The Higher Learning Commission
American Public University is part of American Public University System (APUS), which is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. HLC accredits degree-granting institutions nationwide and is also recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Accreditation Matters
As an accredited institution, our University is eligible to participate in federal educational entitlement programs, such as military tuition assistance, government tuition reimbursement programs, the Department of Veterans Affairs GI Bill®*, and many corporate education assistance programs. In addition, APUS has been granted approval by the Department of Education to participate in Title IV Federal Student Aid (FSA) Programs.
Credits and degrees earned through APUS may be recognized for promotion, assignment, and position qualification standards within the military, federal government, and private sector.
Note: Credits earned here are considered transfer-eligible based on our accreditation, but the University cannot guarantee that all your credits will be accepted, as acceptance of credit is always the prerogative of the receiving institution.
*GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by the VA is available at the official https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Specialty Accreditation
The academic programs listed here have additional specialty accreditation granted from external industry governing organizations. Specialty accreditation adheres to industry curriculum standards and demonstrates to employers that graduates of these programs have achieved the required knowledge and skills to perform in their professions.
ACBSP® accredits business, accounting, and business-related programs at the associate, baccalaureate, master, and doctoral degree levels. Recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)®, ACBSP was the first to offer specialty business accreditation at all degree levels.
ACBSP® is a registered trademark of the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.
These programs in APU's School of Business have achieved ACBSP accreditation:
- AS, BS, and MS in Accounting (BS and MS with additional ACBSP Specialized Accounting Accreditation)
- BA in Business
- AA in Business Administration
- BBA - Bachelor of Business Administration
- MBA - Master of Business Administration
- BS in Business Analytics
- BA and MA in Entrepreneurship
- BA in Government Contracting and Acquisition
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) is an autonomous accrediting agency contributing to the improvement of the public's health. CCNE ensures the quality and integrity of baccalaureate, graduate, and residency programs in nursing. As a voluntary, self-regulatory process, CCNE accreditation supports and encourages continuing self-assessment by nursing programs and supports continuing growth and improvement of collegiate professional education and post-baccalaureate nurse residency programs. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing and the master's degree programs in nursing at American Public University System are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
The sport management degree program at the American Public University System has received specialized accreditation through the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) located in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. The sport management program in the following degrees is accredited by COSMA:
The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH®) is an independent agency recognized by the US Department of Education to accredit schools of public health and public health programs offered in settings other than schools of public health.
Our Master of Public Health is accredited by CEPH through December 31, 2029. A copy of the self-study and the final report from CEPH can be requested by emailing [email protected].
CEPH® is a registered trademark of the Council on Education for Public Health.
The International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC®) is a peer-driven, self-governing system of both fire service certifying entities and higher education fire-related degree programs. IFSAC's mission is to plan and administer a high-quality, uniformly delivered accreditation system with an international scope.
IFSAC® is a registered trademark of The Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges.
IFSAC has accredited these programs at the university:
The Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM®) strives to provide the public with effective and consistent quality monitoring of academic programs in health information management (HIM) and health informatics (HI) through maintenance of accreditation policies and processes.
The Baccalaureate Degree Health Information Management program at American Public University System is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
CAHIIM® is a registered trademark of the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education.
Professional Recognition and Affiliation
Adult and Experiential Learning: Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL)
Human Development and Family Studies: National Council on Family Relations (NCFR)
Cybersecurity: National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education
Management and Human Resource Management: Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
Sports and Health Sciences: American Sport Education Program (ASEP) (BS) , National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) (MS)
State Authorization
The University is engaged in a continuous process to certify that it is recognized as an accredited institution of higher learning by all 50 states and the District of Columbia. For more information on state-specific details visit our State Authorization page.