Capella University
| |
| Name | Capella University |
|---|---|
| Motto | Petere Sapientiam |
| Mottoeng | Ask for Wisdom |
| Type | Private for-profit, online |
| Established | 1993 |
| Founder | Stephen Shank; Harold Abel |
| Parent | Strategic Education, Inc. |
| President | Constance St. Germain |
| City | Minneapolis |
| State | Minnesota |
| Country | United States |
| Campus | Online (HQ: Capella Tower) |
| Colors | Red and black |
Capella University is a private, for-profit online university headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The institution was founded in 1993 as The Graduate School of America and, since 1999, has operated as Capella University. It offers bachelor’s, master’s, specialist and doctoral degrees across business, technology, health care administration, nursing and health sciences, social and behavioral sciences, public service and education. Capella is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and has multiple programmatic accreditations. It is owned by Strategic Education, Inc. (SEI), the publicly traded parent formed by the 2018 merger of Capella’s former parent with Strayer Education, Inc.[1][2][3]
History
Capella University traces its origin to 1993, when former Tonka CEO Stephen Shank co-founded The Graduate School of America (TGSA) with higher-education leader Harold Abel. TGSA admitted its first learners in the mid-1990s and earned HLC accreditation in 1997. In 1999, TGSA became Capella University and began expanding into additional degree levels and professional fields.[1][4]
Through the 2000s, Capella broadened offerings to upper-division bachelor’s programs and added schools focused on public service leadership, psychology, and information technology. The university completed an initial public offering via its then-parent, Capella Education Company, in 2006.[1]
In August 2013, the U.S. Department of Education approved Capella’s direct-assessment, competency-based degree option known as FlexPath, initially for the Bachelor of Science in Business and the MBA; HLC had approved the format earlier that year. FlexPath made eligible learners able to receive federal student aid while progressing based on mastery rather than seat time.[5][6][1]
In 2018, Strayer Education and Capella Education completed a stock-for-stock merger to form Strategic Education, Inc.. Capella University and Strayer University continued operating as separate, independently accredited institutions under SEI.[3][7]
Leadership has included presidents Harold Abel (founding), Michael Offerman, Christopher Cassirer, Larry Isaak, Scott Kinney, Richard (Dick) Senese, and Constance St. Germain, who was appointed in 2023.[1][8]
Campus and organization
Capella is an online university with administrative headquarters in Capella Tower, 225 S. 6th Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota.[9] The institution is organized into schools that (as of 2025) include:
School of Business, Technology, and Health Care Administration
School of Nursing and Health Sciences
School of Social and Behavioral Sciences These academic units are led by deans and overseen by the provost and president under a board of trustees.[1]
Academics
Capella University offers certificates and bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees. As of April 2025, the university lists 40 degree programs and 80 specializations, along with non-degree certificates.[10] Programs are designed around competency-based outcomes aligned to professional standards, licensure expectations, and workforce needs.[8]
Certain graduate programs require residencies, immersions, or supervised practice aligned with licensure and accreditation standards (e.g., counseling, psychology, nursing).[10]
Learning formats
Capella offers two primary delivery models:[1]
GuidedPath – a faculty-paced, course-by-course format with weekly deadlines and per-credit tuition.
FlexPath – a direct-assessment format in which learners progress by demonstrating mastery; tuition is charged per 12-week billing session. FlexPath initially launched in 2013 and has expanded to additional programs over time.[5][6]
Accreditation and approvals
Capella University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.[2] Selected programmatic accreditations and recognitions include:
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) – baccalaureate, master's, and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs in nursing.[11]
Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) – MS in Marriage and Family Therapy (renewed for seven years, 2025–2032).[12]
American Psychological Association (APA) – Commission on Accreditation (CoA) accreditation for the MS in Clinical Psychology clinical counseling specialization (programmatic accreditation).[11]
Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) – Educator Preparation Provider (advanced programs).[1]
Council on Accreditation for Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) – selected counseling programs and specializations.[1]
Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) – select business programs.[1]
PMI Global Accreditation Center (PMI-GAC) – project management specializations (reaffirmed).[1]
ABET – selected information technology programs (historic and renewal cycles noted in institutional materials).[1]
Enrollment and student body
Capella serves primarily working adults in the United States and abroad. According to university reporting, total enrollment exceeded 50,000 learners in 2023, with delivery split approximately 57% GuidedPath and 43% FlexPath as of December 31, 2024. The faculty profile indicates that about 81% of faculty hold doctorates, with instructional staff located across all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C.[1]
Teaching and assessment
Capella’s curriculum emphasizes outcomes-based assessment tied to demonstrable competencies. In GuidedPath, learners move through weekly sequences; in FlexPath, learners submit assessments when ready and advance upon demonstration of mastery. The model aims to align academic work with industry standards and licensure pathways where applicable.[8][13]
Schools and programs
Capella’s schools support programs across the following areas:[1][8]
Business, Technology, and Health Care Administration: undergraduate through doctoral programs in business administration, information systems/IT, project management, analytics, and health care administration.
