About NCU

Mission

Northcentral University educates professionals throughout the world and provides an accessible opportunity to earn a U.S. regionally accredited degree. The University mentors students One-to-One with highly credentialed faculty via advanced delivery modalities and is committed to helping students achieve academically and become valuable contributors to their communities and within their professions.

Vision

NCU is a premier online graduate university and a global leader in providing unprecedented access to U.S. regionally accredited higher education.

VALUES: I.D.E.A.s Founded on INTEGRITY

We hold all members of our community to the highest ethical standards of professional and academic conduct and the rules and regulations of U.S. higher education.

Innovation: We envision new and innovative education delivery systems, and support proven concepts of teaching and learning. We encourage our community to seek solutions to educational challenges that will improve the quality of our programs and services.

Diversity: NCU celebrates the diversity of thought, action, and cultural groups within our community and is committed to equity for all people. We act on our belief that the educational journey will be enhanced if it is diverse in nature by actively promoting respect and understanding for different cultures, social groups, and experiences.

Excellence: Our community is committed to excellence in academics and service. We value leadership and strive for continuous improvement in everything we do. We define and measure outcomes and take action to ensure that our community’s passion for excellence is never compromised.

Accountability: We are deeply committed to holding each member of the University responsible for their scholarly and professional work. We expect financial responsibility in the actions of our students and University team.

Distance Learning at NCU

In the distance-learning environment, students and faculty interact via the NCUOne Learning Management System (LMS). The University uses a personalized teaching model wherein students and faculty interact asynchronously during a course to achieve learning outcomes. Faculty members function as instructors, facilitators, guides, consultants, and evaluators. A complete list of salaried faculty and their qualifications can be found in the

All degree programs include a set of fundamental courses and a set of related specialization courses allowing the student to select coursework closely associated with their educational and career goals. Students complete a degree plan, guided by faculty and supported by traditional texts, technology, and electronic resources and databases. Where appropriate, students must satisfy general education and/or content area requirements. Elective courses are divided into specializations at the undergraduate level and specializations at the graduate level. Students choose from a carefully selected array of courses that support program objectives.

NCU utilizes its own proprietary Learning Management System (LMS), NCUOne, to provide an enriched online experience for students. NCUOne is tailored to NCU’s unique one-to-one teaching model and graduate program focus.

Facilities

As an online university, NCU does not have a physical campus or equipment other than its state-of-the-art computing and networking resources to meet the needs of students working at a distance. Prospective students are informed of the computer capacity requirements for successful access to all NCU systems and learning resources. 

NCU Building Locations

• Arizona: 8667 E. Hartford Drive Suite #100; Scottsdale, AZ 85255 (Service Center)
• California: 11355 N. Torrey Pines Road; La Jolla, CA 92037 (Administrative/Legal Headquarters)

Board of Trustees Members

• Erlinda J. Martinez, (Chair); Higher Education President, Retired
• Tom Clevinger, (Vice Chair); Managing Partner, Cornerstone Growth Advisors
• Thomas Topuzes, (Secretary); President and CEO, Thomas Topuzes & Associates, LLC
• Richard Chisholm, (Treasurer); Executive, Retired
• Michael R. Cunningham (Ex Officio); Chancellor, National University System
• Stacy Allison, Professional Speaker, Author
• Jeanne Connelly, President, Connelly Consulting
• Kim Folsom, Serial High Tech, Venture-Backed Entrepreneur
• Harold H. Greenberg, Executive, Retired
• Ruthann Heinrich, President, Nuance Wines  
• W. H. Knight, Jr., Distinguished Academic in Residence, Seattle University School of Law
• Michael R. McGill, President, MMS Design Associates
• Tom Page, Executive, Retired
• Joanne M. Pastula, Executive, Retired
• Dan Pittard, Chairman and CEO, Pittard Partners LLC
• Hiep Quach, Executive, Retired
• E. Lee Rice, CEO and Medical Director, Lifewellness Institute
• Carlos Rodriguez, CEO, Rodriguez & Company
• Gerald Czarnecki, (Trustee Emeritus); Chairman and CEO, Deltennium Group, Inc.
• Robert Freelen, (Trustee Emeritus); VP Public Affairs, Stanford University
• Jean M. Leonard, (Trustee Emeritus); Educational Consultant, Retired

History and Accreditation of Northcentral University

Founded in 1996, NCU is a regionally accredited, private, online, and graduate-focused university, serving professionals globally. The University offers bachelor’s degrees in business, education, and psychology as well as master’s and doctoral programs, in business, technology, education, psychology, marriage and family therapy, and health sciences. Courses are taught one-to-one by a member of NCU’s 100 percent doctoral faculty, and there are no physical residency requirements. NCU is regionally accredited by WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), 985 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 100, Alameda, CA 94501, 510-748-9001, www.wascsenior.org. 

• Key Dates in NCU History
     
• Facts & Figures
    

Accreditation & Academic Alignment

• NCU is regionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
• NCU Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Science in Organizational Leadership (MSOL), Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), and Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (PhD-BA), and Doctor of Philosophy in Organizational Leadership  (PhD-OL) programs in the School of Business are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
• NCU offers the first primarily distance-based Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy (MAMFT) program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE)
• NCU offers the first primarily distance-based Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage and Family Therapy (PhDMFT) program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE)
• The PhDMFT and MAMFT programs are accredited by the International Family Therapy Association (IFTA) accrediting body, International Accreditation Commission for Systemic Therapy Education (IACSTE)
• The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has recognized Northcentral’s Human Resources Management specialization for the MBA program as fully aligned with SHRM standards
• NCU’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program has been awarded Candidacy accreditation status with Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
• NCU’s Master of Health Administration program has received candidacy status from the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME), the national organization that grants accreditation to graduate degree programs. The acceptance of the MHA program into CAHME Candidacy demonstrates the School of Health Sciences’ commitment to continuous quality improvement through a focus on attaining CAHME accreditation.
• The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) has approved the application for initial accreditation of the Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice degree programs at Northcentral University. NCU is pursuing initial accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (www.ccneaccreditation.org) for the MSN and DNP degree programs. Applying for accreditation does not guarantee that accreditation will be granted
• The School of Law is accredited by The Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California
• The Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies and the Paralegal Certificate programs are approved by the American Bar Association

Institutional Learning Outcomes

Northcentral University Breaks and Holiday Closures

NCU offices are closed on the following dates and students are notified through the NCU’s messaging system of such closures:

Commencement Calendar

The current commencement calendar and general information about the NCU commencement process and ceremony schedule can be found at http://www.ncu.edu/commencement.