A Word About Accreditation

Unlike the practices of most other countries, in the United States accreditation of institutions of higher education is not conducted by the government. The US government does not approve or accredit higher education programs and schools. Instead, it is a voluntary process that is implemented by private nongovernmental accrediting agencies. At present, there are both regional as well as national agencies involved in the accreditation process. If you are studying for other than ministry, to become a business administrator, engineer, lawyer, etc, make sure that the school at which you are going to study belongs to a regional accrediting association. In secular education, regional accreditation is essential. However, even though accreditation is a voluntary act on the part of a university or college, CUT under the director of the founding president sought and gained accreditation with the Accrediting Commission International of Beebe, Arkansas. ACI is an international accrediting commission which holds at its primary objective the encouragement and maintenance of sound scholarship and the highest academic achievement in the areas of private education. ACI’s purpose is the preparation of quality education in private schools, colleges, and theological seminaries. It is a non-governmental body and makes no claims to be connected with the government.

If your sole purpose of needing an education is for the Gospel ministry or a related field within Christian ministry, secular accreditation is not necessary or required. All Christian churches generally accept quality Christian education regardless of which accreditation group (if any) the school is with. However, since the election of our new president, and the University’s Board’s decision to relocate the University administrative offices and headquarters from Iron Station, North Carolina to Manassas, Virginia, our President in keeping with our desire to promote academic excellence has deemed it vital to gain additional accreditation through a regional and national accrediting agency that is fully recognized by the US Secretary of Education. We have been gathering information on this process for several years as we strive to go forth and begin the process for all that is required to gain such additional accreditation.