The Southern Wesleyan University school of education has earned accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

The Southern Wesleyan program earned accreditation at the initial teacher preparation and advanced preparation levels, according to a news release from the university.

Students earning an education degree from Southern Wesleyan University now will be more highly competitive nationwide when seeking teaching positions, according to the release.

The preparation for the accreditation was a five-year process, according to Ray Locy, associate dean of the school of education, who led Southern Wesleyan’s accreditation efforts.

Nine representatives from the NCATE Board of Examiners, including representatives from the South Carolina Department of Education, visited the Southern Wesleyan campus in Central Nov. 3-7, 2007. The examiners found that the school of education met standards that ensure that prospective teachers possess in-depth knowledge of their subject matter and the skills necessary for effective teaching, according to the release.

“Even though we are a small institution, at the same time being NCATE accredited means we’ve met the same rigorous standards that any other major university in the United States that’s NCATE accredited has met,” Locy said.