Is Strayer University online an accredited university?

Answer 1

Answer

Strayer University is accredited by the Middle States Commission of Higher Education (MSCHE) and as such it is listed by the US Department of Education as an approved and accredited institution on their website. Likewise according to Strayer University's website its current graduation rate is 14%. Lastly, all graduate Students at Strayer University must complete a thesis (DRP) in their field of study that is typically eighty pages in length.

However . . .

Individual programs at Strayer university lack professional accreditation. For example, the BSBA and MBA programs are not accredited by AACSB. Also, the program of study in public administration is not accredited by NASPAA. Some major employers (Intel for example) will not provide tuition reimbursement to employees who participate in business education programs that lack professional accreditation.

Further . . .

Some contend that since the Strayer headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia (not Washington, D.C.) it should be accredited the the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS), which is responsible for all colleges and universities in Virginia and a number of other southern states. Strayer has refused to apply to SACS for accreditation.

On the other hand . . .

There are many other major multi-national corporations that have historically and continue to provide tuition reimbursement for their employees that attend Strayer University. In order to avoid unexpected out of pocket expenses employees seek to partake in company sponsored tuition reimbursement programs should contact their company's HR representatives prior to registering for college courses. In addition students seeking to acquire professional business certifications such as the CPA, ACFE, and IIA, should examine the given requirements prior to enrolling in a business program. In the case of Strayer University its regional accreditation is typically sufficient for the certification described above including the prestigious CPA exam, but requirements are always subject to change.

Lacks NASPAA accreditation

As described in the post above Strayer University does not hold specialty NASPAA accreditation for its public administration program, but it does support the goals of the NASPAA by being a member institution. Please see link below.

http://www.naspaa.org/students/clearinghouse/clearinghouse.asp

Since there is no guarantee Strayer University will ever decide to have its public administration programs officially considered for NASPAA approval, it is best to attend a college that already has it if this factor is important to the prospective student.

Below is an except From the NASPAA regarding its voluntary accreditation

"Accreditation is the quality assurance process used in American higher education. All NASPAA member programs are located in universities accredited by a "regional" (institutional) accrediting body, which has assessed the quality of the university as a whole.

In addition to institutional accreditation at the university level, many professions have developed "professional" accreditation of specific degree programs within a university. This type of accreditation connects the profession to quality improvements in the educational preparation for its work. NASPAA serves as the professional accreditor of master's degrees in public administration, public affairs, and public policy.

Because public service is not a licensed profession, the NASPAA accreditation process is entirely voluntary, and not all NASPAA institutional members have sought accreditation from NASPAA's Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation (COPRA)."

Answer 2

Yes. Not only are they online, they are offline as well. The online school is basically the same as the real schools that they have set up in different states. Going to the online version will give you the same degree/experience as going to the offline version of Strayer.

Strayer does not monitor classes, and all exams are open-book and unproctored. Not all accrediting agencies agree with these policies.