Ensure The Success Of Your Professional Future With An Institutionally Accredited University.

When selecting a university, prospective students often consider tuition rates, financial aid, degree programs, and location, but it's important to also factor in accreditation.

 

What Is Institutional Accreditation?

Accreditation is awarded to qualifying higher education institutes following an investigation by independent, external auditors. It validates the quality of an institution's academic programs at all degree levels, as well as the quality of the institution beyond its academic offerings, by investigating the following questions, and more:

  • Do the degrees offered prepare students for relevant careers in that field?
  • Does the university provide financial and other assistance to students who want it?
  • Are the faculty members adequately qualified to teach their courses?
  • Is the university using ethical strategies to attract prospective students?

These are just a few of the many questions accreditors assess during thorough, months-long investigations. Every aspect of an institution’s process is examined comprehensively with compiled data, documentation, and first-hand observation to determine whether a university has earned accreditation.

CSU Global is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). HLC is an institutional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to accredit degree-granting colleges and universities. HLC maintains an active relationship with its member institutions, with frequent communication and regular reviews to ensure quality higher education. 

What Is The Difference Between Regional, National, and Institutional Accreditation?

Historically, accrediting agencies were divided into two categories: regional and national. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) recognized six regional accrediting bodies in the U.S. that were responsible for accrediting schools in different geographic areas. National accreditation agencies reviewed schools anywhere in the country. Regional accreditation was highly regarded around the world because it was and, as institutional accreditation, continues to be, a comprehensive, peer-reviewed process that ensures a consistent standard of quality for higher education institutions. Historically, regionally accredited universities and colleges usually only accepted transfer credits or degrees from other regionally accredited institutions.

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) was recognized as one of the six regional accreditors by the ED, accrediting and granting membership to educational institutions in the North Central region: Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Regional accreditation is rooted in the history of traditional brick-and-mortar colleges and universities, and CSU Global is proud to have been the first 100% online, fully accredited, nonprofit university in the nation.

In 2020, the ED enacted a change that removed the distinction between regional and national accreditors, and now categorizes both types of agencies as institutional accreditors. The ED also removed the limitation on regional accreditors’ geographic scope. As a result, HLC today is recognized as an institutional accreditor with authority to accredit colleges and universities throughout the U.S. In practice, the HLC will continue to conduct the same thorough evaluation of specific criteria for each institution to achieve its mission of advancing the common good through quality assurance of higher education.

HLC accreditation is based on the thorough evaluation and fulfillment of five specific criteria:

Mission

Integrity: Ethical and Responsible Conduct

Teaching and Learning: Quality, Resources, and Support

Teaching and Learning: Evaluation and Improvement

Institutional Effectiveness, Resources, and Planning

An important aspect of accreditation is that it must be renewed at regular intervals to ensure academic integrity at the level of a state university.

CSU Global is proud to be reaccredited by the HLC following a comprehensive two-year evaluation including self-study, review, and a site visit that concluded in May 2016. The reaffirmation of accreditation has been granted through 2025-2026 and does not include provisional monitoring.

How Does Accreditation Impact You?

A university’s ability to meet and exceed these high standards is necessary for students to ensure that their education will be respected and valued as they enter the workforce, while it facilitates their eligibility for Federal Title IV funds such as Pell Grants and federal higher education loans. If your degree is not from an institutionally accredited university, potential employers may question the validity of your education, which could impact your ability to get the job you deserve.

Institutional accreditation is also important for transferring credits or completing a degree in the future. Many accredited educational programs only accept transfer credits or degrees from other accredited institutions. If you think you may transfer to another university or earn a graduate degree following your bachelor’s, it could be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to transfer credits from an unaccredited university.

Further, colleges and universities must be accredited in order to offer federal financial aid to their students. Students are only eligible to receive federal student aid if they attend an institution accredited by a U.S. Department of Education-recognized agency such as HLC. Institutional accreditation ensures a level of academic quality and demonstrates that the school has positive student outcomes, such as retention, graduation, and employment.

Earning your degree takes hard work, dedicated effort, time, and financial commitment, which is why it’s crucial that your educational investment pays off in the future. Regardless of what university you decide to attend, be sure the institution is institutionally accredited.

Will CSU Global Accept My Transfer Credits?

CSU Global has dedicated faculty that work collaboratively and collectively to provide a generous transfer policy that ensures integrity and quality of credit awards for prior learning and alternative learning education, making it easier for students to graduate sooner and more affordably. We also accept transfer credits from community colleges, other accredited colleges and universities, non-traditional sources, credit-by-exam, and work-experience sources.

CSU Global accepts transfer credits from one of the seven following approved institutional accreditors. These include U.S. based accrediting organizations that have historically been known as regional accreditors:

  • Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) Western Association of Schools and Colleges
  • Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
  • New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
  • Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
  • WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)

CSU Global’s Commitment To Institutional Accreditation Standards

At CSU Global, we take our institutional accreditation very seriously. Achieving the set standards of institutional accreditation means that we respond to the needs of our students and communities. To this end, CSU Global shares the learning outcomes for our programs to ensure that students develop modes of inquiry that contribute to scholarship; engage in gathering, analyzing, and sharing information; and acquire skills that successfully translate beyond the classroom to their personal and professional lives.

The University employs highly qualified faculty, most of whom have terminal degrees, and supports their professional development. Students benefit from faculty that have professional experience in the fields they teach.

Additionally, CSU Global provides effective oversight and delivery of support services to ensure the integrity of research and scholarship practiced by faculty, staff, and students. Support services include:

  • Tutoring
  • Financial aid advising
  • Academic advising
  • Career navigation services
  • Military-specific support
  • Library and research resources
  • Co-curricular activities such as honor societies and student groups

CSU Global also regularly engages with our student population, faculty, and independent reviewers through program evaluation and assessment to confirm that academic rigor is maintained and that graduates are successfully prepared for advanced study and employment.

If you're ready to earn a respected, institutionally accredited degree, take the first step in achieving your goals by clicking the box below.