Concordia College and University - Accreditation

Accreditation

Concordia College and University claims to be recognized and accredited by the governments of Indonesia and Liberia, but it is not accredited by any higher education accrediting body recognized in the United States or most other countries where its degrees are advertised.

The school has been called a diploma mill by Allen Ezell, a retired FBI agent who co-authored the book "Degree Mills". According to John Bear, Concordia College and University has an address in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and gives degrees based on "life experience".

Concordia College and University claims that its degrees are recognized by the National Academy of Higher Education, an entity that is not recognized as a higher education accreditor by either the United States Department of Education or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation and that several educational organizations identify as an unrecognized accreditation organization or accreditation mill. In 2003 Concordia College and University was reported to be claiming accreditation by the Distance Graduation Accrediting Association, which is not recognized as an accreditor by the U.S. Department of Education or any foreign equivalent.

In September 2004, The East Carolinian, the student newspaper of East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina reported that "There are at least a half-dozen legitimate Concordia colleges and Concordia universities around the country. But Concordia College and University is a diploma mill that offers degrees in as little turnaround time as 12 hours." The article noted, "The fake Concordia College and University admonishes Web surfers to 'be safe and purchase a government approved degree.' The government, it turns out, is war-torn Liberia. The school's offices are in Dominica, and its U.S. mailing address is in Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Its website domain is in Pakistan."

In 2009, it was listed as a diploma mill by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.