View professional licensure disclosure information for academic programs at Catholic University.
The Catholic University of America is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. (267-284-5000) The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The Middle States region includes the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Middle States Commission on Higher Education page on The Catholic University of America
Middle States Complaint Procedures
DC Higher Education Licensure Commission (as a conditionally exempt institution)
The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia has certified the Catholic University School of Engineering to operate in Virginia. Courses leading to the M.S. degree are offered at the Crystal City Crowne Plaza Hotel in Arlington, VA. The Crowne Plaza Hotel is one block from the Crystal City Metro Station, and parking is provided free in the basement of the hotel. Complaints about the program can be made using the Catholic University Internal Grievance Process on this page. Once the internal grievance process has been exhausted, students may contact SCHEV by writing to or calling at the contact information is below. No student will be retaliated against for filing a complaint.
SCHEV • 101 N. 14TH St., James Monroe Bldg. • Richmond, VA 23219
Tel: (804)225-2600
The University is currently licensed to teach courses and grant regular degrees in Arizona, per approval from the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education.
The University is part of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA). Please see the Online Programs page for courses offered. Questions about State Authorization in any particular state should be directed to J. Steven Brown, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Administration and Dean Of Graduate Studies at brownjs@cua.edu.
Complaints under SARA are directed first to the institution operating under SARA. See page 25 of the SARA Manual. All complaints (as defined in the SARA Manual as fraud, misrepresentation, veracity of recruitment materials, accuracy of job placement data, tuition, fees, financial aid, etc.) arising from any distance education program should be directed to J. Steven Brown at the email above.
Complaints regarding student grades or student conduct violations are governed entirely by institutional policy and the laws of the SARA institution's home state.
If a person bringing a complaint is not satisfied with the outcome of the institutional process, the complaint, except for those referenced above, may be appealed, within two years of the incident, to the SARA portal entity in the home state of the institution against which a complaint has been lodged. For DC this is the DC Higher Education Licensure Commission. See the Public Complaint page.
Note that California is not part of SARA, and thus an online student, residing in California, should bring their complaint first to Catholic University, and then to the California Department of Consumer Affairs.
For more information on the SARA complaint process, please see this graphic.
Click here for Student Complaint Information by State and Agency.
Most external grievance processes require that the student first exhaust internal processes. If a student believes he/she has a complaint regarding financial aid, a complaint should be filed with Hasanna Tyus, Vice President for Enrollment Management at tyus@cua.edu. If the complaint is about Undergraduate Academics, the person to contact is Dr. Lynn Mayer, Vice Provost for Teaching and Dean of Undergraduate Studies, at mayer@cua.edu. A complaint about Graduate Academics should be directed to J. Steven Brown, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Administration and Dean Of Graduate Studies at brownjs@cua.edu.
Please note that no student will be subject to unfair actions as a result of his/her initiation of a complaint proceeding. For more information please see the CUA Non-Retaliation Policy.