Consumer Information / Student Right to Know
The University does not charge tuition and does not receive funding through any Department of Education grant or loan programs. Students at the University do not receive financial assistance through Department of Education grant or loan programs.
Textbooks are provided on loan to students through the library and are to be returned at the end of each quarter.
The University receives all of its funding through the federal government budget process, under the General Defense Intelligence Program (GDIP) element of the National Intelligence Program, which is approved by the Director of National Intelligence, and eventually by the administration and the Congress.
The University does not charge tuition and does not receive funding through any Department of Education grant or loan program. Students at the University do not receive financial assistance through Department of Education grant or loan programs. In accordance with 34 CFR 602.16(a)(1)(x) and the Federal Student Aid Handbook 2012-2-13, the National Intelligence University is not required to submit reports on Cohort Default Rates to the U.S. Department of Education. NIU financial data to date has not been loaded to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
Assignment of Academic Credit Hours was signed by the NIU President on November 16, 2022.
Through course Curriculum Working Groups and Quality Circles, faculty regularly review course content and workload to ensure they meet expectations for credit hours and various aspects of quality. Degree requirements and the credit load for specific courses are documented in the NIU Academic Catalog 2024 – 2025 and NIU Student Handbook (provided in student orientation).
NIU’s Definition of Credit Hours
The University operates on the quarter system. Credits are awarded based upon the quarter hour. The standard graduate, undergraduate, or certificate courses at NIU carries a 3-credit weight based on:
- Students achieving 1600 minutes of instruction, excluding the final examination period, if any, during each term. In accordance with federal standards and academic best practices, each credit hour carries the expectation of an approximate 1:2 ratio of time spent in any form of classroom, laboratory, field, or other instruction to time spent in any form of individual study, preparation and completion of course work outside of formal instruction.
Students must successfully complete a minimum number of credits based upon an academic program.
- The Master of Science of Strategic Intelligence and the Master of Science and Technology Intelligence programs require students to earn 45 quarter credit hours.
- The Bachelor of Science in Strategic Intelligence is a degree completion program. Students are required to transfer in 120 quarter credit hours of work. While at the University, students earn 57 upper division quarter credit hours.
Students in the Joint Professional Military Education program are required to earn 46 quarter credit hours.
The Deans and Degree Program Directors conduct periodic reviews of credit hour assignment for those classes in their respective programs to ensure consistent application of this credit hour policy. The Directors also ensure for each course that content and workload meet expectations for the number of credit hours assigned.
Transfer credit guidance is available in the Academic Catalog. Please reference page 16 for undergraduate and page 18 for graduate transfer credit information.
Admissions Counseling
Prospective students are strongly encouraged to have their academic records reviewed by the University Admissions Office to determine whether they meet the academic prerequisites. To request an evaluation, applicants should forward all of their transcripts with a cover note that includes the request and applicable contact information.
Legible copies are acceptable for credit evaluation; official copies are preferred. The Admissions staff will evaluate the applicant’s credentials and provide feedback, as well as make recommendations on how to meet any remaining semester hour requirements.
The University does not have any articulation agreements established with other institutions.
National Intelligence University is an accredited institution and a member of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE or the Commission). National Intelligence University’s accreditation status is accreditation reaffirmed. The Commission’s most recent action on the institution’s accreditation status on June 27, 2019, was to reaffirm. MSCHE is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education to conduct accreditation and pre-accreditation (candidate status) activities for institutions of higher education including distance, correspondence education, and direct assessment programs offered at those institutions. The Commission’s geographic area of accrediting activities is throughout the United States.
As federal employees and members of the Intelligence Community (IC), all NIU students, faculty, and staff are required to uphold the highest ethical standards in their personal and professional conduct. This Academic Integrity Policy identifies the requirements for academic integrity and ethical conduct.
All students are subject to Department of Defense rules and regulations governing use of information technology and eligibility for security clearance. Identity verification at NIU is handled internally by the U.S. Government as part of the security clearance process. The University does not assess any charges or fees to students for the identity verification.
All students attending class or taking an examination at the main NIU campus, Academic Center, or other instructional site must present government-issued photo identification approved for entry to the campus or Academic Center.
