Accreditation and Memberships

Accreditation

Webster University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604, hlcommission.org • 800.621.7440.

Webster University has been accredited continuously since 1925, and this accreditation includes undergraduate and graduate levels at all campuses and locations where the University offers programs.

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General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)

Webster University takes seriously the new General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) that will affect our students and employees who are EU residents and/or citizens. Please be aware that all personal data you provide is subject to our privacy policy which can be found at www.webster.edu/gdpr.

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Licensure/Approvals and Specialized Accreditation

Online Licensure

Missouri participates in SARA which creates a system of reciprocity for the oversight of distance education. The following student complaint process is in effect with this system.

• Students with a complaint must first attempt to resolve the issue at the school by completing the school's complaint process. Exhaustion of all informal and formal institutional processes, including both campus processes and any applicable system processes, is a prerequisite to filing any formal complaint with the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development. (MDHEWD)
• If dissatisfied with the resolution of the grievance, the student may contact the department by calling (573) 751-2361 and selecting option 2.
• The student will be directed to submit the complaint in writing, using a complaint form provided by the MDHEWD. It may be mailed or faxed to the department and must include supporting documentation. If there is no indication institutional remedies have been exhausted, the complaint will be returned for that purpose. Complaints that fall within the jurisdiction of the department will be investigated and resolved as appropriate by the relevant unit of the MDHEWD. All parties to the complaint will be notified of its resolution by mail.

State Licensures

Arizona

The campus at Luke Air Force Base is licensed by the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education.

The student tuition refund rates apply when a student drops or withdraws from a course in accordance with University enrollment policies and the refund has been approved. Students attending on-campus classes in Arizona will receive a refund on tuition as dictated by the following State requirements:

 

If a complaint or grievance cannot be resolved after exhausting the institution's grievance procedure, located in the Student Handbook, the student may file a complaint with the Arizona State Board of Private Postsecondary Education. The student must contact the State Board for further details.

Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education

1740 West Adams Street, Suite 3008

Phoenix, AZ 85007

Phone: 602-542-5715

www.azppse.gov 

Arkansas

Campuses at Little Rock and Little Rock Air Force Base are certified by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.

Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board certification does not constitute an endorsement of any institution, course or degree program. Such certification merely indicates that certain minimum standards have been met under the rules and regulations of institutional certification as defined in Arkansas Code §6-61-301. The student should be aware that these degree programs may not transfer. The transfer of course/degree credit is determined by the receiving institution. 

California

Webster University is a private institution approved to operate by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, with a campus at Los Angeles Air Force Base. Approval to operate means the institution is compliant with the minimum standards contained in the California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009 (as amended) and Division 7.5 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations. All programs offered at this campus are instructed in English.

"Notice of Student Rights" in California—You have the right to cancel your agreement for a program of instruction, without any penalty or obligations, through attendance at the first class session or the seventh calendar day after enrollment, whichever is later, as described in the Notice of Cancellation form that will be given to you. After the end of the cancellation period, you also have the right to receive a pro rata refund if you have completed 60 percent or less of the scheduled days in the current program period in your program through the last day of attendance. Read the Notice of Cancellation form for any explanation of your cancellation rights and responsibilities. If you have lost your Notice of Cancellation form, ask the school for a sample copy. After the end of the cancellation period, you also have the right to stop school at any time, and you have the right to receive a refund for the part of the course not taken. Your refund rights are described in the contract. If you have lost your contract, ask the school for a description of the refund policy. If the school closes before you graduate, you may be entitled to a refund.

Any questions a student may have regarding this catalog that have not been satisfactorily answered by the institution may be directed to the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education at 2535 Capitol Oaks Drive, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95833, www.bppe.ca.gov, by telephone at 888-370-7589 or by fax at 916-263-1897.

