Questions About Accreditation

Accreditation is your assurance that the University meets standards for quality established by one of the six regional accrediting bodies authorized by the US Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

University of Phoenix is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association.

Regional accreditation is an institutional-level accreditation status granted by one of six U.S. regional accrediting bodies.

National accreditation is granted to specialized institutions—technical schools, health or computer related institutions, for example—that offer at least an associate’s degree. The national accrediting bodies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education are:  

• Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges
• Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools
• Accrediting Commission for Career Schools/Colleges of Technology
• Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools
• Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools
• The Association of Theological Schools
• Council on Occupational Education
• Distance Education and Training Council

Programmatic or specialized accreditation applies to specific programs or coursework within an institution and is often associated with professional organizations.

Accreditation by more than one regional accrediting body is not permitted by the U.S. Department of Education.

ACBSP is one of two major internationally active organizations that accredit business schools and programs. The other is the Association to Advance Schools of Business International (AACSB).

ACBSP standards for academic excellence are designed to align with the mission of teaching institutions with an emphasis on student learning, supported by continuous quality improvement and faculty scholarship.

The AACSB also focuses on academic excellence, but are designed to align with the mission of research institutions. Their emphasis is on faculty scholarship and research, while recognizing the value of teaching and continuous quality improvement.

ACBSP standards align with University of Phoenix, which emphasizes student learning supported by continuous quality improvement and faculty scholarship.

ACBSP has accredited the Associate of Arts with a concentration in Foundations of Business, Associate of Arts with a concentration in Accounting, Bachelor of Science in Business, Master of Business Administration, Master of Management, Doctor of Management and Doctor of Business Administration.

Yes, among the colleges and universities in the United States that offer business programs, about one-quarter have earned programmatic accreditation from one of the two accrediting organizations. 

Because only about one in four business schools offer programs accredited by a programmatic accrediting body, University of Phoenix is part of an elite group in the higher education community for business students.

CCNE is the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and is recognized as a specialized accrediting body, focusing on baccalaureate and graduate education nursing programs.

Nursing Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education CCNE
www.aacn.nche.edu
American Association of Colleges of Nursing
One Dupont Circle NW Suite 530 Washington, DC 20036

Yes. Our Bachelor of Science in Nursing and the Master of Science in Nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

CACREP is the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, a specialized accrediting body formed as an affiliate of the American Counseling Association (ACA).

Yes. The Master of Science in Counseling program in Community Counseling (Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona campuses) and the Master of Science in Counseling program in Mental Health Counseling (Salt Lake City, Utah campus) are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).