Accreditation
UNC’s accreditation ensures a trusted, quality education that supports your goals and prepares you for careers, grad school, and licensure.
What Accreditation Means for You
Accreditation matters. It ensures your degree comes from a university that meets high-quality standards. It also opens doors: financial aid, career licenses, and credit transfers are often only available through accredited institutions. Accreditation means a college or university has met standards set by recognized accrediting agencies. In Colorado, all public colleges and universities must be accredited.
UNC’s Accreditation
Since 1916, the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), an institutional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. This accreditation confirms UNC meets rigorous standards for academic quality, student support, and institutional effectiveness. UNC is also designated by the State of Colorado as a comprehensive university offering undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees.
Why Accreditation Is Important
Because UNC is accredited:
- You can apply for federal and state financial aid
- After graduation, you may qualify for professional licenses and certifications in fields like teaching, nursing, and counseling
- Your credits can transfer to other accredited schools
- You have access to federally funded programs and research
Specialized Program Accreditation
In addition to institutional accreditation, many UNC academic programs pursue specialized accreditation related to specific professional fields. This is especially important in fields that require licensure or certification. Programs in areas such as business, education, health sciences, and the arts often go through extra review to ensure they meet professional standards.
Not all programs need this type of accreditation. For example, majors like English or history don’t have specialized accrediting bodies. But for programs where it matters, UNC meets the mark: every UNC degree that requires specialized accreditation for licensure or certification is accredited.
Accreditation helps ensure that your UNC degree will be respected by graduate schools, employers, and licensing boards and that you’ll be well-prepared for the next step in your academic or professional journey.