A student or any member of the public may file a complaint about this institution with the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education by calling 888-370-7589 or by completing a complaint form, which can be obtained on the bureau's internet website www.bppe.ca.gov. While students are encouraged to use Webster University internal complaint processes first for grievances, it is not required and students may contact the Bureau at any time.

California students have the right to cancel their agreement for a program of instruction, without any penalty or obligations, through attendance at the first class session or the seventh calendar day after enrollment, whichever is later. After the end of the cancellation period, California students also have the right to receive a pro rata refund if they have completed 60 percent or less of the scheduled days in the current program period in their program through the last day of attendance.

The student tuition refund rates apply when a student drops or withdraws from a course in accordance with University enrollment policies and the refund has been approved. Students attending on-campus classes in California will receive a refund on tuition as dictated by the following State requirements:

 

The State of California established the Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) to relieve or mitigate economic loss suffered by a student in an educational program at a qualifying institution, who is or was a California resident while enrolled, or was enrolled in a residency program, if the student enrolled in the institution, prepaid tuition, and suffered an economic loss. Unless relieved of the obligation to do so, you must pay the state-imposed assessment for the STRF, or it must be paid on your behalf, if you are a student in an educational program, who is a California resident, or are enrolled in a residency program, and prepay all or part of your tuition. 

You are not eligible for protection from the STRF and you are not required to pay the STRF assessment if you are not a California resident or are not enrolled in a residency program.

It is important that you keep copies of your enrollment agreement, financial aid documents, receipts, or any other information that document the amount paid to the school. Questions regarding the STRF may be directed to the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, 2535 Capitol Oaks Drive, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95833, 916-431-6959 or 888-370-7589.

To be eligible for STRF, you must be a California resident or are enrolled in a residency program, prepaid tuition, paid or deemed to have paid the STRF assessment, and suffered an economic loss as a result of any of the following:

1. The institution, a location of the institution, or an educational program offered by the institution was closed or discontinued, and you did not choose to participate in a teach-out plan approved by the Bureau or did not complete a chosen teach-out plan approved by the Bureau.
2. You were enrolled at an institution or a location of the institution within the 120 day period before the closure of the institution or location of the institution, or were enrolled in an educational program within the 120 day period before the program was discontinued.
3. You were enrolled at an institution or a location of the institution more than 120 days before the closure of the institution or location of the institution, in an educational program offered by the institution as to which the Bureau determined there was a significant decline in the quality or value of the program more than 120 days before closure.
4. The institution has been ordered to pay a refund by the Bureau but has failed to do so.
5. The institution has failed to pay or reimburse loan proceeds under a federal student loan program as required by law, or has failed to pay or reimburse proceeds received by the institution in excess of tuition and other costs.
6. You have been awarded restitution, a refund, or other monetary award by an arbitrator or court, based on a violation of this chapter by an institution or representative of an institution, but have been unable to collect the award from the institution.
7. You sought legal counsel that resulted in the cancellation of one or more of your student loans and have an invoice for services rendered and evidence of the cancellation of the student loan or loans.

To qualify for STRF reimbursement, the application must be received within four (4) years from the date of the action or event that made the student eligible for recovery from STRF. 

A student whose loan is revived by a loan holder or debt collector after a period of non-collection may, at any time, file a written application for recovery from STRF for the debt that would have otherwise been eligible for recovery. If it has been more than four (4) years since the action or event that made the student eligible, the student must have filed a written application for recovery within the original four (4) year period, unless the period has been extended by another act of law.

However, no claim can be paid to any student without a social security number or taxpayer identification number.

NOTICE CONCERNING TRANSFERABILITY OF CREDITS AND CREDENTIALS EARNED AT OUR INSTITUTION

The transferability of credits you earn at Webster University is at the complete discretion of an institution to which you may seek to transfer. Acceptance of the degree or certificate you earn in the educational program is also at the complete discretion of the institution to which you may seek to transfer. If the credits, degree or certificate that you earn at this institution are not accepted at the institution to which you seek to transfer, you may be required to repeat some of all of your coursework at that institution. For this reason you should make certain that your attendance at this institution will meet your educational goals. This may include contacting an institution to which you may seek to transfer after attending Webster University to determine if your credits, degree or certificate will transfer. 

