Accreditation

UA universities receive their institutional accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). All three universities (including community campuses) are fully accredited.

What is accreditation?

  • Status a recognized accrediting agency grants to an institution or educational program
  • Institution or program meets the agencies qualifying requirements and accreditation criteria
  • Process involves initial and periodic self-evaluation followed by an evaluation by peers
  • Awarded by a non-governmental agency recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education
  • Provides a professional judgment regarding the quality of the educational institution or program offered and to encourage continual institutional improvement

Types of Accreditation

  • Regional – institutions within a prescribed geographic region (UAA, UAF, UAS)
  • National - institutions that are single purpose in nature (does not apply to UA)
  • Program/Specialized – unit (school, department, program or curriculum) within an institution
  • The Board of Regents Academic and Student Affairs Committee receives an update from each university at its quarterly meeting and the Board receives an annual written report on accreditation status in September

Institutional Accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)

  • UAA, UAF and UAS are all in good standing
  • Seven year review cycle. 
  • UAA:  Site visit and evaluation in 2018, Accreditation reaffirmed in January 2019. Next site visit 2025.
  • UAS: Site visit and Accreditation reaffirmed in 2019. Next site visit in 2026.
  • UAF: Site visit and evaluation in September 2020 (postponed from 2019). Accreditation reaffirmation expected in 2021.

Program and Specialized Accreditation

  • UA has more than 60 program/specialized accreditations across the system
  • Examples of accrediting organizations:
    • Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)
    • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
    • Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
    • Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)


An Assessment of Single Accreditation verses Three Separate Accreditations
https://www.alaska.edu/files/research/Accreditation/UA-1vs3-Accreditation-Review-Final-Report-15_D.Thomas.pdf