West Virginia University is fully accredited by national and international organizations which represent the gold standard for education in Art and Design, Media and Communications, Music and Theatre and Dance.
Art and Design: West Virginia University is one of approximately 328 institutions fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Founded in 1944, NASAD is an organization of schools, conservatories, colleges, and universities. It establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials for art and design and art/design-related disciplines, and provides assistance to institutions and individuals engaged in artistic, scholarly, educational, and other art/design-related endeavors. The Art Education program is also fully accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and the West Virginia Department of Education.
Media and Communications: West Virginia University has one of the 120 journalism/communication programs accredited worldwide by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC). We are also one of only 45 programs internationally to earn the Certification in Public Relations from the Public Relations Society of America.
Music: West Virginia University is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, an organization of schools, conservatories, colleges, and universities with approximately 628 accredited institutional members. It establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials for music and music-related disciplines, and provides assistance to institutions and individuals engaged in artistic, scholarly, educational, and other music-related endeavors. The music education program is fully accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and the West Virginia Department of Education, and the music therapy program is fully accredited by the American Music Therapy Association.
Theatre and Dance: National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST): All BA, BFA, and MFA majors in theatre are accredited by NAST. Founded in 1965, NAST is an organization of 186 schools, conservatories, colleges, and universities that establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials for theatre and theatre-related disciplines, and provides assistance to institutions and individuals engaged in artistic, scholarly, educational, and other theatre-related endeavors.
National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD): The BA in Dance is accredited by NASD. Founded in 1981, the is an organization of schools, conservatories, colleges, and universities with approximately 84 accredited institutional members. It establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials for dance and dance-related disciplines, and provides assistance to institutions and individuals engaged in artistic, scholarly, educational, and other dance-related endeavors.
University Resident Theatre Association (URTA): All the MFA majors in theatre are reviewed and approved by URTA. WVU is one of only 45 URTA member institutions nationally. Founded in 1969, the URTA works toward the continued renewal of the American theatre by supporting professional training of new artists. URTA programs and services answer the needs of university theatres, training programs, and individual artists. Whether it’s articulating the need for professional theatrical training, helping to match potential students with the graduate program best suited to their needs, facilitating engagement of professional artists at universities, or expanding the scope of our education and career outreach programs, URTA is setting the stage for emerging theatre artists, and professional advancement.