For more information on the transferability of credits into Webster University, please refer to the Transfer Credit policies, found within the Academic Policies section of this catalog.

Colorado

The campus at Colorado Springs is authorized to offer master's degrees by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education. 

Colorado Commission on Higher Education

1600 Broadway

Suite 2200

Denver, CO 80202

District of Columbia

The campus at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C., is licensed by the District of Columbia Educational Institution Licensure Commission.

District of Columbia Educational Institution Licensure Commission

1050 First Street, NE, Washington, DC

Phone: 202-727-6436

Florida

The corporate name for Webster University in Florida is Webster University Incorporated. Campuses at Jacksonville Metropolitan, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Melbourne Metropolitan, Orlando Metropolitan and Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg Metropolitan are licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education.

Credits and degrees earned from colleges licensed by this board do not automatically qualify the holder to participate in professional licensing examinations in the State of Florida. Any person interested in practicing a regulated profession in Florida should contact the appropriate state regulatory agency.

Webster University in FL is licensed by the Commission for Independent Education, Florida Department of Education.  If a complaint or grievance cannot be resolved after exhausting the institution's grievance procedure, located in the Student Handbook, the student may file a complaint with Commission. Additional information regarding this institution may be obtained by contacting the Commission at:

Florida Department of Education

Commission for Independent Education

325 West Gaines Street

Suite 1414

Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400

Phone: 888-224-6684 (Toll free)

850-245-3200

Georgia

Campuses at Fort Gordon, Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield are authorized by Georgia's Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission.

The student tuition refund rates apply when a student drops or withdraws from a course in accordance with University enrollment policies and the refund has been approved. Students attending on-campus classes in Georgia will receive a refund on tuition as dictated by the following State requirements:

 

In accordance with the requirements set forth by Georgia's Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (GNPEC), any monies paid by a Georgia resident to a Webster University representative will be refunded to the student if he/she requests the same within three (3) business days of signing an enrollment contract with the university. If no enrollment contract is signed, and if requested by the student, any monies paid will be refunded to the student if he/she requests the same within three (3) business days after making a payment. Webster University's Grievance Policy & Procedures are available online at https://www.webster.edu/student-handbook/grievance.html. Students have the right of appeal of the final institutional decision to Georgia's Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission at:

Non-Public Postsecondary Education Commission

2082 East Exchange Place Suite 220

Tucker, Georgia 30084-5305

Phone: 770-414-3300

Fax: 770-414-3309

Office hours: 8:30-4:30 (Monday to Friday)

https://gnpec.georgia.gov/

Illinois

The campus at Scott Air Force Base is approved by the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

Illinois Board of Higher Education

1 North Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 333

Springfield, IL 62701-1377

Phone: 217-782-2551

Fax: 217-782-8548

TTY: 888-261-2881

Kansas

The campus at Kansas City, MO is approved by the Kansas Board of Regents.

Kansas Board of Regents

1000 SW Jackson Street, Suite 520

Topeka, KS 66612-1368

Phone: 785-430-4240

It is the mutual goal of the Kansas Board of Regents and the certified institutions to provide quality educational training and programs. When problems arise, students should make every attempt to find a fair and reasonable solution by taking the steps outlined in the complaint process.

http://www.kansasregents.org/resources/complaint_procedure_and_form_updated_April2016.pdf 

Institutions exclusively delivering programs on property that is not jurisdictionally within or regulated by the state, such as schools located on federal military bases, are not covered by Kansas statutes and regulations. The campus at Fort Leavenworth operates under the regulations set forth in their Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with the base authorities.

