The University of Wisconsin-Superior is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), one of six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
Being accredited by the HLC is a sign of quality to the general public that also allows the university to receive federal student aid and scholarship money. UW-Superior has been accredited continuously since 1916.
Accreditation by the HLC and by other nationally recognized agencies provides assurance to the public, in particular to prospective students, that an institution has been found to meet the agency’s clearly stated requirements and criteria and that there are reasonable grounds for believing that it will continue to meet them.
UW-Superior earns and maintains its accreditation by periodically undergoing a detailed, rigorous self-study process, which examines the organization’s performance, goals, strengths and weaknesses and outlines plans for improvement. A team of HLC evaluators then conducts a site visit and issues its recommendations for re-accreditation.
UW-Superior reaffirmed its accreditation for another 10 years (through 2032-33) through the submission of a comprehensive assurance argument report and hosting peer reviewers for a multi-day site visit, which occurred in April of 2023.
Agreements With Other States
Pursuant to Wis. Stats. Ch. 39.85, et. al, the State of Wisconsin is a member of the Midwestern-State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (MSARA) through the Midwestern Higher Education Compact. MSARA regulates the ways participating institutions may offer online education to students who reside in other states. The University of Wisconsin-Superior is a participating institution in this agreement (see NC-SARA terms and conditions), which covers states indicated on this NC-SARA map.
State Licensure
The states below are not part of the SARA agreement.
California
As a public higher education institution, UW-Superior is not required by the state of California to obtain approval to offer online learning to California residents.
Academic Program Accreditations
Individual academic programs and departments are accredited or approved, as noted:
- Association of Small Business Development Centers
- Council on Social Work Education: Social Work
- National Association of Schools of Music: Music
- Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction: Teacher Education, Education Administration and School Counseling
Program Performance Data
Act 166 in 2011 and Wisconsin statute 115.28 require select program performance data regarding these programs be made public and displayed prominently. Included in this data and displayed prominently on the UW-Superior website is available program performance for both online and distance students are the pass rates of program completers on required teacher licensure assessments, information gathered from survey of a variety of stakeholders, and employment statistics for prior year students who have obtained employment in a Wisconsin school or school district.