Accreditation at the University of Northern Colorado

Two female students watching a teacherRegional Accreditation

Since 1916, the University of Northern Colorado has been fully accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), one of six regional accrediting bodies in the United States.  The purpose of regional accreditation is to assure the public regarding institutional quality.  UNC’s accreditation was reaffirmed by NCA’s Higher Learning Commission (HLC) in September 2004, following a comprehensive self study and external review process.  For more information about regional accreditation at UNC, visit Accreditation Review.

Specialized Accreditation

In addition to regional accreditation, specialized accreditation is held by numerous UNC academic programs.  Specialized accreditation refers to discipline-specific accrediting bodies that assess competencies related to a specific profession.  Academic programs seek specialized accreditation for a variety of reasons, including a desire to ensure that the program is consistent with the agreed upon standards of the profession and to assure students, graduates, and employers of program quality.

NCATE Accreditation

The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) is a professional accrediting body dedicated to ensuring high quality teacher preparation.  The University of Northern Colorado was among the first institutions to be accredited by NCATE when it was formed in 1954.  We are currently preparing for a site visit in Fall 2008.  For more information, visit the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences.