Established in 1978, the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) is the accrediting agency for nurse anesthesia programs in the United States, is territories, and protectorates. Its mission is to grant public recognition to nurse anesthesia programs and institutions that award post master's certificates, master's, and doctoral degrees that meet nationally established standards of academic quality (quality assessment) as well as to assist programs and institutions in improving educational quality (quality enhancement).