Pacific Lutheran University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
Accreditation of an institution of higher education by NWCCU indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality evaluated through a peer review process. An accredited college or university is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.
Accreditation by the NWCCU is not partial but applies to the institution as a whole. As such, it is not a guarantee of every course or program offered, or the competence of individual graduates. Rather, it provides reasonable assurance about the quality of opportunities available to students who attend the institution.
Inquiries regarding PLU’s accreditation status by NWCCU should be directed to the NWCCU accreditation liaison officer at PLU. Individuals may contact:
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
8060 165th Ave NE, Suite 100
Redmond, WA 98052
(425) 558-4224
www.nwccu.org
In addition, the following programs hold specialized accreditations and approvals:
Business: The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International)
Computer Science (B.S.): Accredited by Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET
Marriage and Family Therapy: Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
Music: National Association of Schools of Music
Nursing: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission
Social Work: Council on Social Work Education
Current and historical documents related to the University’s accreditation can be found on the Accreditation webpage.
Certification
Chemistry: (including certified Biochemistry and Chemical Physics Options) – American Chemical Society
Approval
Education: State of Washington Professional Educator Standards Board
Institutional Research and Analytics Information
To view information on enrollment, retention of First-Year students and faculty, go to: www.plu.edu/institutional-research/