Accreditation is a voluntary review process that a college or university goes through to demonstrate that it meets certain standards. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the goal of accreditation is to ensure that institutions of higher education meet acceptable levels of quality. Read more about accreditation here.

Accreditation is important not only because it ensures a college or university meets certain standards of quality, but also because it is necessary for an institution to be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency in order for eligible students to receive federal student aid from the U.S. Department of Education.

The WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) is a nonprofit organization that is recognized as an institutional accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education. WSCUC accredits public and private higher education institutions as well as a limited number of institutions outside the United States. A WSCUC accreditation is a respected symbol of  quality. You can find the list of institutions accredited by WSCUC in the directory of institutions.

An accreditor reviews higher education institutions seeking its accreditation and oversees periodic reviews of institutions that are already accredited. This review examines the college or university in areas such as student learning, governance, administration, financial stability, student services, institutional resources and other aspects of how the institution functions to make sure that it meets certain standards.

WSCUC accreditation is relevant to students because they can be assured that the college or university has met standards of quality, is engaged in continuous review, and that eligible students have access to federal financial aid.

For each of its accredited institutions, WSCUC posts contact information, key personnel, locations, current accreditation status, number of students, type and characteristics of the institution, degrees and programs offered (both onsite and distance education), and year of upcoming reviews.  Commission actions, including team reports and letters, which provide details on the institution’s review process such as both commendable items and areas requiring a response are also posted. All of this information is available in the directory of institutions.

The list of WSCUC accredited institutions, including those with any sort of Sanction or Notice of Concern, are on the WSCUC website in the directory of institutions.

If an institution is accredited after a student attends and graduates and/or leaves the institution, there is no impact on that student’s credits or degree. The credits and/or degree will still be from an unaccredited institution, and it will be up to an employer or institution to decide on degree recognition or credit transfer acceptance.

When an institution stops enrolling new students and lets only its existing students finish their studies, this is called a “teach-out”. WSCUC requires that an institution identify a permanent location where transcripts will be kept as part of its teach-out process. On the Formerly Accredited or Candidate Institutions page, WSCUC posts when the institution closed and where transcripts can be obtained.

No, however, accredited institutions will usually only consider accepting transfer credits from other accredited institutions.

Accreditation is a voluntary review process, conducted by a recognized accrediting organization, that a college or university goes through to demonstrate that it meets certain standards. Licensure is a process in many states whereby a program is allowed to operate and is granted the ability to have students who complete the program sit for the licensing exam in their field of study. The Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) has information about State Licensed or Authorized Institutions here.

WSCUC values information provided by students, employees, and others in determining whether an institution’s performance is consistent with the Standards of Accreditation and Commission policies and procedures and has therefore established a policy and process for accepting complaints or comments. However, WSCUC does not mediate or resolve grievances around an individual employee or student issue, including issues of admission decisions, granting or transfer of academic credit, grades, fees, student financial aid, student discipline, transcripts, collective bargaining, faculty or staff appointments, promotion, tenure, contractual rights and obligations, and dismissals or similar matters.

The WSCUC Complaint and Third-Party Comment Policy is here.

Complaints are usually filed by employees or students who have grievances that draw into question the member institution’s adherence to one or more Commission Accreditation Standards or Policies. Even if a complaint is submitted on another person’s behalf, all information related to the complaint would be addressed to the employee or student who is the subject of the complaint.

Visit the WSCUC contact page.

For more information on student success and post-graduation outcomes for institutions of higher education, visit this resource on the WSCUC website.

For more information on accreditation, please visit the U.S. Department of Education website.