Each student admitted to NIU receives a secure login and password to access all campus systems including three networks:
- NIPRNET – Non-classified Internet Protocol Router Network
reserved for unclassified information, such as regular Internet websites and firewalled but unclassified military websites.
JWICS – Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System, secure intranet system utilized by the United States Department of Defense to house “Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information”
- Blackboard – is a highly customizable online learning application that allows users to take or host online courses.
- NIPRNET – Non-classified Internet Protocol Router Network
For examinations, University instructors or academic center directors may validate the identity of the student taking the exam – in person or remotely through secure audiovisual technologies.
NIU supports Federal statutes and DoD regulations that require reasonable accommodation of qualified individuals with disabilities. NIU supports Federal statutes and DoD regulations that require reasonable accommodation of qualified individuals with disabilities. Students with disabilities should contact the NIU Office of Student Affairs with their concerns.
NIU is committed to:
• provide instructional materials in accessible formats.
• ensure academic courses and programs are accessible
It is the policy of NIU to comply with the requirements of the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), also known as the Buckley Amendment, concerning the disclosure of student records. FERPA affords eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records.
NIU students have the right to inspect and review their education records within 45 days after the day the University receives a request for access. A student should submit to the Registrar a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect. The Registrar’s office makes arrangements for access and notifies the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. Students who are not located in the national capital region may request records be faxed or emailed, although electronically transmitted records may be redacted to comply with personally identifiable information (PII) policies.
NIU students have the right to request the amendment of education records that they believe to be inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of student privacy rights:
- A student who wishes to ask the University to amend a record should write the Registrar’s office, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed.
- If the University decides not to amend the record as requested, the University notifies the student in writing of the decision and of the student’s right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures is provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
NIU follows the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a), ODNI policies, and NIU policies for protecting student records. NIU collects, stores, and processes personally identifiable information (PII) about students, to include academic records, in its System of Records (NIU Program Records). Under ODNI and NIU policies, NIU students generally have the right to request written consent before the University discloses PII from the student’s education records. However, federal law and ODNI/NIU policies permit the disclosure of such records in certain circumstances. For example, generally, NIU may disclose education records without a student’s prior written consent to University officials with legitimate educational interests. A University official is a person employed by NIU in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement or unit personnel); a person serving on the Board of Visitors; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A University official also may include a volunteer or contractor outside of NIU, who performs an institutional service or function for which the school would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the University with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records, such as an attorney, or auditor. A University official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record to fulfill their professional responsibilities for NIU. Additionally, NIU may disclose student information for other reasons permitted by law as described in ODNI’s Privacy Act policy (see 32 C.F.R. Part 1701).
Student Academic Grievance and Complaint Policy: This policy applies to current and former NIU students who meet the requirements outlined in this policy for submitting an academic grievance related to a matter that falls within NIU’s jurisdiction:
-Freedom of Expression;
-Freedom of Association;
-Academic Evaluation;
-Disclosure of information regarding student views, beliefs, or political associations;
-Reprisal by a faculty member against a student for comments made concerning course subject matter; and
-Inappropriate behavior exhibited by faculty or staff toward students.
Students shall make every effort to resolve disputes informally before initiating a formal complaint. To the extent possible, grievances shall be resolved at the lowest appropriate level. Students whose complaints have not been resolved at the institutional level who have followed all grievance procedures and protocols defined by this policy may file an appeal to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education at https://www.msche.org/complaints/#complaints.
Grievance and Complaint Procedures for Staff and Faculty: This memorandum applies to all Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) permanent cadre, staff reserve, Highly Qualified Experts, Presidential appointees, federal civilian detailees, military detailees, Intergovernmental Personnel Act detailees, and former ODNI cadre (within time limitations). Individuals will make every effort to resolve work-related disputes informally before initiating a formal complaint. To the extent possible, grievances shall be resolved at the lowest appropriate level. Staff and Faculty whose complaints have not been resolved at the ODNI level who have followed all grievance procedures and protocols defined by this policy may file an appeal to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education at https://www.msche.org/complaints/#complaints.