Accreditation

INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITATION

Western Oregon University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

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 is not partial but 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.

Inquiries regarding an institution’s accredited status by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities should be directed to the administrative staff of the institution. Individuals may also contact:

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, 8060 165th Avenue N.E., Suite 100, Redmond, WA 98052

(425) 558‐4224     www.nwccu.org

Accreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities refers to the institution as a whole. Therefore, statements like “fully accredited” or “this program is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities” or “this degree is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities” are incorrect and should not be used.

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NWCCU Documents

• Reaffirmation of Accreditation letter (July 2023)
• Evaluation of Institutional Effectiveness (Year 7) Peer-Evaluation Report
• Year Seven Mission Fulfillment and Institutional Effectiveness Self-Evaluation Report and Appendices
• Year Six Policies, Regulations and Financial Report (March 2022), Exhibits and Peer Evaluation
• Mid-Cycle Report (March 2019) including
  • Updates to Recommendations 4, 6, and 7 as required by NWCCU
  • Response to Recommendation 5 as required by NWCCU
  • NWCCU Notification of Response
• Ad Hoc Report (September 2017)
  • NWCCU Notification of Response
• Year One Mission and Core Themes Report (March 2017) & Responses to Recommendations 1, 2, and 3 as required by NWCCU
• NWCCU Eligibility and Accreditation Standards
• NWCCU Reaffirmation of Accreditation with Recommendations (July 2016) (WOU login required)
• NWCCU Evaluation Committee Recommendation Report (May 2016) (WOU login required)

Updates

STATE AUTHORIZATION

Western Oregon University is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) and is authorized to enroll students residing in all 50 states, as well as several territories, of the United States. For more information, visit our State Authorization information page.

PROGRAM ACCREDITATION

• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (CAEP) (last renewed in 2015, awaiting results of 2023 review) accredits the College of Education as a unit for all of its educator programs

• The Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) (last renewed in 2021, without conditions) accredits primary licensure and add-on programs related to teacher preparation

• Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) (last renewed in 2017, due for review in 2024) accredits the MS in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling program