University Accreditations, Approvals & Authorizations

Accreditation of a program indicates that the degree meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of program quality evaluated through a peer review process.  An accredited program has sufficient resources to meet the mission and goals of the accrediting body, and has verified that it demonstrates compliance with established policy and standards.  Accreditation applies to all program sites and program delivery methods of an accredited program. 

Missouri Western State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). For information about HLC Accreditation, contact:

The Higher Learning Commission
230 South La Salle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, IL 60604-1411
Telephone 800-621-7440
hlcommission.org

In addition, Missouri Western has earned the following specialized accreditations: 

  • Steven L. Craig School of Business, BS in Business Administration is an accredited member of AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), 777 S. Harbour Island Blvd. Suite 750, Tampa, Florida 33602 USA 813-769-6500; website: aacsb.edu.

  • The Health Information Management accreditor of Missouri Western State University is the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). The University’s accreditation for a Baccalaureate degree in Health Information Management has been reaffirmed through 2025. All inquiries about the program’s accreditation status should be directed by mail to CAHIIM, 200 East Randolph Street, Suite 5100, Chicago, IL, 60601; by phone at (312) 235- 3255; or by email at info@cahiim.org. 

  • Physical Therapist Assistant, AAS at Missouri Western State University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: capteonline.org.  To contact the program/institution directly, please call (816) 271-5996.

  • The Baccalaureate in Nursing at Missouri Western State University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001; telephone:  202-887-6791. (ccneaccreditation.org) and fully approved by the Missouri State Board of Nursing.

  • Social Work, BSW is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation (CSWE), 333 John Carlyle Street, Suite 400 Alexandria, VA 22314; website: cswe.org/accreditation.  

  • Construction Engineering Technology, BS is accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET (ETAC of ABET); website: abet.org.

  • Music degrees, BM, BME, BMA, are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), 11250 Roger Bacon Drive, Suit 21, Reston, VA 20190; phone: 703-437-0700; email: info@arts-accredit.org; website: nasm.arts-accredit.org. 

  • The Missouri Western State University Teacher Education Program degrees: Elementary Education BSE, Early Childhood Education BSE,  Music BME; Secondary Education BSE (Business and Social Science), Special Education BSE, is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), 1140 19th St NW Suite 400 Washington, DC 20036l; phone: 202-223-0077; website: caepnet.org;  and by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE); website: dese.mo.gov. 

  • The Respiratory Therapy Program at Missouri Western State University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC), 264 Precision Blvd, Telford, TN 37690 USA, Telephone: (817) 283-2835. Home - CoARC - Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care. The MWSU Respiratory Therapy Program holds the status of Provisional Accreditation. 

Curriculum Approval

  • American Chemical Society (ACS) - Chemistry BS, and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (ACS certification) BS.

Program Approval

  • American Bar Association (ABA) – Legal Assistant: Certificate, AS, minor in Legal Studies, Law BS, Criminal Justice with a concentration in Legal Studies BS.  

  • Missouri State Board of Education with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (SBOE/DESE) – Educator Preparation Programs in Elementary Education BSE, Early Childhood Education BSE, Music BME, Secondary Education BSE, Special Education BSE.

  • Missouri State Board of Nursing (MSBN) - Nursing BSN.

Campus Location

Higher Learning Commission approved location includes:

  • Missouri Western State University
    4525 Downs Drive
    St. Joseph, MO 64507
    (816) 271-4200

State Authorizations

The National Council - State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA) is a voluntary agreement among member states and U.S. territories that adheres to a set of common standards designed to enhance quality and strengthen oversight of distance learning programs. This agreement is intended to make it easier for students to take online courses offered by postsecondary institutions based in another state.

To date, 49 states (excluding California), the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands have membership in NC-SARA. 

Missouri Western State University is in compliance with all member states to offer undergraduate online degree completion programs and graduate online programs.  For more information, visit nc-sara.org. 

Nursing:

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) federal state authorization rules (34 C.F.R. §§ 668.43) requires Missouri Western State University to provide professional licensure disclosures for all programs, both on ground and through distance education that are intended to lead to a professional licensure or certification.  This listing has nursing programs by state and the general disclosure if our degree program, upon completion, meets, does not meet, or if there has not been a determination made as to whether our nursing program meets the specific state's requirements for professional licensure or certification.  

Physical Therapy:

The Department of Education’s Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. §§ 668.43) mandate that each institution inform students of whether their program curriculum, both distance education programs, and face-to-face programs, meet the state requirements for each program that leads to licensure or certification.

In compliance with this regulation, this document provides Missouri Western State University’s assessment of the physical therapist assistant (PTA) curriculum and ability to meet the requirements for professional PTA licensure in other states.
Disclaimer: This information, which is fluid and constantly evolving, has been gathered from a variety of sources. While Missouri Western State University (MWSU) has made every effort to ensure the information provided is complete, accurate, and up to date, MWSU cannot guarantee the completeness and accuracy of this information. Please see the following current listing.

For more information on PTA licensure requirements, please visit: fsbpt.org/Free-Resources/Licensing-Authorities-Contact-Information.

Respiratory Therapy:

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) federal state authorization rules (34 C.F.R. §§ 668.43) requires Missouri Western State University to provide professional licensure disclosures for all programs, both on ground and through distance education that are intended to lead to a professional licensure or certification.  The program has determined that its curriculum meets the state educational requirements for licensure in all states A list of state license contact information is here: List of Respiratory Therapist State Licensure Contacts - AARC

Teacher Education:

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) federal state authorization rules (34 C.F.R. §§ 668.43) requires Missouri Western State University to provide professional licensure disclosures for all programs, both on ground and through distance education that are intended to lead to a professional licensure or certification.  This listing has teacher education programs by state and the general disclosure if our degree program, upon completion, meets, does not meet, or if there has not been a determination made as to whether our program meets the specific state's requirements for professional licensure or certification.  

Complaints/Resolutions for Online Programs

One of NC-SARA membership requirements is for institutions of higher learning to provide a student complaint resolution process for online programs that is in addition to the university process. Below is information about all processes.

Students with a complaint should first exhaust Missouri Western State University's processes. If unsuccessful, students can file a complaint with the Missouri Department of Higher Education. Visit the MDHE’s complaint policy and instructions about how to file a formal complaint. 

Additionally, Missouri Western State University’s accrediting agency, the Higher Learning Commission, accepts complaints about institutions. Visit their website for instructions to file a formal complaint. The commission has established a clear distinction between individual grievances and complaints that appear to involve broad institutional practices. When a complaint raises issues regarding the institution’s ongoing ability to meet the HLC’s Criteria of Accreditation, the commission forwards the complaint to the institution and requests a formal response.

Students enrolled in an online program may also file a complaint with NC SARA.  Although students may choose to work through their own state's SARA office for complaint resolution, the SARA office of the state where the provider is located is responsible for staffing the investigation and complaint resolution as needed.

Please refer to this link for each state and agency information on how to file an appeal with NC SARA. For more information, visit nc-sara.org/.