Nursing and Health Sciences: RN-to-BSN, MSN, DNP, and other health sciences programs aligned with CCNE standards and selected state approvals.
Social and Behavioral Sciences: counseling and psychology (with selected CACREP/APA/COAMFTE program accreditations), human services, criminal justice, and social work (with CSWE accreditation as noted in institutional materials).
Research, resources, and student support
The university delivers digital course materials (e-texts, articles, software) and offers library and tutoring services online. Doctoral candidates follow research ethics, IRB oversight, and dissertation publication processes outlined in the catalog; certain programs include required residencies or clinical placements in accordance with accreditation and licensure requirements.[10][8]
Governance and ownership
Capella University is operated by Strategic Education, Inc. (NASDAQ: STRA) alongside Strayer University and other education brands (e.g., Sophia Learning, DevMountain, Hackbright Academy). SEI indicates that Capella and Strayer continue to function as independent, separately accredited institutions within the holding company structure.[3]
Rankings and recognition
As an online institution focused on adult learners, Capella is typically evaluated by accreditors and professional bodies rather than by traditional residential rankings. Institutional materials note recognitions such as the CAEL Adult Learner Impact Award (2022), National University Technology Network and WCET awards for FlexPath (2014), and NSA/DHS designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense for specified periods.[1]
Criticism and controversies
Federal compliance audit (2006–2009)
Between 2006 and 2009, the Office of Inspector General (U.S. Department of Education) conducted a compliance audit of Capella related to returns of Title IV funds for learners who withdrew without official notice and other financial-aid processes. The final report identified areas of non-compliance and recommendations; the university responded that it had revised procedures and documentation to address the issues.[14]
Senate HELP Committee report (2012)
Capella was among institutions discussed in the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions’ 2012 majority report on for-profit higher education, which criticized sector-wide spending patterns and student outcomes, while acknowledging areas where Capella’s graduate programs and student services compared more favorably than some peers. The report focused on the sector as a whole rather than any single institution.[15][16]
Class-action litigation by doctoral students (2018–2022)
In 2018, a class-action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota alleged that Capella misrepresented the time and cost to complete certain doctoral programs. The university contested the claims. In April 2022, news reports indicated the case was resolved through private mediation; terms were not publicly disclosed.[17][18]
Notable alumni
Tammy Duckworth – U.S. senator from Illinois; completed a PhD in human services at Capella in 2015.[19]
Linda L. Singh – retired major general, former adjutant general of the Maryland National Guard; PhD from Capella.[20]
Irene Muloni – Ugandan politician and former Minister of Energy and Minerals; MBA from Capella.[21]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 Capella University Fact Sheet, Strategic Education, Inc., August 1, 2025
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Legal, Regulatory, & Accreditation Information, Capella University, September 24, 2024
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Strayer Education, Inc. closes merger with Capella Education Company, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, August 1, 2018
- ↑ Capella History, Capella University, August 14, 2025
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Education Department Approves Competency-Based Program at Capella U., The Chronicle of Higher Education, August 12, 2013
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Capella Gets Federal Approval for Competency-Based Degrees, Inside Higher Ed, August 12, 2013
- ↑ For-Profit Colleges Strayer And Capella To Merge In $1.9 Billion Deal, Forbes, October 30, 2017
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 2025 University Catalog, Capella University, January 6, 2025
- ↑ Contact Us, Capella University, August 14, 2025
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Consumer Information 2025, Capella University, April 24, 2025
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 University Accreditations, Capella University, August 14, 2025
- ↑ Capella University (MS) – COAMFTE Spring 2025 Action Letter, COAMFTE, May 5, 2025
- ↑ Competency-based education at Capella, Capella University, August 14, 2025
- ↑ Capella University's Compliance with Selected Provisions of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and Corresponding Regulations: Final Audit Report, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Education, 2009
- ↑ For-Profit Higher Education: The Failure to Safeguard the Federal Investment and Ensure Student Success, U.S. Senate HELP Committee, July 30, 2012
- ↑ Capella Education Company (Report Part II), U.S. Senate HELP Committee, 2012
- ↑ Wright et al. v. Capella University, Inc., et al., No. 0:2018-cv-01062, Justia, October 27, 2020
- ↑ Capella University settles lawsuit over time, cost to earn degree, St. Paul Pioneer Press via Yahoo News, April 28, 2022
- ↑ Tammy Duckworth, Encyclopædia Britannica, August 14, 2025
- ↑ Linda L. Singh, Maryland Manual On-Line, Maryland State Archives, August 14, 2025
- ↑ Power Women of the Diaspora: Uganda Minister of Energy Irene Muloni, Black Enterprise, May 4, 2015
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