Cognia

Last September, we told you we were seeking accreditation from a trio of the nation’s top accrediting bodies: the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), and the Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC).

And today, we’re pleased to share that Cognia — the parent organization of the above-mentioned agencies — has officially granted The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE) full accreditation status. This is a huge milestone for us, and even more so for the students and families we serve.

What Cognia Accreditation Means for NCOAE Students and Partners

This recognition confirms that NCOAE meets Cognia’s rigorous performance standards, which are the same standards applied to traditional schools, education service providers, and school districts across the country and around the world. More important, it means that students who complete select NCOAE programs — including our High School Summer Block-Semester — may now be eligible to earn and transfer academic credit to their high school.

We’ve always believed that wilderness and the backcountry is a powerful classroom. Now, it’s also an accredited one. 

Why Cognia Accreditation Matters

Cognia is a globally respected nonprofit that accredits more than 36,000 schools and education providers in over 90 countries. Through its regional agencies, Cognia is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Its rigorous evaluation process ensures that institutions like ours deliver high-quality, student-centered learning.

By earning this accreditation, NCOAE: (more…)

The year 2024 was another great one for The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE). From groundbreaking program launches to prestigious accreditations, we’ve continued to grow, innovate, and strengthen our commitment to education and adventure. Here’s a look at our top milestones from 2024:

Celebrating 15 Years of Excellence

In 2024, we celebrated a major milestone: our 15th anniversary. Over the past decade and a half, NCOAE has grown from a vision into a leading outdoor education and adventure programming organization, impacting thousands of lives through our innovative programs. This achievement reflects the passion, dedication, and trust of our community, as well as the vision of our founders and faculty and staff that continue to buy into the NCOAE educational framework. 

Here’s to the next 15 years of adventure and growth!

Cognia Accreditation

This year, we learned that our accreditation from Cognia — an esteemed global organization representing the largest network of accredited institutions — is in its final stage of approval. Cognia is comprised of three of the six U.S. recognized regional accrediting agencies, including the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), and the Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC). Together, they form the largest and most recognized community of accrediting institutions in the world. 

For NCOAE, Cognia accreditation ensures our academic credits are recognized and transferable across schools nationwide and internationally. Cognia accreditation also underscores our commitment to delivering exceptional educational programs that empower students to achieve their academic objectives in non-traditional ways.

Expanding EMT Training to Idaho

We officially became a recognized Proprietary School in Idaho through the Idaho State Board of Education. Our new satellite camp in Idaho offers Hybrid EMT Training in a stunning wilderness setting, blending immersive, hands-on learning with state-of-the-art facilities. This expansion furthers our objective to make EMT certification accessible to more students.

Self-Paced EMT Certification 

Speaking of EMT education that meets the needs of busy students and professionals, we launched our Self-Paced EMT Certification Course in North Carolina and Oregon. This flexible program allows students to gain life-saving skills on their schedule, combining rigorous coursework with real-world applications. It’s the perfect solution for anyone passionate about emergency response but balancing demanding commitments.

High School Semester Programming

In 2024, we finalized our plans for launching our first-ever High School Summer Semester, giving rising 10th and 11th graders a unique opportunity to earn academic credits while embarking on 32-day outdoor adventures in North Carolina, the Pacific Northwest, and Ecuador. With courses in honors Natural Science, Outdoor Leadership, and certifications in Wilderness Medicine, this program sets students up for success in education and life.

Sharing Our Story on the “It’s In the Experience” Podcast

Our co-founders Zac and Celine Adair shared their journey on the Association for Experiential Education’s (AEE) podcast, “It’s In the Experience.” In Episode 15, titled Overcoming Challenges: Creating Positive Experiences in Experiential Education, they reflected on NCOAE’s origins, challenges, and triumphs. The interview offers an inspiring glimpse into our mission and vision.

27 New Blog Posts

In 2024, we enhanced our online presence with 27 new blog posts, covering topics from outdoor education and adventure programming to emergency wilderness and urban medicine. Our blog continues to serve as a valuable resource for educators and students alike, providing insights into life in the outdoor and experiential education community.

As we look back on 2024, we’re filled with gratitude for the milestones we’ve achieved and the community that has supported us along the way. Together, we’re shaping the future of outdoor and adventure education — and we can’t wait to see what’s next.

Thank you for being part of our journey!

Here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE), we are known to be among the best in class among providers of outdoor education and wilderness-based adventures for youths and adults, and wilderness medical and EMT training for adults.

To that end, we are excited to announce that we are currently in the final stage of seeking accreditation with Cognia, a globally recognized nonprofit organization acknowledged by the U.S. Department of Education, that provides accreditation, certification, assessment, and professional learning services for continuous improvement to public, private, and independent postsecondary schools, among others.

NCOAE attributes its success to several qualities that set us apart from others who offer the same or similar services and experiences. These include our highly knowledgeable, experienced, and passionate leadership team and staff and our unique core curriculum, carefully crafted to positively impact each participant’s self-confidence, interpersonal relationships, and commitment to fulfilling their civic and environmental responsibilities.

But we don’t expect you to take our word for it. Several highly reputable, independent organizations have given us their seals of approval through their accreditation programs, including the Association for Experiential Education (AEE) and the Commission on Accreditation for Pre-Hospital Continuing Education (CAPCE). Further boosting our street cred is that fact that both the North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services and the State of North Carolina have approved us to offer an intensive 21-day EMT-Basic training curriculum.

Why Cognia Accreditation Matters

Since 1895, Cognia, most well-known as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS/CASI) rebranded about five years ago, offers research-based performance standards that are created with one end in mind — to ensure high-quality learning. They define the practices that are essential for (more…)