Institutional Accreditation
NWCCU
Bastyr University is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
- NWCCU Show Cause Letter - November 1, 2024
- NWCCU Mid-cycle Report 2022
- NWCCU Accreditation Reaffirmation Letter - February 3, 2020
- Bastyr University's Comprehensive NWCCU Self-Evaluation - August 23, 2019
Bastyr University is a member of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Bastyr University’s accreditation status is Show Cause. NWCCU’s most recent action on the institution’s accreditation status on November 1, 2024 was to issue a show cause sanction. NWCCU is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Professional Accreditations
The following is a current list of Bastyr University’s degree program accreditations. Please note that professional accreditation typically applies to postgraduate programs and to those leading to specific professions that require a license to practice.
Accreditation by Program
The Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine program is accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME), a specialized accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For more information, the 2024 CNME Handbook of Accreditation for Naturopathic Medicine Programs is available via download from the CNME website.
The Council on Naturopathic Medical Education is the programmatic accreditor for the Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine Program. The CNME Board of Directors voted at its meeting on October 31, 2024, to place the accreditation status of Bastyr University’s ND program on probation due to the institution’s non-compliance with CNME Accreditation Standard III (“Planning and Financial Resources”), Sections B1 and B2 (“Institutional Financial Resources”). The university is actively working to comply with this standard and remove the probationary status for the ND program. For prospective students who would like more information, please contact your admissions advisor. For current students, please contact your academic department. For alumni, please contact the President's office.
Bastyr University's Bachelor of Science with a Major in Nutrition with Didactic Program in Dietetics, Master of Science in Nutrition with Didactic Program in Dietetics, and the Dietetic Internship are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), the accrediting agency for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). ACEND is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a specialized accrediting agency.
The following programs offered by Bastyr University are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (ACAHM):
- Master of Acupuncture
- Master of Acupuncture with a Chinese herbal medicine specialization
- Doctor of Acupuncture
- including a Doctor of Acupuncture degree completion track
- Certificate in Chinese herbal medicine
The programs listed above may offer courses via distance education.
ACAHM does not accredit any programs at the undergraduate/bachelor level.
Accreditation status and notes may be viewed on the ACAHM Directory. ACAHM is recognized by the United States Department of Education as the specialized accreditation agency for institutions/programs preparing acupuncture practitioners. ACAHM is located at 500 Lake Street, Suite 204, Excelsior, Minnesota 55331; phone 952/212-2434; https://acahm.org
Public Disclosure Statement Effective as of 14 August 2024.
The Master of Science in Midwifery degree is accredited by the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC). Graduates are eligible to sit for licensure in Washington and other states, apply to the Canadian bridging program for provincial registration, and may sit for the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) exam to receive the Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) credential recognized in many states for legal practice of midwifery and reimbursement for services. MEAC is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a specialized accrediting agency. Additional information regarding program retention and completion rates can be found in the Department of Midwifery Performance Fact Sheet.
The MA in Counseling Psychology Program at Bastyr University is accredited by the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC) for the period of March 2024 through March 2032.
State Authorization, Approval and/or Exemption
Washington
As a long-standing, regionally accredited, degree-granting institution in Washington state, Bastyr University is “continuously exempt” from state authorization and review. However, any institution granted exemption from the requirements for degree authorization under WAC 250-61 may be subject to periodic review by the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) to ensure that all criteria for the exemption continue to be met. Any person desiring information about the requirements of this status may contact WSAC at 917 Lakeridge Way SW, Olympia, WA 98502 | info@wsac.wa.gov | (360) 753-7800.
California
Bastyr University is approved to operate as an accredited institution by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) in the state of California. Approval to operate means the University maintains compliance with California state standards. Any person desiring information about the requirements of this status may reach BPPE directly via its contact page. In compliance with BPPE requirements, the following documents are available below. (Please click on the name of the document to view/download.)
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The University's 2021 Annual Report to the BPPE
Program Viewbooks
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Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology
Reciprocity Agreements: Bastyr University is a member of NC-SARA (National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements). This is a multi-state consortium that manages oversight of distance education, including preceptorships and practicums in which students may engage outside of Washington and California. Bastyr seeks approval, authorization or exemption to operate in other states as needed. Click here to view a chart of professional licensures by state.
Foreign Non-Immigrant Students
Bastyr University is an approved school for enrollment of F-1 non-immigrants through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). More information is available on the Department of Homeland Security's "Study in the States" web page.
University Financial Audit
Form 990 is filed with the IRS annually and available to the public in the Bastyr University Finance Office.
Student Complaint Process
Current students are encouraged to utilize the complaint process established by Bastyr University, as published in the Student Handbook on the University's intranet MyBU. Prospective students who wish to make a complaint should contact Susan Weider, Dean of Students, at (425) 602-3000.
If you are unable to resolve your concern(s) internally with Bastyr University, you may contact the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC), the University’s responsible state agency, to file a complaint at http://www.wsac.wa.gov/student-complaints. In addition to filing an official complaint with WSAC, Bastyr University San Diego students may also contact the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) at http://www.bppe.ca.gov/enforcement/complaint.shtml. Please refer to Bastyr University’s current list of states and territories for further information.
Active U.S. military service members, veterans and their family members may access the Department of Defense's Postsecondary Education Complaint System at http://www.benefits.va.gov/GIBILL/Feedback.asp.