UC Accreditation

Accreditation is a process used to ensure that an institution meets the standards of quality necessary in higher education. Institutions agree upon those minimum standards in order to establish the criteria for accreditation. Accrediting agencies then facilitate a review process, including peer evaluation, to ensure that the institutions meet those standards. Every accredited institution must provide evidence that it continues to meet these standards and delivers a high quality educational experience for its students. This important process requires that institutions prove to their peers that they are deeply committed to educational quality and continuous improvement.

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an independent corporation that was founded in 1895 as one of seven regional institutional accreditors in the United States. HLC accredits degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions, and is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to act on its behalf as an institutional accrediting agency. The mission of the HLC is to "advance the common good through quality assurance of higher education as the leader in equitable, transformative and trusted accreditation in the service of students and member institutions.”

The University of Cincinnati maintains its HLC accreditation through the Open Pathway process. The University is currently accredited by the Higher Learning Commission with the most recent reaffirmation of accreditation received in 2018. Reaccreditation is conducted on a ten-year cycle. This process includes writing an Assurance Argument, demonstrating Federal Compliance, and hosting a site visit by a team of reviewers comprised of faculty and staff from other universities with similar missions. As part of the Assurance Review, the institution submits an Assurance Argument - along with materials of evidence - explaining how the institution complies with each of the criteria for accreditation.

There are many good reasons to attend an accredited institution, including:

• Quality Education: accredited colleges and universities deliver high-quality educational programs.
• Financial Aid: schools must be accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to process student financial aid.
• Transfer: most schools will only accept transfer credits from an accredited institution.
• Graduate School: most graduate programs will only accept students with degrees from accredited institution.