Accreditation

The University of Montana Western is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.  Specialized programs in education and business are additionally accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE), respectively.

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities’ (NWCCU) regional accreditation indicates the institution meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality and integrity through a rigorous peer-review process.  Information about NWCCU can be found at www.nwccu.org.  Copies of reports and correspondence related to the current and past review cycle can be accessed below.  If you have questions about Montana Western’s accreditation by NWCCU, please contact Dr. Anneliese Ripley, Accreditation Liaison Officer at 406-683-7309.

Current Cycle 2018 to 2025:

Previous Cycle 2011 to 2018:

CAEP: Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation—Annual Reporting Measures

The educator preparation programs of the Education Division at the University of Montana Western are fully accredited by the Montana Board of Public Education, and by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). This accreditation indicates that Montana Western has met both state and national professional standards for the preparation of teachers. Accreditation is granted at the initial teacher preparation level. This accreditation status is effective between spring 2016 and spring 2023.

CAEP Accreditation Visit: Call for Third Party Comments

The Division of Education at the University of Montana Western is hosting an accreditation visit by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) on October 23-25, 2022. Interested parties are invited to submit third-party comments to the evaluation team. Please note that comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of professional education programs offered, and should specify the party’s relationship to the provider (e.g., graduate, present or former faculty member, employer of graduates).

We invite you to submit written testimony to:

CAEP
1140 19th Street NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20036
Or by email to: [email protected]

Such comments must be submitted no later than October 23, 2022, and must be based on the core tenets of CAEP accreditation standards of excellence, which recognize that:

• In CAEP’s performance-based system, accreditation is based on evidence that demonstrates that teacher candidates know the subject matter and can teach it effectively so that students learn. In the CAEP system, EPPs must prove that candidates can connect theory to practice and be effective in an actual P-12 classroom.
  
• A professional education provider that is accredited by CAEP is expected to be involved in ongoing planning and evaluation; engaged in continuous assessment and development; ensure that faculty and programs reflect new knowledge, practice, and technologies; and be involved in continuous development in response to the evolving world of education and educational reform.
  
• Comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of professional education programs offered, and should specify the respondent’s relationship, if any, to the institution (e.g., graduate, present or former faculty member, employer of graduates). Copies of all correspondence received will be sent to the university for comment prior to the review. 

Accreditation Information

Program Impact & Outcome Measures (CAEP Standard R4)

The Montana Educator Preparation Program (MEPP) Continuous Improvement Collaborative (CIC), authorized by the Montana Council of Deans of Education (MCDE), in collaboration with the Montana Office of Public Instruction, established a Statewide Protocol for Continuous Improvement. This process consists of a 3-year cycle of data collection and analysis, designed to meet CAEP Standard 4 and ARM 10.58.314. Measures of (a) employer satisfaction; (b) completer satisfaction; and (c) completers’ and employers’ perceptions of program effectiveness were used.

CAEP Annual Reports and Title II Annual Reports

International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE)

The University of Montana Western has received specialized accreditation for its business programs through the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE), located at 11374 Strang Line Road in Lenexa, Kansas, USA. The business programs in the following degrees are accredited by the IACBE:

• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
• Bachelor of Applied Science in Business
• Associate of Applied Science: Business

According to the IACBE, the accrediting body is committed to a developmental approach to achieving excellence in business education. The IACBE and its members function in a collaborative and cooperative manner and encourage each other toward higher levels of quality in business education.

Since its founding in 1997, the IACBE has grown into a premier professional accreditation body for student-centered colleges and universities, with well over 200 members in the United States and throughout the world.

For more information, visit the Business and Technology Department web page.