Is Grand Canyon University a Legitimate University?

Founded in 1949, Grand Canyon University has a campus size of roughly 250 acres. It offers undergraduate degrees within nine colleges and allows students to complete an emphasis in a certain area such as a Bachelor’s of English with an Emphasis in Professional Writing, which covers not only the foundations of writing, but of literature, rhetoric and communications, or a Bachelor of Science in Counseling with an Emphasis in Addiction, Chemical Dependency and Substance Abuse, a program that prepares individuals with the theoretical knowledge and applied skills needed to serve others with competence and compassion.

GCU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) with additional accreditation for various other colleges within the university. The university’s professors and administrator preparation programs are approved by the Arizona Department of Education. Many of our business degrees have also attained elite accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools & Programs. In addition, all baccalaureate degree programs and master's programs in nursing, as well as the Doctor of Nursing Practice and post-graduate APRN certificate programs at GCU are accredited.*

Only legitimate universities are accredited, with some listed in respected rankings such as the U.S. News and World Report ranking of best colleges. Grand Canyon University has both of these to its name and more, which are signs of not only a legitimate university, but an accomplished one.

Is a Degree from Grand Canyon University Respected?

For GCU, a university with over 170,000 alumni as of December 2019, the proof is in the pudding when it comes to our degree programs. If you look at the reviews, you will see an outstanding amount of people who have enjoyed their time learning with GCU and have found great jobs after college. In fact, many come back to earn their master’s degree or doctoral degree with the school.

Employers often prefer GCU graduates because of their positive attitude and hard-working mentality. Not only does GCU provide students access to great professors and a competitive education, they also provide a great environment in which to spend your college years.

*For more information on the accreditation of nursing programs and other university licensures, please visit our University Accreditation and Regulations page.

To learn more about how you can join the ever-growing community of like-minded students at GCU, click on the Request information button on this page. Schedule a guided tour and get started on your journey to find your purpose.