What is accreditation?

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Accreditation is simply a validation process by which institutions of higher education are evaluated against established standards to ensure a high level of educational quality. It is typically accomplished through a peer-review process in which faculty from accredited institutions help to conduct evaluations of either new non-accredited institutions or accredited institutions seeking renewal. The standards used to conduct these evaluations vary but in general they assess: the institution’s mission, goals and objectives, resources and resource allocation, student admission requirements, student support services and the quality of the faculty and educational offerings.

Unlike the practices of most other countries, in the United States accreditation of institutions of higher education is not conducted by the government. Instead, it is a voluntary process that is implemented by private nongovernmental accrediting agencies. At present, there are both regional as well as national agencies involved in the accreditation process. The only role that the government plays is to evaluate these accrediting agencies using well developed criteria in order to identify those considered to be “reliable authorities” on the quality of institutions of higher education.

Why should I care about accreditation?

Knowing something about a school’s accreditation can tell you a lot about the value of the life experience degrees or course for which you are paying. If you obtain a degree or take a course from a non-accredited institution you may find that the degree is not recognized by some employers or that the course credits may not transfer to other institutions. Understanding accreditation can also help you identify and avoid “diploma mills” (i.e. an unaccredited institution that grants degrees without ensuring students are properly qualified.)

To begin, it is important to understand that the term “accredited” is used rather loosely by some institutions and therefore you have to know what to look for when checking a school’s accreditation. All institutions of higher education, online or “brick and mortar,” should openly provide information on their accreditation to prospective students. The first thing to pay attention to are the words used. The documentation should clearly state that the institution is “accredited” and should list the accrediting agency. Some unaccredited schools use terms that give the appearance of accreditation when in fact none exists. Phrases that you should be wary of include: “pursuing accreditation”, “chartered”, “licensed or registered”, “recognized”, “authorized” or “approved.” If these phrases are used without the term “accreditation” you should be sure to conduct a more detailed investigation.

It is also very important to review the qualifications of the accrediting agency which has evaluated and approved the institution in question. The “American Association of Accredited Colleges and Universities”, for example, may sound rather official but in reality this fake organization was invented several years ago by a less than prestigious college. This example illustrates the point that although, as noted earlier, the U.S. government via the Department of Education evaluates accrediting agencies, there are many that are not approved but that still operate, often in less than reputable ways.

What is accreditation?

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2. Choose a subject:

3. Choose a degree level:

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Accreditation is simply a validation process by which institutions of higher education are evaluated against established standards to ensure a high level of educational quality. It is typically accomplished through a peer-review process in which faculty from accredited institutions help to conduct evaluations of either new non-accredited institutions or accredited institutions seeking renewal. The standards used to conduct these evaluations vary but in general they assess: the institution’s mission, goals and objectives, resources and resource allocation, student admission requirements, student support services and the quality of the faculty and educational offerings.

Unlike the practices of most other countries, in the United States accreditation of institutions of higher education is not conducted by the government. Instead, it is a voluntary process that is implemented by private nongovernmental accrediting agencies. At present, there are both regional as well as national agencies involved in the accreditation process. The only role that the government plays is to evaluate these accrediting agencies using well developed criteria in order to identify those considered to be “reliable authorities” on the quality of institutions of higher education.

Why should I care about accreditation?

Knowing something about a school’s accreditation can tell you a lot about the value of the life experience degrees or course for which you are paying. If you obtain a degree or take a course from a non-accredited institution you may find that the degree is not recognized by some employers or that the course credits may not transfer to other institutions. Understanding accreditation can also help you identify and avoid “diploma mills” (i.e. an unaccredited institution that grants degrees without ensuring students are properly qualified.)