The student tuition refund rates apply when a student drops or withdraws from a course in accordance with University enrollment policies and the refund has been approved. Students attending on-campus classes in Kansas will receive a refund on tuition as dictated by the following State requirements:

 

Maryland

The campus at Andrews Air Force Base is authorized by the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

Maryland Higher Education Commission

6 North Liberty Street

Baltimore, MD 21201

Missouri

Campuses at Webster Groves, Gateway (Downtown St. Louis), Westport, Fort Leonard Wood, Kansas City and Rolla are authorized by the Missouri Department of Higher Education.

Missouri Department of Higher Education

301 W. High Street (Suite 840, 860, 870, 580)

Jefferson City, MO 65101

The Missouri Department of Higher Education serves as a clearinghouse for postsecondary student complaints. The MDHE complaint policy contains information about the complaint process and includes instructions for how to file a formal complaint. The policy provides that a student who wishes to file a complaint with the department must first exhaust all formal and informal avenues provided by the institution to resolve disputes.

North Carolina

Campuses at Fort Bragg and at Camp Lejeune are approved by the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina. 

Webster is required to complete an annual report and is subject to annual reviews.

University of North Carolina General Administration

910 Raleigh Road

P.O. Box 2688

Chapel Hill, NC 27515

Phone: 919-962-1000

www.northcarolina.edu

Oklahoma

Campuses at Fort Sill and Tinker Air Force Base are approved to operate educational programs beyond secondary education by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education

655 Research Parkway, Suite 200

Oklahoma City, OK 73104

Phone: 405-225-9100

South Carolina

Campuses at Charleston, Columbia, and Myrtle Beach are licensed by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education.

SC Commission on Higher Education

1122 Lady Street, Suite 300

Columbia, SC 29201

Phone: 803-737-2260

Licensure is not an endorsement or guarantee of quality. If students at the Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, and Myrtle Beach Metropolitan Campuses have complaints about a classroom situation, they should first attempt to resolve the situation with the instructor. If resolution cannot be made with the instructor, or if the complaint is about a general school policy over which the instructor has no jurisdiction, then they may contact the school director for mediation. If the complaint cannot be resolved at the school level through its complaint procedure, students may file a complaint with the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education. The complaint form is available at http://www.che.sc.gov/CHE_Docs/AcademicAffairs/License/Complaint_procedures_and_form.pdf.

Institutions that offer programs and courses on federal military installations are exempt from CHE approval; the campuses at Fort Jackson and Shaw Air Force Base operate through Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with their respective base authorities.

Tennessee

The campus at Memphis Naval Support Activity is authorized by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

This authorization must be renewed each year and is based on an evaluation by minimum standards concerning quality of education, ethical business practices, health and safety, and fiscal responsibility.

If a complaint or grievance cannot be resolved after exhausting the institution's grievance procedure, the student may file a complaint with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. The student must contact the Commission for further details.

Tennessee Higher Education Commission

312 Rosa Parks Ave, 9th Floor

Nashville, TN 37243

Phone: 615-741-3605

Texas

The metropolitan campus at San Antonio is approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinator Board. Military campuses at Fort Bliss, Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base, and Randolph Air Force Base are on federal property and operate through Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with their respective base authorities.

The student tuition refund rates apply when a student drops or withdraws from a course in accordance with University enrollment policies and the refund has been approved. Students attending on-campus classes in Texas will receive a refund on tuition as dictated by the following State requirements:

 

Utah

The campus at Hill Air Force Base is located on federal property and operates through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the base authorities. 

Virginia

The campus at Fort Belvoir is approved by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).

