Washington University in St. Louis achieved reaffirmation of its accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) after a review of the university’s academic practices uncovered the need for a refresh of its academic credit policy.
The university undergoes an accreditation review on a 10-year cycle and has been accredited by the HLC since 1913. Reviewers conducted a site visit in October 2024 and found that while WashU demonstrated strong commitment to academic excellence, practices around awarding and documenting credit hours needed revision. The credit hour is a basic unit commonly accepted among institutions of higher education to gauge progress toward a degree.
During the spring semester, the Office of the Provost convened seven committees composed of more than 60 faculty and staff across all schools to provide recommendations for changes in practice and policy. Campus leadership reviewed the policy, and the Faculty Senate Council endorsed it in October, clearing the way for the policy to take effect in fall 2026.
“At WashU, our academic mission guides us,” Provost Mark D. West said. “The updates we are making in response to the accreditation review will ensure our rigorous academic standards are upheld no matter the course, major or professor involved.”
The updates to the policy will affect the academic calendar and may impact planning for the fall 2026 semester for faculty, staff and students. Of note, fall and spring full-semester courses will add one instructional day to account for university holidays that fall on a Monday. This final day of classes will take the place of a reading day ahead of final exams.
Faculty, staff and students can learn more about updates to the credit policy on the Office of the Provost website.