To begin, it is important to understand that the term “accredited” is used rather loosely by some institutions and therefore you have to know what to look for when checking a school’s accreditation. All institutions of higher education, online or “brick and mortar,” should openly provide information on their accreditation to prospective students. The first thing to pay attention to are the words used. The documentation should clearly state that the institution is “accredited” and should list the accrediting agency. Some unaccredited schools use terms that give the appearance of accreditation when in fact none exists. Phrases that you should be wary of include: “pursuing accreditation”, “chartered”, “licensed or registered”, “recognized”, “authorized” or “approved.” If these phrases are used without the term “accreditation” you should be sure to conduct a more detailed investigation.

It is also very important to review the qualifications of the accrediting agency which has evaluated and approved the institution in question. The “American Association of Accredited Colleges and Universities”, for example, may sound rather official but in reality this fake organization was invented several years ago by a less than prestigious college. This example illustrates the point that although, as noted earlier, the U.S. government via the Department of Education evaluates accrediting agencies, there are many that are not approved but that still operate, often in less than reputable ways.

What is accreditation?

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1. Choose a category:

2. Choose a subject:

3. Choose a degree level:

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Accreditation is simply a validation process by which institutions of higher education are evaluated against established standards to ensure a high level of educational quality. It is typically accomplished through a peer-review process in which faculty from accredited institutions help to conduct evaluations of either new non-accredited institutions or accredited institutions seeking renewal. The standards used to conduct these evaluations vary but in general they assess: the institution’s mission, goals and objectives, resources and resource allocation, student admission requirements, student support services and the quality of the faculty and educational offerings.

Unlike the practices of most other countries, in the United States accreditation of institutions of higher education is not conducted by the government. Instead, it is a voluntary process that is implemented by private nongovernmental accrediting agencies. At present, there are both regional as well as national agencies involved in the accreditation process. The only role that the government plays is to evaluate these accrediting agencies using well developed criteria in order to identify those considered to be “reliable authorities” on the quality of institutions of higher education.

Why should I care about accreditation?

Knowing something about a school’s accreditation can tell you a lot about the value of the life experience degrees or course for which you are paying. If you obtain a degree or take a course from a non-accredited institution you may find that the degree is not recognized by some employers or that the course credits may not transfer to other institutions. Understanding accreditation can also help you identify and avoid “diploma mills” (i.e. an unaccredited institution that grants degrees without ensuring students are properly qualified.)

To begin, it is important to understand that the term “accredited” is used rather loosely by some institutions and therefore you have to know what to look for when checking a school’s accreditation. All institutions of higher education, online or “brick and mortar,” should openly provide information on their accreditation to prospective students. The first thing to pay attention to are the words used. The documentation should clearly state that the institution is “accredited” and should list the accrediting agency. Some unaccredited schools use terms that give the appearance of accreditation when in fact none exists. Phrases that you should be wary of include: “pursuing accreditation”, “chartered”, “licensed or registered”, “recognized”, “authorized” or “approved.” If these phrases are used without the term “accreditation” you should be sure to conduct a more detailed investigation.

It is also very important to review the qualifications of the accrediting agency which has evaluated and approved the institution in question. The “American Association of Accredited Colleges and Universities”, for example, may sound rather official but in reality this fake organization was invented several years ago by a less than prestigious college. This example illustrates the point that although, as noted earlier, the U.S. government via the Department of Education evaluates accrediting agencies, there are many that are not approved but that still operate, often in less than reputable ways.

What is accreditation?

Quick Degree Finder

1. Choose a category:

2. Choose a subject:

3. Choose a degree level:

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Accreditation is simply a validation process by which institutions of higher education are evaluated against established standards to ensure a high level of educational quality. It is typically accomplished through a peer-review process in which faculty from accredited institutions help to conduct evaluations of either new non-accredited institutions or accredited institutions seeking renewal. The standards used to conduct these evaluations vary but in general they assess: the institution’s mission, goals and objectives, resources and resource allocation, student admission requirements, student support services and the quality of the faculty and educational offerings.

Unlike the practices of most other countries, in the United States accreditation of institutions of higher education is not conducted by the government. Instead, it is a voluntary process that is implemented by private nongovernmental accrediting agencies. At present, there are both regional as well as national agencies involved in the accreditation process. The only role that the government plays is to evaluate these accrediting agencies using well developed criteria in order to identify those considered to be “reliable authorities” on the quality of institutions of higher education.

