Institutional Accreditation
PNWU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities 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 Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities 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 an institution’s accredited status by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities should be directed to the administrative staff of the institution. Individuals may also contact:
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
8060 165th Avenue N.E. Suite 100
Redmond, WA 98052
425.558.4224
www.nwccu.org
Reporting a complaint of program integrity or an accreditation violation:
Program Integrity
Students who are dissatisfied or disagree with an action, decision, or omission within the control or responsibility of PNWU relative to program integrity (e.g. accuracy of information about tuition, fees, or financial aid; veracity of recruitment and/or marketing materials; quality of education; etc.) may submit a complaint following the Student Complaint of Program Integrity Procedure.
Accreditation Violation
Anyone who believes PNWU is in violation of an accreditation standard, eligibility requirement, policy, procedure, or other related element should first review the Complaints Related to Accreditation Policy and then may submit a complaint following the Complaints Related to Accreditation Procedure.
Programmatic Accreditation
College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM)
PNWU-COM has received Accreditation status from the American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (AOA COCA), which is the recognized accrediting agency for the approval of colleges and programs leading to the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree. The address and phone number of the accrediting agency are:
Contact information for the AOA COCA:
American Osteopathic Association Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation
142 E. Ontario St.
Chicago, IL 60611-2864
Toll-free phone: 800.621.1773
General phone: 312.202.8000
Fax: 312.202.8200
predoc@osteopathic.org
School of Physical Therapy (SOPT)
Effective October 29, 2024, the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone:703.706.3245; email: accreditation@apta.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 509.249.7752 or email dpt@pnwu.edu.
Candidate for Accreditation is an accreditation status affiliation with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education that indicates the program may matriculate students in technical/professional courses. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status does not assure that the program will be granted Initial Accreditation.
School of Occupational Therapy (SOT)
The entry-level occupational therapy master’s degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Preaccreditation Status on December 12, 2024, by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-6611, their email is accred@aota.org and the web address is www.acoteonline.org.
The program must complete an on-site evaluation and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
School of Dental Medicine (SDM)
Effective August 8, 2024, the Doctor of Dental Medicine program at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences has been granted the accreditation status of Initial Accreditation by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education.
The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at 1 (312) 440-4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60611. The Commission’s web address is: https://coda.ada.org.
Degree Authorization
Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences is authorized by the Washington Student Achievement Council and meets the requirements and minimal educational standards established for degree-granting institutions under the Degree-Granting Institutions Act. This authorization is subject to periodic review and authorizes Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences to offer specific degree programs. The Council may be contacted for a list of currently authorized programs. Authorization by the Council does not carry with it an endorsement by the Council of the institution or its programs. Any person desiring information about the requirements of the act or the applicability of those requirements to the institution may contact the Council at P.O. Box 43430, Olympia, WA 98504-3430 or by email at degreeauthorization@wsac.wa.gov.
The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) has authority to investigate student complaints against specific schools. WSAC may not be able to investigate every student complaint. Visit http://www.wsac.wa.gov/student-complaints for information regarding the WSAC complaint process.
Professional Licensure Disclosure Statement
In compliance with the U.S. Department of Education, PNWU is not currently required to provide direct disclosures of professional licensure and certification requirements to students for its relevant programs because all PNWU professional programs satisfy the educational requirements for licensure in all 50 states. PNWU is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Title IV approved institution. Additionally, NWCCU is a recognized accreditation organization by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Please note that licensure requirements are always subject to change. Although the PNWU will confirm the licensure requirements on a routine basis, we strongly recommend that you inquire with the state board to confirm that you understand and will meet the requirements for licensure before enrolling in your program of choice. Additionally, while progressing through any of these programs, we recommend that you check licensing agency requirements regularly to monitor whether they have changed in a manner that impacts your licensure plans.
Programmatic Professional Licensure Disclosures can be found on the PNWU Professional Licensure Website.
Authorization in Other States (NC-SARA)
Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements NC-SARA (National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements). This is a multi-state consortium that manages oversight of distance education, including preceptorships and practicums in which students may engage outside of Washington. PNWU seeks approval, authorization, or exemption to operate in other states as needed. To see the list of states, visit States Approved for Clinical Rotations.
NWCCU Accreditation Handbook
PNWU Policies
2020-21 Mission Fulfillment Report
2021-22 Mission Fulfillment Report
2022-23 Mission Fulfillment Report
Contact Information
Lori Fulton, EdD
Assistant Provost of Integrated Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO)
111 University Parkway, Suite 202
Yakima, WA 98901
lfulton@pnwu.edu
Michael Franson, MA
Assistant Director of Accreditation and Accreditation Liaison Delegate
111 University Parkway, Suite 202
Yakima, WA 98901
mfranson@pnwu.edu
