Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)

The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities is a regional accreditation organization that has been recognized by the United States Department of Education since 1952. It is important that the federal government recognizes them because that means that they uphold the highest standards of excellence when it comes to accreditation. The NWCCU is located in Redmond, Washington and was originally founded in 1917 as part of the Northwest Association of Schools and of Colleges and Universities. The states served by the NWCCU are Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.

The NWCCU has a very specific mission. They are devoted to reviewing schools that fall within their region and making sure they follow the criteria established by the organization. If they live up to the standards set by the NWCCU, they are granted accreditation. Schools are subject to a review that will determine if the accreditation should be renewed after accreditation is granted. The NWCCU's goal is to assure educational quality, enhance institutional effectiveness, and make sure that the colleges and universities are constantly improving by making changes based on the evaluations. The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities also upholds these standards by constantly updating and revising their own criteria so that it will help fit in with the mission statement.

Online Colleges Accredited by NWCCU

For more information and a complete list of schools accredited by NWCCU, visit http://www.nwccu.org/.