Authorizations and Accreditation
At Great Northern University, one of our core values is Scholarship. This critically important value is not just something we instill in our students; the principles therein of discipline, hard work, and growth of skills and knowledge also drive us as the university grows and develops. In short: we practice what we preach. We promote excellence in our students, and we pursue it for our university.
We demonstrate our commitment to excellence in part through being accredited by the The Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) and through our current pursuit of accreditation from the Northwest Council on Colleges and University (NWCCU). You can read about our current status with these organizations below. We are also approved by the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) and by the Washington Secretary of State.
The Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS)
Great Northern University is an accredited member of the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) [15935 Forest Road, Forest, VA 24551; Telephone: 434.525.9539; e-mail: info@tracs.org], having been awarded Accredited Status status as a Category II institution by the TRACS Accreditation Commission on 10/26/2021.
TRACS is recognized by the United States Department of Education, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE).
Any person desiring information about the requirements of TRACS, the applicability of those requirements to our institution, or our status with TRACS may contact The TRACS Office at 15935 Forest Road, Forest, VA 24551 or by email at info@tracs.org.
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
In June of 2019, the Executive Team of Great Northern University traveled to Salt Lake City, UT, to present their application for accreditation at the NWCCU’s semiannual meeting. We are pleased and grateful that the NWCCU commissioners have accepted GNU’s application and have granted the university “Applicant” status. This status allows GNU to proceed to the next step of the process, which is a self-evaluation and data-collection period.
Please visit the NWCCU’s description of the accreditation process for more information. Any person desiring information about the requirements of the NWCCU, the applicability of those requirements to our institution, or our status with the NWCCU may contact The NWCCU Commission Office at 8060 165th Avenue NE, Suite 200, Redmond, WA 98052 or by email at info@nwccu.org.
The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC)
Statement on State Authorization:
Great Northern University is authorized by the Washington Student Achievement Council and meets the requirements and minimum educational standards established for degree-granting institutions under the Degree-Granting Institutions Act. This authorization is subject to periodic review and authorizes Great Northern University to offer specific degree programs. The Council may be contacted for a list of currently authorized programs. Authorization by the Council does not carry with it an endorsement by the Council of the institution or its programs. Any person desiring information about the requirements of the act or the applicability of those requirements to the institution may contact the Council at P.O. Box 43430, Olympia, WA 98504-3430 or by email at degree authorization@wsac.wa.gov.
The transferability of credits earned at Great Northern University is at the discretion of the receiving college, university, or other educational institution. Students considering transferring to any institution should not assume that credits earned in any program of study at Great Northern University will be accepted by the receiving institution. Similarly, the ability of a degree, certificate, diploma, or other academic credential earned at Great Northern University to satisfy an admission requirement of another institution is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Accreditation does not guarantee credentials or credits earned at Great Northern University will be accepted by or transferred to another institution. To minimize the risk of having to repeat coursework, students should contact the receiving institution in advance for evaluation and determination of transferability of credits and/or acceptability of degrees, diplomas, or certificates earned.
Washington Secretary of State
Great Northern University has been granted a non-profit business license to operate in the State of Washington. For more information, contact the Main Office of the Secretary of State at P.O. Box 40220,
Olympia, WA 98504-0220 or email secretaryofstate@sos.wa.gov.