anyone currently holding the CSCS credential or earning a CSCS credential before December 31, 2029 will not be affected by the new degree requirement.
719-632-6722 x164
accreditation@nsca.com
CASCE
1885 Bob Johnson Dr.
Colorado Spring, CO 80906