Understanding Professional Licensure/Certification Disclosures

Federal regulations require that Grand Valley State University (GVSU) publicly disclose whether our programs (regardless of modality) that lead or may lead to professional licensure or certification meet educational requirements. Our educational programs are in line with Higher Learning Commission accreditation requirements and program-specific accreditation requirements as applicable. Programs leading to professional licensure also satisfy State of Michigan academic requirements, but may be subject to additional state professional licensing requirements outside of Michigan. Grand Valley's membership in SARA (State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement) has no effect on state professional licensing requirements. 

State professional licensure/certification laws, regulations, and policies are subject to change at any time, and many boards/agencies require more than successful degree completion to obtain a license/certification. Unless otherwise indicated below, a degree program alone may not be sufficient to provide the content required to pass certification or professional designation exams in a particular discipline for professional certification or designation in a professional organization, association, society, and the like. Thus, the information below should not be viewed as a guarantee that any professional licensure/certification authority will approve a student’s application.  

All current and prospective students are encouraged to contact the applicable licensure/certification boards in their state of residence or the state in which they intend to obtain a license/certificate for additional and the most up-to-date information regarding professional licensure and certification requirements, including, but not limited to, information regarding prerequisites, examinations, or any non-educational requirements, such as work experience, background clearance, examination by outside entities, finger printing requirements, etc.

In the linked table below, GVSU discloses information related to the educational requirements for offered programs leading to professional licensure/certification. Information is organized by college. 

Student Location and Relocation

Current and prospective students are advised to carefully review, evaluate, and understand the requirements of the applicable licensing/certification (referred hereafter as licensing or licensure for brevity) board in the state in which they intend to seek employment in a licensed profession. Grand Valley provides direct disclosures of professional licensure requirements to its students based on the student’s address on file within the university's student information system. Students are responsible for keeping their contact information, including their address, accurate and current. Grand Valley's Student Location Policy for Licensure Programs, stated on our University Information and Disclosures page, provides more information on how student location is determined and applies to all prospective and current students. 

Professional licensing standards vary from state to state and relocating to another state may impact an individual's ability to meet that state’s licensure requirements. Students and graduates of Grand Valley's licensure programs should also be aware that some state-specific licensing board requirements cannot be fulfilled after degree conferral. Students enrolled in a professional licensure program who are considering moving or working in another state should review the professional licensure disclosure for the state in which they intend to practice and discuss the state requirements with an admissions counselor or academic advisor. 

State professional licensing boards are responsible for determining whether an individual is eligible for licensure based on the rules and regulations in place at the time an application for licensure/certification is submitted. Grand Valley State University cannot guarantee that graduates/students will be able to meet the requirements of a state’s licensure board.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Phuong Vo at [email protected].