Congratulations to the faculty and staff in the and for receiving accreditation from, respectively, the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE) and the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council (NACC). Additionally the has been reaccredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) through 2025.

The Master of Social Work program celebrates their accreditation on October 4, from 5 to 7, in the Casey Commons. Learn more about the event here.

The Master of Nonprofit Leadership celebrates the 25th anniversary of the program and announces their Alumni Leadership Awards at AMPLIFY on October 11 in Campion Ballroom. Learn more and buy tickets here.

Master of Social Work

In June 2019, Seattle U’s Master of Social Work joined 270 master’s social work programs accredited by CWSE. The initial accreditation runs through 2023.

 “CSWE accreditation is a crucial accomplishment for the program,” said Dr. Hye-Kyung Kang, Social Work Department Chair and Program Director for the Master in Social Work. “Social work graduates (BSW or MSW) can get licensure only if they graduate from a program that is accredited by CSWE. It is a highly rigorous 3-year process that involves 3 yearly on-site visits by CSWE commissioners who evaluate all of the program's self-study materials and meet with various stakeholders of the program (including the President, Provost, students, community advisory groups, faculty, librarians, and disability services).”

CSWE's Commission on Accreditation is responsible for developing accreditation standards that define competent preparation and ensuring that social work programs meet these standards. In accordance with the requirements of CSWE's recognition body, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), the CSWE Office of Social Work Accreditation administers a multistep accreditation process that involves program self-studies, site visits, and COA reviews. Learn more about CWSE accreditation here.

Master of Nonprofit Leadership

Seattle University’s Master of Nonprofit Leadership is one of only nine programs (of approximately 50 standalone master’s programs in the world) included in the inaugural accreditation by the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council.

"Accreditation recognizes the history, impact and strength of the Master of Nonprofit Leadership program at Seattle University,” said Dr. Maureen Feit, Director and Assistant Director, Nonprofit Leadership. “As we mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of MNPL this fall, we look forward to celebrating this milestone with our students, alumni, faculty, staff and community partners."

NACC Accreditation fosters third sector academic programs worldwide, including nonprofit and nongovernmental studies and management, social entrepreneurship, social-purpose organizations leadership, and philanthropy studies and management, all with curriculum that places the civil sector at the center of the curricular perspective.

Master of Public Administration

NASPAA, the global standard in public service education, is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership association with more than 300 institutional member schools at U.S. and non-U.S. universities that award degrees in public administration, public policy, public affairs, non-profit and related fields.

 “We are pleased to announce that the MPA program has been reaccredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) through 2025,” said Dr. Larry Hubbell, Director, Institute of Public Service. “SU’s MPA program is one of only four MPA programs on the State of Washington that is accredited by NASPAA.  The NASPAA reaccreditation is evidence of the high quality education we are providing our students.”

NASPAA accreditation recognizes that a master’s degree program in public policy, affairs, or administration has undertaken a rigorous process of peer review conducted by the Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation (COPRA). 

Learn more about all of the College of Arts and Sciences Graduate Programs here.