Accreditation, Approval and Licensure of Institution and Programs
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Dakota Wesleyan University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and has been continuously since 1916. DWU is a coeducational university granting the degrees of Master of Arts, Master of Athletic Training, Master of Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Associate of Arts and Associate of Science.
The Higher Learning Commission is located at 30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602. They may also be reached at (312) 263-0456 and www.hlcommission.org.
Specialized Accreditations
Specific programs also carry specialized accreditations.
- The teacher preparation program is accredited by the South Dakota Department of Education, 800 Governors Drive, Pierre, SD 57501. They may also be reached at (605) 773-3134, doeaccred@state.sd.us and https://doe.sd.gov.
- The baccalaureate degree program in nursing is accredited by the South Dakota Board of Nursing and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, (202) 887-6791.
- The athletic training program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE), 2001 K Street NW, 3rd Floor N, Washington DC 20006. They nay also be reached at (512) 733-9700, caateinfo@caate.net and https://caate.net.
- The Musick Family Department of Business at Dakota Wesleyan University has received specialized accreditation for its business programs through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) located at 11374 Strang Line Road in Lenexa, Kansas, USA. For a listing of accredited programs, visit https://iacbe.org/memberpdf/DakotaWesleyanUniversity.pdf.
- The university is also approved by the United Methodist University Senate, General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, 1001 Nineteenth Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212. They may also be reached at (615) 340-7400 and at https://www.gbhem.org/education-leaders/university-senate/.
Certification
Dakota Wesleyan University is certified by the State of South Dakota as a postsecondary education institution.
Distance Education Authorization
Dakota Wesleyan University is a member of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) and is permitted to offer distance education programs through SARA. State registration is continually being updated. For the most up-to-date list, please refer to the SARA website at NC-SARA.org.
Other Associations
We participate in the National Association of Schools and Colleges of The United Methodist Church, the South Dakota Association of Private Colleges, Association of American Colleges and Universities, National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and the Council of Independent Colleges.
Questions?
If you have questions about either institutional accreditation or specialized accreditations or approvals, please contact the DWU Office of the Provost at 605-995-2625 or, alternatively, you can contact the accreditors directly.