Why should I care about accreditation?

Knowing something about a school’s accreditation can tell you a lot about the value of the life experience degrees or course for which you are paying. If you obtain a degree or take a course from a non-accredited institution you may find that the degree is not recognized by some employers or that the course credits may not transfer to other institutions. Understanding accreditation can also help you identify and avoid “diploma mills” (i.e. an unaccredited institution that grants degrees without ensuring students are properly qualified.)

To begin, it is important to understand that the term “accredited” is used rather loosely by some institutions and therefore you have to know what to look for when checking a school’s accreditation. All institutions of higher education, online or “brick and mortar,” should openly provide information on their accreditation to prospective students. The first thing to pay attention to are the words used. The documentation should clearly state that the institution is “accredited” and should list the accrediting agency. Some unaccredited schools use terms that give the appearance of accreditation when in fact none exists. Phrases that you should be wary of include: “pursuing accreditation”, “chartered”, “licensed or registered”, “recognized”, “authorized” or “approved.” If these phrases are used without the term “accreditation” you should be sure to conduct a more detailed investigation.

It is also very important to review the qualifications of the accrediting agency which has evaluated and approved the institution in question. The “American Association of Accredited Colleges and Universities”, for example, may sound rather official but in reality this fake organization was invented several years ago by a less than prestigious college. This example illustrates the point that although, as noted earlier, the U.S. government via the Department of Education evaluates accrediting agencies, there are many that are not approved but that still operate, often in less than reputable ways.

What is accreditation?

Quick Degree Finder

1. Choose a category:

2. Choose a subject:

3. Choose a degree level:

Find Now

Accreditation is simply a validation process by which institutions of higher education are evaluated against established standards to ensure a high level of educational quality. It is typically accomplished through a peer-review process in which faculty from accredited institutions help to conduct evaluations of either new non-accredited institutions or accredited institutions seeking renewal. The standards used to conduct these evaluations vary but in general they assess: the institution’s mission, goals and objectives, resources and resource allocation, student admission requirements, student support services and the quality of the faculty and educational offerings.

Unlike the practices of most other countries, in the United States accreditation of institutions of higher education is not conducted by the government. Instead, it is a voluntary process that is implemented by private nongovernmental accrediting agencies. At present, there are both regional as well as national agencies involved in the accreditation process. The only role that the government plays is to evaluate these accrediting agencies using well developed criteria in order to identify those considered to be “reliable authorities” on the quality of institutions of higher education.

Why should I care about accreditation?

Knowing something about a school’s accreditation can tell you a lot about the value of the life experience degrees or course for which you are paying. If you obtain a degree or take a course from a non-accredited institution you may find that the degree is not recognized by some employers or that the course credits may not transfer to other institutions. Understanding accreditation can also help you identify and avoid “diploma mills” (i.e. an unaccredited institution that grants degrees without ensuring students are properly qualified.)

To begin, it is important to understand that the term “accredited” is used rather loosely by some institutions and therefore you have to know what to look for when checking a school’s accreditation. All institutions of higher education, online or “brick and mortar,” should openly provide information on their accreditation to prospective students. The first thing to pay attention to are the words used. The documentation should clearly state that the institution is “accredited” and should list the accrediting agency. Some unaccredited schools use terms that give the appearance of accreditation when in fact none exists. Phrases that you should be wary of include: “pursuing accreditation”, “chartered”, “licensed or registered”, “recognized”, “authorized” or “approved.” If these phrases are used without the term “accreditation” you should be sure to conduct a more detailed investigation.

It is also very important to review the qualifications of the accrediting agency which has evaluated and approved the institution in question. The “American Association of Accredited Colleges and Universities”, for example, may sound rather official but in reality this fake organization was invented several years ago by a less than prestigious college. This example illustrates the point that although, as noted earlier, the U.S. government via the Department of Education evaluates accrediting agencies, there are many that are not approved but that still operate, often in less than reputable ways.

