The Higher Learning Commission's Criteria for Accreditation are, "...the standards of quality by which the Commission determines whether an institution merits accreditation or reaffirmation of accreditation."

The responsibility for assuring quality falls upon the institution itself. A major segment of the Criteria gauges the ability of an institution to satisfy the requirement of assessing its own quality and to be able to produce documentation affirming their discoveries.

Accreditation Criteria

The following are the five Criteria for Accreditation as provided by the Higher Learning Commission. Each Criteria is comprised of components and sub-components.

Criterion One

Mission – The institution’s mission is clear and articulated publicly; it guides the institution’s operations.

Criterion Two

Integrity: Ethical and Responsible Conduct – The institution acts with integrity; its conduct is ethical and responsible.

Criterion Three

Teaching and Learning: Quality, Resources, and Support – The institution provides high quality education, wherever and however its offerings are delivered.

"Serving the common good by assuring and advancing the quality of higher learning."

Higher Learning Commission Mission Statement

Criterion Four

Teaching and Learning: Evaluation and Improvement – The institution demonstrates responsibility for the quality of its educational programs, learning environments and support services, and it evaluates their effectiveness for student learning through processes designed to promote continuous improvement.

Criterion Five

Resources, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness – The institution’s resources, structures, and processes are sufficient to fulfill its mission, improve the quality of its educational offerings, and respond to future challenges and opportunities.