Accreditation

"The goal of accreditation is to ensure that institutions of higher education meet acceptable levels of quality."

From U.S. Department of Education, Accreditation in the United States

Southern Utah University has been continually accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) since 1933.

Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality evaluated 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 Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities 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.

Why is Accreditation Important?

Accreditation is valuable because it indicates that the institution of higher education engages in comprehensive planning and external evaluation, that its academic programs meet important quality standards, that credits and degrees awarded by the institution are recognized by other colleges and universities, and that students enrolled at the institution are eligible to receive important forms of financial assistance, including grants, scholarships, and loans.