Higher Learning Commission
Complaint Contact Info
Institutional Accreditation
Universities and colleges in the United States obtain accreditation from non-governmental bodies that are recognized by the U. S. Secretary of Education. Accreditation provides public certification of acceptable institutional quality and an opportunity for critical self-analysis leading to improvement in quality. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Education uses accreditation as a basis for their determination of institutional eligibility for participating in various federally funded programs, including Title IV federal financial aid to students.
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is one of six regional associations recognized by the U.S. Department of Education that accredit institutions of higher education.ÌýÌýaccredits Northern Arizona University. Northern Arizona University’s accreditation extends through 2027-2028.
Northern Arizona University participates in the Higher Learning CommissionÌýOpen Pathways, which includes two processes: Quality Assurance and Quality Initiative.
Specialized AccreditedÌýPrograms
College of Arts & Letters (CAL) Accordion Closed
| Unit | Program | Accrediting Agency | Last Review | Next Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| School of Art | Interior Design BS (Flagstaff & Scottsdale Locations) | 2022-Flagstaff Letter 2024-Scottsdale Letter | 2028-Flagstaff 2026-Scottsdale |
|
| School of Music | Music Programs in: | |||
| Music BA | 2018 Letter | 2026 | ||
| Music Performance BMUS | 2018 Letter | 2026 | ||
| Music MM | 2018 Letter | 2026 | ||
College of Education (COE) Accordion Closed
| Unit | Program | Accrediting Agency | Last Review | Next Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dept. of Educational Leadership | The following programs are both CAEP accredited and state approved: | 2017 Letter Action Report | 2024 | |
| Educational Leadership- Principal Pre K-12 MED | 2024 | |||
| Principal Pre K-12 GCERT | ||||
| Superintendent GCERT | ||||
| Dept. of Educational Psychology | The following programs are both CAEP accredited and state approved: | 2017 Letter Action Report | 2024 | |
| School Psychology EDS | 2022 Letter | 2028 | ||
| Combined Counseling/School Psychology PHD | CAEP and Arizona State Board of Education AND APA (see information in next line) | |||
| 2023 Letter | 2031 | |||
| Counseling - School Counseling MED | 2022 Letter | 2030 | ||
| Clinical Mental Health Counseling, M.A. | 2022 Letter | 2030 | ||
| The programs is under review for state approved (ONLY): | ||||
| Clinical Psychology PSYD | 2023 Letter | 2025 | ||
| Dept. of Educational Specialties | The following programs are both CAEP accredited and state approved: | 2017 Letter Action Report | 2024 | |
| Special and Elementary Education BSED | 2024 | |||
| Special Education - Mild/Moderate Disabilities Certified MED | ||||
| Special Education - Early Childhood Special Education with Certification MED | ||||
| Dept. of Teaching and Learning | The following programs are both CAEP accredited and state approved: | 2017 Letter Action Report | 2024 | |
| Elementary Education BSED | 2024 | |||
| Elementary Education - Certification MED | ||||
| The following program is state approve (ONLY): | ||||
| Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education BSED | 2024 Letter | 2030 |
College of Engineering (SCE) Accordion Closed
| Unit | Program | Accrediting Agency | Last Review | Next Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Civil Engineering, Construction Management, and Environmental Engineering | Construction Management BS | 2023 Letter | 2028 | |
| Department of Civil Engineering, Construction Management, and Environmental Engineering | Engineering: Civil Engineering BS | 2020 Letter | 2026 | |
| Department of Civil Engineering, Construction Management, and Environmental Engineering | Engineering: Environmental Engineering BS | 2020 Letter | 2026 | |
| Department of Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering BS | 2020 Letter | 2026 | |
| School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems | Computer Engineering BS | 2020 Letter | 2026 | |
| School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems | Electrical Engineering BS | 2022 Letter | 2026 | |
| School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems | Computer Science BSCS | 2022 Letter | 2026 |
College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) Accordion Closed
| Unit | Program | Accrediting Agency | Last Review | Next Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athletic Training & Physical Therapy | Athletic Training MS | 2021 Letter | 2031 | |
