Institutional Effectiveness
Accreditation
Institutional Accreditation
Central Washington University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. This accreditation is a rigorous, peer-reviewed process that confirms the quality of our academic programs and services. The accreditation process requires CWU to regularly evaluate its academic programs and services, demonstrating how we continually improve to serve our students and fulfill our mission.
NWCCU-accredited institutions must follow a schedule of accreditation-related activities known as the Seven Year Cycle and abide by NWCCU’s Eligibility Requirements, Standards, and Policies. Throughout the seven-year cycle, every institution is reviewed by NWCCU staff, teams of peer evaluators, and the Board of Commissioners to confirm the institution is working to fulfill its mission, addressing problems identified previously, continuously improving, offering high quality education, and supporting student success and closing equity gaps. The notable components for the current seven year cycle are:
Mid-Cycle Report | Spring 2022
Policies, Regulations, and Financial Resources (PRFR) Report | Fall 2025
Evaluation of Institutional Effectiveness Report | Spring 2026
Specialized Accreditation
Institutional accreditation applies to the university as a whole, though many of CWU's undergraduate and graduate programs hold specialized accreditation from discipline-specific organizations. This designation indicates that the program has been rigorously evaluated and meets its field's high standards for quality. CWU programs hold the following specialized accreditations:
- Applied and Natural Science Accreditation Commission of ABET
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB)
- American Council for Construction Education (ACCE)
- Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)
- American Chemical Society (Committee on Professional Training)
- Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
- Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET
- National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)
- National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
CWU News
Ellensburg Police Department continues long tradition of hiring CWU alumni
March 2, 2026 by Rune Torgersen
Coping With Clouds event helps brighten up the SURC
March 2, 2026 by David Leder