University Accreditation | Maryville Online

Maryville University is a private, nonprofit university that proudly holds regional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Maryville has maintained accreditation from the HLC since 1941, and this status was most recently reaffirmed in 2015.

As one of the six regional accrediting bodies in the United States, the HLC serves and evaluates colleges and universities across a 19-state region that includes Missouri, where Maryville’s campus is located. Established in 1895, the HLC has supported the mission of “assuring and advancing the quality of higher education” for more than a century.

If you have questions about Maryville University’s accreditation, you can contact the HLC at:

Higher Learning Commission
230 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, Illinois 60604-1411

Why is accreditation important?

When you’re searching for the right university or program to fit your needs, you want assurance that you will get a high-quality education. That’s the kind of assurance accreditation can provide.

Regional accreditation is typically granted institutionally to a college or university to indicate that it conforms to an established standard of quality. Accreditation serves to validate the educational experience a university offers, so you can enroll with confidence that you will have access to a top-level education recognized universally by universities and employers.

When you enroll at an accredited university like Maryville, you can be assured that the educational experience has been vetted by experts across the board. In addition to evaluating academics, the HLC assesses other areas of institutional operation, such as university governance, finances, ethical conduct, and resources. In this way, regional accreditation is the highest standard of accountability and validation to which a university can aspire.

Industry-Specific Accreditation

In addition to regional accreditation, certain programs or schools within a university may be held to industry-specific standards, so they may pursue accreditation from an industry-focused body to demonstrate the quality of education provided.

For example, Maryville’s nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and business school programs like our MBA and our BS in Rawlings Sport Business Management are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.

Regional vs. National Accreditation

Maryville University is regionally accredited by the HLC. Regional accreditation typically is reserved for nonprofit, degree-granting colleges or universities with an academic focus that adhere to strict guidelines regarding their operations and educational offerings.

Some for-profit, trade, vocational, or religious institutions may have national accreditation. This type of accreditation tends to be less strict or standardized in its guidelines due to the vocational or specialized nature of the credentials provided.

For universities like Maryville with an academic nature, regional accreditation is an important validation of quality of education. This means that degrees and certificates conferred by regionally accredited universities tend to be accepted as legitimate by employers and other universities. If you plan on pursuing further education, most graduate-level programs will require a degree from a regionally accredited university. And if you hope to utilize transfer options, most universities will only recognize credits from regionally accredited universities.

Maryville University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission