University of Phoenix Accreditation – With 40+ years of history and well over a million alumni, the discussion about the University of Phoenix accreditation has become essential. This is because accreditation is to ensure that the education offered by this institution of higher learning meets the acceptable standards of quality.
Since 1978, the University of Phoenix has been continually accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), hlcommission.org as well as its predecessor. The University is a for-profit University which is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona and was founded in 1976.
The University of Phoenix is known to confer certificates and degrees in over 100 certificate programs and degree programs at the certificate, associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree levels.
University of Phoenix Accreditation
The University of Phoenix has received programmatic accreditation for some of its degree programs and we will be outlining these programs later on. It is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and has an open-enrollment admission policy, which accepts all applicants with a high-school diploma, GED, or its equivalent as accepted for admission.
However, for now let’s understand what programmatic accreditation is all about.
Programmatic Accreditation
Programmatic or specialized accreditation is an additional level of external peer evaluation and quality assurance, which applies to specific programs within a particular institution. The main aim of programmatic accreditation is focused on the curriculum for a specific program(s) and how it is geared towards professional practice.
Programmatic accreditation is aimed at ensuring that the quality of the programs is regularly benchmarked against specific criteria which prepares the students for the industry of choice. With programmatic accreditation, employers and students alike can trust that the program of study meets quality standards which is put in place by the profession.
University of Phoenix Degree Programs With Programmatic Accreditation
There are further specialty accreditations that exist within the University’s different colleges. Accredited programs are required to meet certain minimum standards for the quality and content of the degree.
Nursing Accreditation
The University of Phoenix Nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The programs include The Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs.
Education Accreditation
The following programs offered by the College of Education are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), which is a specialized accrediting body. However, because of a merger of accreditors, NCATE accreditation is administered by the Council for the Accreditation of Education Preparation (CAEP).
These are the programs that are accredited at the University Hawaii campus:
- Bachelor of Science in Education/Elementary Education
- Master of Arts in Education/Elementary Education
- Master of Arts in Education/Secondary Education
- Master of Arts in Education/Special Education.
For the University’s Utah campus, the following programs have received accreditation:
- Bachelor of Science in Education/Elementary Education
- Master of Arts in Education/Elementary Education
- Master of Arts in Education/Secondary Education
- Master of Arts in Education/Special Education
- Master of Arts in Education/Administration and Supervision.
Business Accreditation
In the School of Business, the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) has accredited the following programs:
- Associate of Arts with a concentration in Accounting Fundamentals
- Associate of Arts with a concentration in Business Fundamentals
- Bachelor of Science in Accounting
- Bachelor of Science in Business
- Master of Business Administration
- Master of Management
- Master of Science in Accountancy
- Doctor of Business Administration
- Doctor of Management
Counseling Accreditation
For the campuses at Arizona and Utah, The Master of Science in Counselling program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counselling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP®)
The following program has received accreditation by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), which is a specialized accrediting body. Thus, following a merger of accreditors, NCATE accreditation is administered by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
- At Utah campus, The Master of Science in Counselling/School Counselling.
On the whole, students may fare better at schools that have accreditation, since credits at accredited schools are transferable between institutions, and are favored by employers.
If you intend to attend a professional or postgraduate school, you will need a degree from an accredited school. Thus, institutions are made to reaffirm their accreditation every few years and in 2013, the University was granted an extension of its accreditation until 2023.
