Des Moines University (DMU) receives degree granting authority from the State of Iowa, in conjunction with institutional and programmatic accreditors.  DMU is approved by the Iowa College Aid state agency to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA).  NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of postsecondary distance education.  As a participating institution, DMU is authorized to enroll residents from other NC-SARA states in its online degree programs and allow enrolled students to complete a portion of their program, such as internships and clinical rotations, within another NC-SARA state.

As of March 2022, 49 states plus the District of Columbia are participating NC-SARA states.  DMU attempts to work directly with states that do not participate in NC-SARA to secure any required approvals to enable residents of those states to enroll in DMU's online degree programs and to allow DMU students to complete internships or clinical rotations in those states.  However, DMU's authorization status and various state requirements may change over time affecting its ability to allow out of state students to enroll in its online programs and students to select internships or clinical rotation sites in certain states.  Consequently, DMU cannot guarantee that students will be allowed to select internships or clinical rotations in every state.  Admissions staff and program and clinical affairs coordinators can answer questions for students about any potential limitations.  While DMU endeavors to comply with requirements established in each state, various state conditions and fees may prohibit DMU from achieving authorization in every state.  Students enrolled in online programs who move to a state where DMU is not authorized to deliver distance education may be unable to complete the degree program.  

Up-to-date information about DMU’s authorization status can be viewed on the University website.

Additionally, DMU provides information for students on its website listing the state agencies and contact information where students can file a complaint against the University related to state authorization.

Degrees Leading to Professional Licensure

DMU offers several degree programs on its campus in Iowa that may involve clinical rotations for credit in other states.  The curriculum for each of these programs meets national accreditation requirements and is designed to meet graduate educational requirements for licensure in every state.  Graduates of these programs are eligible to take the required national examinations for licensure as noted below:

• The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree program is accredited by the Committee on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education; graduates are eligible to take the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE), the examination that every graduate must pass to become a licensed physical therapist in the United States. 
• The Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) degree program is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant; graduates are eligible to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) which is a requirement for initial licensure as a physician assistant in the United States. 
• The Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree program is accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation; graduates are eligible to take the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Exam (COMLEX) series of examinations leading to licensure as a physician.
• The Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) degree program is accredited by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education; graduates are eligible to take the American Podiatric Medical Licensing Exam (APMLE) series of examinations leading to licensure as a podiatric physician.
• The entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctoral (OTD) degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The program must have a pre-accreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure

State requirements for licensure are subject to change. Individual states may have additional requirements, including requirements for successful completion of graduate medical education (i.e., residency training) for some doctoral programs.  The University cannot provide verification of an individual's ability to meet licensure requirements unrelated to its educational programming.  Such individual determinations are made by state licensing boards and are fact specific determinations. Applicants and students are encouraged to review licensure requirements - including non-educational requirements such as certification, work experience, background checks, etc. - for the states in which they intend to seek licensure.  Links to program specific licensure information can be accessed on the University website.