Is Grand Canyon University Accredited?

Grand Canyon University is an institutionally accredited school with a longstanding tradition of academic diligence. In fact, GCU has been continuously accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1968. In addition, GCU maintains programmatic accreditation across a number of our degree programs.

We offer programs from 10 academic colleges rooted in the Christian faith. Many degree programs are available online, where students have access to the same quality education as our on-campus classes. Flexible options, like evening classes, are available to accommodate the needs of nontraditional learners. No matter how you choose to earn your degree, you can expect academically rich degree programs, curriculum built from the Christian worldview, a supportive learning environment and knowledgeable instructors.

In This Article:

• What Is Institutional Accreditation and Why Is It Important? 
• How Might Accreditation Status Affect Students’ Career Options? 
• Different Types of Accreditations 
• Fuse Your Passion With Purpose at GCU

What Is Institutional Accreditation and Why Is It Important?

Accreditation is a status awarded by independent accrediting organizations, known as accreditors, that are members of the program integrity Triad. The Triad includes accreditors, the federal government and the state where the institution is located. When a university or a degree program is accredited, this means that it has been independently verified as having met certain quality standards. This indicates to prospective students that they can expect to receive a quality education at that school.¹

Academic quality is among the top reasons why institutional accreditation is important. There are a number of other reasons why you should seek an accredited education, including the following:¹

• Federal financial aid is only available for institutionally accredited schools.
• State financial aid usually depends on the university’s accreditation status. 
• Employers may require accreditation for tuition reimbursement. 
• Employers often prefer graduates from accredited schools.² 
• Some licensure exams within certain professional fields require a degree from an accredited program.

How Might Accreditation Status Affect Students’ Career Options?

The quality of higher education can significantly impact graduates’ careers. Some nontraditional students may rely on employer-offered tuition reimbursement to finance their education. However, not all employers are willing to offer tuition reimbursement for students attending schools that aren’t accredited.¹ As a result, earning a degree may be financially out of reach for these students, which can affect their career qualifications.

It’s also known that employers generally prefer to hire graduates who earned a degree from an accredited university, college or program.¹ Accreditation is widely known to be an indicator of academic quality and so employers may presume that graduates from accredited schools are better prepared to tackle modern problems in the workplace than graduates from non-accredited schools.³

A third way in which a school's accreditation status can affect students' career options involves professional licensure. Many careers require professional licensure and a common eligibility requirement for taking a licensure exam is a degree from an accredited school or program.¹

Is Grand Canyon University Regionally Accredited?

GCU is an institutionally accredited school, as the regional accreditation distinction no longer exists.² GCU is proud to continue our tradition of teaching students to be critical thinkers, creative problem-solvers and servant leaders in Christ.

Previously, a university could receive accreditation from national or regional accreditors, however, there is no longer a distinction between the two. Because of this, regional accreditation no longer exists.⁴ Therefore GCU is not regionally accredited, but we are an institutionally accredited university.

Comparing Institutional vs. Programmatic Accreditation

Is GCU accredited programmatically as well as institutionally? Yes, GCU is institutionally accredited and offers programmatically accredited programs. GCU holds institutional accreditation from the HLC and many of our individual programs also maintain specialized, programmatic accreditations from professional- and industry-recognized accrediting bodies.

First, it helps to understand the differences between these two designations. Institutional accreditation assesses the university as a whole. It may assess areas such as mission, integrity, governance, sustainability and overall quality of education. Institutional accreditation affects all students, whether they are taking classes in content creation, criminal justice or engineering.

In contrast, programmatic accreditation takes an in-depth look at just one program at a time. Often focusing on professional fields such as nursing, education and engineering, programmatic accreditation seeks to ensure the quality of the program will adequately prepare future professionals for practice in their field, including professional licensure, if applicable. Programmatic accreditation only affects students enrolled in a particular program and GCU has numerous programs that are programmatically accredited. 

Different Types of Accreditations

GCU, which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, is proud to maintain institutional and programmatic accreditation. The different types of accreditations are as follows:

• Institutional: HLC 
• Programmatic: College and/or Program Specific

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

GCU has been an institutionally accredited university through the HLC since 1968, evaluating our university in areas such as:

• University mission 
• University integrity 
• University and shared governance 
• Educational and co-curricular activities 
• Teaching and learning effectiveness 
• Student academic achievement and resources

The HLC’s university accreditation criteria are both in-depth and broad in scope. For example, regarding university mission, GCU and other accredited schools must demonstrate a commitment to the public good by providing opportunities for civic engagement and embracing a diverse, multicultural and globally connected society. The mission must also guide the institution’s operations.⁵

In terms of university integrity, the HLC evaluates ethical and responsible conduct across multiple areas such as governance, administration and faculty. Schools must have clear policies and processes that promote fair and ethical behavior.⁵

Programmatic Accreditation

Alongside our core commitment to maintaining institutional accreditation, GCU is pleased to offer numerous programs that have received programmatic accreditation. Programmatic accreditation means that a particular program has fulfilled accreditation criteria established by a specialized accreditor, such as accreditors that specialize in nursing or counseling education, for example.

You can explore our programmatic accreditation within our individual colleges:

• Colangelo College of Business 
• College of Education 
• College of Engineering and Technology 
• College of Humanities and Social Sciences  
• College of Natural Sciences 
• College of Nursing and Health Care Professions 
• Grand Canyon Theological Seminary

Fuse Your Passion With Purpose at GCU 

GCU invites you to explore the possibilities at our Christian learning community. We offer a broad selection of online, in-person and evening degree programs for undergraduate and graduate students, including the Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Pre-Licensure) and Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry. When you fill out the form on this page, you can connect with a university counselor to discuss your future at GCU.