Our Accreditation

University Accreditation — A Critical Credential

Accreditation is an important credential to look for when choosing a university. If you have credits to transfer, you want to make sure both universities are accredited and allow transfer of credits. Accreditation is also important for your degree to be recognized by employers and professional associations. Accreditation is an assurance to students and the public that an institution meets or exceeds standards for quality of faculty, curriculum, learner services, and fiscal stability.

Capella University's Accreditation

Capella University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), www.ncahlc.org.
Capella University, Capella Tower, 225 South Sixth Street, Ninth Floor, Minneapolis, MN 55402, 1-888-CAPELLA (227-3552), www.capella.edu.

Leading the Way for Quality Online Education

In 2000, Capella University became the first online academic institution to become a charter participant of the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) of the NCA. AQIP participants commit to a program of continuous quality improvement (CQI) similar to initiatives practiced in other industries.

AQIP provides an alternative model of accreditation maintenance with The Higher Learning Commission. Instead of the traditional 10-year review cycle, AQIP participants adhere to an ongoing annual review regimen. By participating in AQIP, Capella is required to analyze its operational processes and measure outcomes within each of nine different quality criteria, and to set ambitious performance goals, such as converting all its courses to an outcomes/competency-based model. Learn more about Capella's AQIP Portfolio.

What Types of Accreditation are Available?

Regional accreditation agencies accredit public and private, non-profit and for-profit, and undergraduate and graduate institutions in the United States. Capella University has this type of accreditation.

Specialized and professional accrediting organizations accredit specific programs or schools such as law and business schools, or programs in educational administration and teacher education. For example, the American Counseling Association's Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) has accredited Capella's Mental Health Counseling, School Counseling, and Marriage and Family Therapy programs in the Harold Abel School of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

National accrediting bodies accredit a wide variety of institutions, most frequently single-purpose institutions (e.g., flight schools), private career institutions, and religiously-affiliated colleges and universities.