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Accreditations and Approvals

Accreditation is a process of external review in which an institution of higher education demonstrates that its academic programs, support services, and operational functions meet broad quality standards. Accreditation is a continuous cycle of evaluation carried out by independent, nongovernmental agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. While accreditation in the United States is voluntary, it not only establishes markers of quality but provides access to federal and state funding, facilitates the transfer of college credits, and strengthens public confidence in higher education. For more information on the role of accreditation within higher education, the Higher Learning Commission has published, Ask the Right Questions: A Student Guide to Higher Education.

Institutional Accreditation

Viterbo University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Specialized Accreditations

Viterbo University is accredited for academic programs in specialized fields by the following organizations, which are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

  • Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)
  • Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
  • Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)
  • American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)
  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
  • Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
  • Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) - Candidate Status
  • Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
  • National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)

State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement

Pursuant to Wis. Stats. Ch. 39.85, et. al, the State of Wisconsin is a member of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) through the Midwestern Higher Education Compact, which regulates the manner in which participating institutions may offer distance learning education to students who reside in other states. Viterbo University is a participating institution in SARA. For more information, visit Viterbo's SARA web page.

State Approvals

Viterbo University is approved by state agencies in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin to deliver the following educational programs:

  • The nursing program is approved by the Wisconsin State Board of Nursing for the licensure of registered nurses.
  • The Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling program is recognized by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, Board of Marriage and Family Therapists, Professional Counselors, and Social Work as an accredited program that prepares students to apply for a Licensed Professional Counselor credential in the state of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa, upon completion of 3000 hours post-degree practice with specific supervision. Note: Minnesota and Iowa have their own state credentialing boards.
  • The social work program is recognized by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, Board of Marriage and Family Therapists, Professional Counselors, and Social Work as an accredited program that prepares students to apply for Certified Social Worker credential in the state of Wisconsin. The accreditation is also recognized by American Social Work Boards for credentialing in the United States.
  • The substance abuse counseling program is approved by the State of Wisconsin’s Department of Safety and Professional Services as a pre-certification education program for Substance Abuse Counselor certification in the state of Wisconsin.
  • Viterbo University is recognized by the Wisconsin State Department of Public Instruction for the certification of teachers in the elementary and secondary schools and for the training of veterans.
  • Viterbo University is registered with the Iowa College Student Aid Commission to offer programs via face-to-face and distance education delivery to Iowa residents. Iowa students with questions about the university may contact the commission by phone at 877-272-4456 or file a complaint at https://iowacollegeaid.gov/StudentComplaintForm.
  • Viterbo University is recognized and approved by the Iowa State Board of Education for the K-12 Principal licensure/Supervisor of Special Education (189).
  • Viterbo University is registered as a private institution with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education pursuant to Minnesota Statues, sections 136A.61 to 136A.71. Registration is not an endorsement of the institution. Credits earned at the institution may not transfer to all other institutions.

Institutional Memberships

Viterbo University is an institutional member of the following higher education organizations and associations:

  • American Association for Employment in Education (AAEE)
  • American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)  
  • American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Offices (AACRAO)
  • American Association of University Women (AAUW)
  • Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU)
  • Association of Franciscan Colleges and Universities (AFCU)
  • Association of Governing Boards (AGB)
  • Association of Student Affairs at Catholic Colleges and Universities (ASACCU)
  • College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR)
  • College Board
  • Cooperative Education & Internship Association (CEIA)
  • Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
  • Council of Independent Colleges (CIC)
  • Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
  • Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) 
  • National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)
  • National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO)
  • National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)
  • National Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals (NAGAP)
  • National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU)
  • National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
  • National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA)
  • National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA)
  • National Association of Veterans' Program Administrators (NAVPA)
  • National Career Development Association (NCDA)
  • National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA)
  • National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NS-SARA)
  • National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA)
  • Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE)
  • North Star Athletic Association (NSAA)
  • The Society for College and University Planning (SCUP)
  • Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (WAICU)

For more information, contact:

Timothy Schorr, DMA
Assistant Vice President, Institutional Effectiveness
HLC Accreditation Liaison Officer
tbschorr@viterbo.edu
608-796-3774
Murphy Center 223