| Physical Therapy - Entry Level DPT | 2022 Proof | 2030 | ||
| Department of Dental Hygiene | Dental Hygiene BSDH | 2022 Letter | 2028 | |
| Health Sciences | Health Sciences - Fitness Wellness BS | 2022 Letter | 2032 | |
| Nutrition and Foods BS | 2022 Letter | 2030 | ||
| Public Health – Nutrition MPH | 2022 Letter | 2030 | ||
| Communications Sciences and Disorders | Clinical Speech – Language Pathology MS | 2023 Letter | 2031 | |
| Occupational Therapy | Occupational Therapy OTD | 2023 Letter | 2033 | |
| Department of Physician Assistant Studies | Physician Assistant Studies MPAS | 2015 Letter | 2025 |
College of Nursing (CON) Accordion Closed
| Unit | Program | Accrediting Agency | Last Review | Next Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| College of Nursing | Nursing BSN; Nursing – Advanced Practice MS; Nursing MS; Nursing Practice DNP | 2018 | 2028 |
Professional Education Programs (PEP): Initial Teacher Preparation Programs Accordion Closed
| Unit | Program | Accrediting Agency | Last Review | Next Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAL | For each of the following: | 2017 Letter Action Report | 2024 | |
| 2024 | ||||
| Art Education BSED | ||||
| Secondary Education - English BSED | ||||
| Secondary Education - History and Social Studies BSED | ||||
| Secondary Education - Spanish BSED | ||||
| Music Secondary Education BMED | , and | 2018 Letter | 2024 | |
| Spanish MAT | and | 2017 | 2024 | |
| CEFNS | For each of the following: | 2017 Letter Action Report | 2024 | |
| 2024 | ||||
| Secondary Education - Biology BSED | ||||
| Secondary Education - Chemistry BSED | ||||
| Secondary Education - Earth Science BSED | ||||
| Secondary Education - General Science BSED | ||||
| Secondary Education - Mathematics BSED | ||||
| Secondary Education – Physics BSED | ||||
| CHHS | Health Sciences - Physical Education BSED | 2017 Letter Action Report | 2024 | |
| 2024 | ||||
| The institution may designate its program as Nationally Recognized by the SPA, through the semester of the next CAEP accreditation decision, in its published materials. | ||||
The W. A. Franke College of Business Accordion Closed
| Unit | Program | Accrediting Agency | Last Review | Next Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration | Accountancy BSACCY Business Administration MBA Business Economics BSBA Finance BSBA Information Systems BSBA Marketing BSBA Management BSBA | 2020 | 2025 | |
| Hotel and Restaurant Management | Hotel & Restaurant Management, BS | 2018 Letter | 2024 |
Yuma Branch Campus Accordion Closed
| Unit | Program | Accrediting Agency | Last Review | Next Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business & Administration | Bachelor of Administration BBA | 2024 Letter | 2032 | |
| Business & Administration | Applied Business Management BS | 2024 Letter | 2032 | |
| Business & Administration | Logistics and Supply Chain Management BS | 2024 Letter | 2032 | |
| Business & Administration | Global Business Administration MGBA | 2024 Letter | 2032 | |
| Secondary Education | Post-Baccalaureate Secondary Education Certification UCERT | 2024 Proof | 2029 |
Academic Program Licensure Rates
College of Education (COE) Accordion Closed
| Academic Program | Year | NAU Pass Rate | State or National Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Counseling / School Psychology (EPPP) | 2021-2022 | 100% | 85% (National) |
| Positive Behavioral Support, Graduate Certificate | 2021 | 53% | NA |
| Clinical Mental Health Counseling, MA (NCE) | 2020 | 93% | 63% (National) |
| School Psychology EdS (NCSP Praxis) | 2022 | 100% | NA |
Professional Education Programs: Initial Teacher Preparation Programs Accordion Closed
All NAU students pursuing an initial teacher preparation program at the undergraduate or graduate level are required to take an Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessment/National Evaluation Services licensure exam intended to measure candidate professional knowledge and skills aligned to the relevant certificate area. This is an Arizona State Board of Education certification requirement. Several graduate degree programs in school leadership or other school professional programs leading to certification also require candidates to pass licensure exams. These exams provide a summative assessment of candidate knowledge and skills related to the Interstate Teacher Assessment & Support Consortium (InTASC) categories and standards or other professional standards specific to the discipline (i.e., educational leadership, counseling, school psychology).