If a student has any complaints, questions or problems which were not resolved by the school to your satisfaction, you may contact:

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV)

101 N. 14th Street

Richmond, VA 23219

Phone: 804-225-2600

The Virginia State Approving Agency (SAA), is the approving authority of education and training programs for Virginia. Our office investigates complaints of GI Bill^® beneficiaries. "GI Bill^®" is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill. While most complaints should initially follow the school grievance policy, if the situation cannot be resolved at the school, the beneficiary should contact our office via email saa@dvs.virginia.gov.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs(VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Specialized Accreditations

• Business and Management programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
• Webster University is designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education.
• Webster University has been accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music since 1952.
• The master's nursing program at Webster University located in Saint Louis, Missouri is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
  
  3343 Peachtree Road, Suite 850
  
  Atlanta, GA 30326
  
  404-975-5000
  
  www.acenursing.org
  
  
  
  The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the master's nursing program is continuing accreditation. 
  
  
  
  View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at http://www.acenursing.us/accreditedprograms/programSearch.htm
• The nursing anesthesia program is accredited by the Council of Accreditation (COA) of nurse anesthesia educational programs.
• Education programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
• Webster University is registered for state teachers' certificates by the Department of Education of the State of Missouri.
• MA in Reading received recognition from the International Reading Association (IRA).
• MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages received recognition from the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).
• The BA, MA in legal studies and paralegal certificates at the St. Louis campus only are approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).
• The MA in Counseling with an Emphasis in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, available at the home campus in St. Louis, Missouri and the South Carolina campuses in Charleston, Myrtle Beach and Columbia, is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
• Webster University is registered as an Approved Continuing Education Partner (ACEP) with the National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc (NBCC).
• National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). 

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International Accreditation and Recognitions

• Austria: Webster University in Vienna is accredited by The Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation Austria (AQ Austria) as an Austrian Private University.
• China: The Webster University MBA program, offered in partnership with the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (SUFE) and the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), is officially recognized by the Ministry of Education in China.
• Georgia: The National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement’s Authorization Council for Higher Education Institutions in the Republic of Georgia has granted the higher education institution status to Webster University Georgia (I/D 405424526).
• Ghana: Webster University Ghana is fully accredited by the National Accreditation Board of Ghana.
• Greece: Webster University, through its Athens Campus, Webster Athens, has been accredited/licensed by the Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs of the Hellenic Republic to operate in Hellas [Greece] under permit 127051/K1/01.08.2016 [Government Gazette 2585/B/22.08.2016].
• Kazakhstan: The Webster University Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language is offered in partnership with Astana International University. The Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan recognizes this program offering in its Register of Educational Programs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
• The Netherlands: Webster Leiden Campus is recognized as an institute of higher education. 
• Singapore: Webster University partners with PSB Academy in Singapore to deliver undergraduate and postgraduate degrees that are registered with the Committee for Private Education (CPE).
• Uzbekistan: By resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and through the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education, Webster University is registered to operate, and its diplomas, transcripts and other academic awards are recognized as documents of higher education in the Republic of Uzbekistan.

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Memberships

Webster University holds membership in the following organizations or associations:

• American Association for Paralegal Education
• American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)
• American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE)
• American Council on Education
• ASIS International
• Association of American College and University Programs in Switzerland
• Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U)
• Association of Theatre in Higher Education
• College Art Consortium
• College Board
• College Consortium for International Studies
• Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
• Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL)
• Council of Independent Colleges (CIC)
• Council on International Educational Exchange
• Educational Theatre Association
• Higher Education Council of Metropolitan St. Louis
• Independent Colleges and Universities of Missouri
• Institute of International Education
• International Council of Fine Arts Deans
• Missouri Music Educators Association
• National Education Association
• Society for Human Resource Management

Webster University has a signed Department of Defense (DoD) Voluntary Partnership Education Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), showing the commitment and value that Webster University places on the school's relationship with the military and providing military members with high quality educational services. Webster University recognizes the unique nature of the military lifestyle and has committed itself to easing the transfer of relevant course credits, providing flexible academic residency requirements, and crediting learning from appropriate military training and experiences. 

Graduates of Webster University are eligible for membership in the American Association of University Women and the American College of Healthcare Executives (HCHE).

The University also holds appropriate licensure, accreditations, or approvals within the recognized state approval agencies for all locations where Webster University offers programs.