Institutional Accreditation

The Conway School of Landscape Design is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (formerly the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.).

Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the Commission indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality periodically applied through a peer review process. An accredited college or university is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.

Accreditation by the Commission is not partial but applies to the institution as a whole. As such, it is not a guarantee of every course or program offered, or the competence of individual graduates. Rather, it provides reasonable assurance about the quality of opportunities available to students who attend the institution.

Inquiries regarding the accreditation status by the Commission should be directed to the administrative staff of the institution. Individuals may also contact:

New England Commission of Higher Education
3 Burlington Woods Drive, Suite 100, Burlington, MA 01803-4514
(781) 425 7785  |  info@neche.org

Key Facts

The Conway School is a concentrated, intensive, collaborative, and experiential Master of Science in Ecological Design (MSED) program that takes a whole-systems ecological perspective, offering a distinctive academic experience that is firmly rooted in the real world. Students work on real projects for real clients as they are taught and mentored by faculty who are working professionals.

The mission of the school is to explore, develop, practice, and teach design of the land that is ecologically and socially sustainable. This mission guides decision-making at every level, including who is hired, what projects are  undertaken, how the curriculum is structured, which guest instructors are invited, and what sites are visited on field trips.

Co-directors: 
Ken Byrne, Academic Director
Priscilla Novitt, Administrative Director
Bruce J. Stedman, Executive Director

Founded: 1972

Corporate Status: Private, non-profit 501(c)3 organization

Location: Northampton, Massachusetts

Faculty: 2 full time; 5 part-time

Finance: Audited Financial Statements

Financial Aid:
75% receive institutional aid | 73% borrow loans (average based on past three years)
% of students graduating with debt: 56% (average based on past four years)
Average amount of debt for students leaving the institution with a degree: $35,182 (average based on past four years)

Average class size: 16 (average based on past four years)

Enrollment:
(Based on data from past ten years)
Gender: 66% female; 33% male
Students of color: 7%
International: 3%
Full-time: 100%
Part-time: There are no part-time students at the Conway School.

Graduation Rate: 98% (average based on past ten years)

Services and Programs for Servicemembers and Veterans: Yellow Ribbon Program (officially known as Post-9/11 GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon Program)