Accredited by HLC

American Public University is part of the American Public University System (APUS), which is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) (www.hlcommission.org). HLC accredits degree-granting institutions located in a 19-state region, and is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Universities such as The Ohio State, University of Chicago and the U.S. Air Force Academy are also accredited by HLC.

Accreditation Matters

As an accredited institution, our university is eligible to participate in federal educational entitlement programs, such as military tuition assistance, government tuition reimbursement programs, the Department of Veterans Affairs GI Bill, and many corporate education assistance programs. In addition, APUS has been granted approval by the Department of Education to participate in Title IV Federal Student Aid (FSA) Programs.

Credits and degrees earned through APUS may be recognized for promotion, assignment, and position qualification standards within the military, federal government, and private sector.

Note: Credits earned here are considered transfer-eligible based on our accreditation, but the university cannot guarantee that all your credits will be accepted, as acceptance of credit is always the prerogative of the receiving institution.

Specialized Accreditation

The academic programs listed here have additional specialized accreditation granted from external industry governing organizations. Specialized accreditation adds a level of rigor to the curriculum and demonstrates to employers that graduates of these programs have achieved the required knowledge and skills to perform in their professions. Specialty accreditation at APU apply to degrees in business, health sciences, and public safety. 

Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)

ACBSP accredits business, accounting, and business-related programs at the associate, baccalaureate, master, and doctorate degree levels. Recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) in 2001 and again in 2011, ACBSP was the first to offer specialized business accreditation at all degree levels.

These programs in the APU School of Business have achieved ACBSP accreditation:

A.S., B.S., and M.S. in Accounting (B.S. and M.S. with additional ACBSP Specialized Accounting Accreditation) 

A.A. in Business Administration

BBA - Bachelor of Business Administration

MBA - Master of Business Administration

B.S. in Business Analytics

B.A. and M.A. in Entrepreneurship

B.A. in Government Contracting and Acquisition

A.A. and B.A. in Hospitality Management

B.A. in Marketing

A.A., B.A., and M.A. in Management

A.A. and B.A. in Retail Management

A.A. in Real Estate Studies

B.A. and M.A. in Reverse Logistics Management

B.A. and M.A. in Transportation and Logistics Management

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) is an autonomous accrediting agency contributing to the improvement of the public's health. CCNE ensures the quality and integrity of baccalaureate, graduate, and residency programs in nursing. As a voluntary, self-regulatory process, CCNE accreditation supports and encourages continuing self-assessment by nursing programs and supports continuing growth and improvement of collegiate professional education and post-baccalaureate nurse residency programs. The baccalaureate and master's degree programs in nursing at American Public University System are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

Our B.S. in Nursing, M.S. in Nursing and our R.N. to M.S.N. are all accredited by CCNE. 

Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)

The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) is an independent agency recognized by the US Department of Education to accredit schools of public health and public health programs offered in settings other than schools of public health.

Our Master’s in Public Health is accredited by CEPH for a five-year term, extending to July 1, 2022. A copy of the self-study and the final report from CEPH can be requested by emailing [email protected].

International Fire Service Accreditation Congress 

The International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) is a peer-driven, self-governing system of both fire service certifying entities and higher education fire-related degree programs. IFSAC's mission is to plan and administer a high-quality, uniformly delivered accreditation system with an international scope. IFSAC has accredited these programs at the university: 

A.S. Fire Science
B.S. Fire Science Management 
B.A. Emergency and Disaster Management 
M.A. Emergency and Disaster Management 
Dual M.A. Emergency and Disaster Management & Homeland Security

Health Information Management

The Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) strives to provide the public with effective and consistent quality monitoring of academic programs in health information management (HIM) and health informatics (HI) through maintenance of accreditation policies and processes.

The Baccalaureate Degree Health Information Management program at American Public University System is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

Professional Recognition and Affiliation

Child and Family Development
National Council on Family Relations (NCFR)

Cybersecurity
National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education

Management
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

Information Systems Security
National Security Agency (NSA) - Information Assurance Courseware Evaluation (IACE)

Sports and Health Sciences
American Sport Education Program (ASEP) (B.S.)
National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) (M.S.)

State Authorization

The university is engaged in a continuous process to certify that it is recognized as an accredited institution of higher learning by all 50 states and the District of Columbia. For more information on state specific details visit our State Authorization page.

Contact Us

If you have questions or need further information on accreditation, please contact the Office of Institutional Accreditation at [email protected] or 304-724-3778.