Regional Accreditation
According to the , "Institutional accreditation applies to an entire institution, indicating that each of an institution's parts is contributing to the achievement of the institution's objectives. The regional and national accreditors perform institutional accreditation."
Additionally, "The goal of accreditation is to ensure that education provided by institutions of higher education meets acceptable levels of quality."Â
Western Michigan University has been continuously accredited by the since 1915. WMU discloses the status of its relationship with its regional accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission, through information posted at  /effectiveness/accreditation/hlc. Students may review the University's statement of accreditation status with the HLC by clicking on the agency's hyperlinked button.
Click on the button for the most up-to-date information on the university's preparation for the April 2021 visit.
Specialized Program Accreditation
According to the , specialized or programmatic accreditation normally applies to programs, departments, or schools that are parts of an institution. The accredited unit may be as large as a college or school within a university or as small as a curriculum within a discipline. Most of the specialized or programmatic accreditors review units within an institution of higher education that is accredited by one of the regional or national accreditors.
Certification and Licensure
Certain programs and facilities require certification or licensure by federal, state or other regulatory agencies. For example, the NCAA certifies WMU to provide Division I athletics. The FAA certifies and MDOT licenses WMU facilities for pilot training.
Recognition of Academic Programs
A primary function of accreditation is the establishment and approval of criteria for professional certification and licensure. Some professions like teaching, nursing and social work require individuals to pass certification or licensure exams in order to proceed in the profession. Typically, students wishing to become certified or licensed, must come from accredited programs whereby curricula is approved by a specialized program accreditor. Certain academic programs are recognized by professional agencies for the purpose of establishing eligibility for graduates of an academic program to sit for certification or licensure tests.