In November 2017, NAU was nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) for the initial teacher preparation and advanced programs leading to licensure in the state of Arizona. NAU’s initial teacher preparation and advanced programs are also nationally recognized by the discipline Specialized Professional Association or external accrediting agency and approved by the Arizona State Board of Education. Examples of licensure exam rates for NAU graduates are noted in the following table. NOTE: Aggregated scores are only reported when there are 10 or more candidates
Overall Teacher Certification Licensure Exams Pass Rate
| Professional Knowledge Exam | Year | NAU Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Early Childhood | 2020-2021 | 91% |
| Elementary | 2020-2021 | 98% |
| Secondary | 2020-2021 | 99% |
| Special Education | 2020-2021 | 97% |
- Professional Knowledge Early Childhood:ÌýBSEdÌýEarly Childhood and Early Childhood Special EducationÌý
- Professional Knowledge Elementary Exam: BSEd Elementary Ed, MEd elementary Ed-Certification, BSEd Special and Elementary Education, –
- Professional Knowledge Secondary:ÌýBSEdÌýSecondary Education-Biology;ÌýBSEdÌýSecondary Education-Chemistry;ÌýBSEdÌýSecondary Education-Earth Science;ÌýBSEdÌýSecondary Education-General Science;ÌýBSEdÌýSecondary Education-Physics; MAT-S Teaching Science with Certification;ÌýBSEdÌýSecondary Education-Mathematics;ÌýBSEdÌýArt Education;ÌýBMEdÌýMusic Secondary Education;ÌýBSEdÌýSecondary Education-English;ÌýBSEdÌýSecondary Education-History and Social Studies;ÌýBSEdÌýSecondary Education-Spanish;ÌýBSEdÌýHealth Sciences-Physical Education.
- Professional Knowledge Special Education: BSEd Special and Elementary Education, MEd Special Education-Mild/Moderate Disabilities with Certification
Professional Education Programs: Advanced Educator Programs Accordion Closed
The Principal and Superintendent programs are the only advanced preparation programs that require completion of a licensure exam for certification.
AEPA/NES principal and superintendent exams pass rates
Note: Scores are only reported when there are 10 or more candidates, thus the Superintendent results are not reported for 2021-2022. Additionally, NAU only has access to results if candidates note that NAU may receive the results when registering for the exam.
For the Principal exams, we do have the 2021-2022 academic year test data. Your percentages are correct.
- Principal Subtest 1 and 2: MEd Educational Leadership – Principal PreK-12; GCert Principal
- Superintendent Subtest 1 and 2: EdD Educational Leadership – Pre-K-12 Administration; GCert Superintendent
Program List
| Exam | Year | NAU Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Principal Sub-test 1 | 2021-2022 | 84% |
| Principal Sub-test 2 | 2021-2022 | 97% |
College of Engineering (SCE) Accordion Closed
| Academic Program | Year | NAU Pass Rate | State or National Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| ÇàÇà²ÝÊÓƵ Constructor Construction Management (BS) | 2022 | 70% | 55% (National) |
| Civil Engineering | 2022 | 39% | 55% |
College of the Environmental, Forestry, and Natural Sciences (CEFNS) Accordion Closed
| Academic Program | Year | NAU Pass Rate | State or National Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geology | 2020 | 50% | NA |
College of the Health & Human Services (CHHS) Accordion Closed
| Academic Program | Year | NAU Pass Rate | State or National Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athletic Training | 2022 | 94% | 77% (National) |
| Clinical Speech -Language Pathology | 2021-2022 | 88% | 87% (National) |
| Dental Hygiene | 2022 | 97% | 87% (National) |
| Fitness Wellness | 2022 | 70% | 70% (National) |
| Occupational Therapy | 2022 | 100% | 96% |
| Physical Therapy | 2021 | 94% | 99% (National) |
| Physician Assistant | 2022 | First time pass rate (98%) | 95% (First time National pass rate) |
| Registered Dietician | 2021-2022 | 83% | 59% (National) |
College of Nursing (CON) Accordion Closed
| Academic Program | Year | NAU Pass Rate | State or National Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing (AANP) | 2021 | MS-FNP 93% Post Masters-FNP 100% | 83% (National) |
| Nursing (NCLEX) | 2020 | First time pass rate (94%) | 80% (National) |
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) Accordion Closed
| Academic Program | Year | NAU Pass Rate | State or National Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Work MSW | 2021 | 96% | 73% |
The W. A. Franke College of Business Accordion Closed
| Academic Program | Year | NAU Pass Rate | State or National Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certified Public Account (CPA) | 2019 | 65.1% | 52.8% |
Note: Due to changes to the CPA exam, NASBA has ceased publishing results until further notice.
For more information on out-of-state professional licensure visit Professional Licensure Information.
Updated: 11/06/2024