It is important for you to know how and where to access the resources needed to make an informed decision about legitimate online degree program before you enroll into the program. When you plan to pursue your degree online, internet is the best place for you to search for your preference degree program offered by various online universities. Here is where diploma mills with a “fake” or “bad” accreditation set up their traps waiting you to fall into and hand over your money to exchange with their fake degree.

As a student and consumer, you must be careful and be smart enough to detect any potential signs of scam. Any online degree program offered by unfamiliar online university and if you are unable to confirm it is from legitimate accreditation, it better to eliminate from your list than taking the risk to enroll into the program. Online universities should provide their contact and address on their website, if not, you should straightly erase them from your list.

In searching for your preference program, you can request detail information from the university. In fact, information request is free of charge; you should utilize this service to get as much information as possible which can help you make your ultimate decision. Before you go and sign up the program, the most important thing that you cannot miss is check the online university that offers your prefer degree program with the accreditation database which is recognized by Department of Education. Go to ope.ed.gov/accreditation/search.php and type in the name of online university or go to CHEA.org and explorer it’s “database and directories” to confirm whether the online university that offer your preference online degree program is listed in the database. If you can’t the online university listed in these databases, don’t take the risk to enroll into the program unless you can confirm its accreditation is from a recognized accrediting agency from other reliable resources.

There too many “fake” accreditation agencies that accrediting diploma mills to make them look like legitimate. Those accrediting agencies are naming their agency sound alike with those legitimate accrediting agency and having website address that is similar but different domain extension. If you did not see it carefully, you will easily think that the online universities are accredited by legitimate accreditation agencies, but in actual they are diploma mills. Hence, you must watch out the details when you do the checking.

People will make complaints if they found they have been cheated. So, a good resource to check for the filed complaints of any online universities is at Better Business Bureau (BBB.org). Other than that, try to look at what other people talk about the online degree program offered by your selected online university, you should get some useful information that can help in your decision making.

In Summary

You want your degree to worth its value. Hence, it is important that you enroll into a degree program offered by online university that is accredited by one of accrediting agencies that are recognized by Department of Education. Always get confirmation on accreditation information of the online university from reliable resources before you sign up the online degree program.

There are two types of accreditation that are essential for choosing a dependable, quality online degree program. One is the the regional accreditation for the school itself. There are several recognized accrediting bodies such as Higher Learning Commission (HLC),which is a Commission of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges (NCA), Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the North Central Association for Colleges and Schools just to name a few. Regional accreditation is very important in selecting an online degree program because accrediting agencies oversee the schools to insure that they meet rigorous educational standards so that you know all of your hard work and educational dollars are worth the investment.

In addition to regional accreditation, the second thing to look for is professional or program accreditation. While this may not be applicable to all programs, some specialties and certain professional fields will require programs to meet their standards in order for students who graduate from these programs to continue to uphold the high standards of conduct and skill set forth by many professional organizations. A few examples of industry specific professional accrediting organizations are the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), The College of Pharmacy is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

Check with any of the licensing boards or other professional organizations related to your chosen career path to find out if there are specific guidelines or accrediting agencies related to your field. If so, they should also be able to provide you with a list of academic institutions that have been approved and accredited by them. Just keep in mind that, if the program that you are looking at does not list a professional accreditation for the individual program, it may simply be because your field does not require such an accreditation. So, while you should be aware of these guidelines do not assume that a program lacking an additional certification is not a quality one. In many cases, as long as the school itself has a good standing with the relevant accrediting agencies you can be fairly confident in the programs that they offer.

Most degree programs will generally list their accreditation standing on the course materials but if you have any questions about the school or program you are considering, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the United States Department of Education (USDE) are both good resources to check out for information on accreditation standings.

What is accreditation?

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2. Choose a subject:

3. Choose a degree level:

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Accreditation is simply a validation process by which institutions of higher education are evaluated against established standards to ensure a high level of educational quality. It is typically accomplished through a peer-review process in which faculty from accredited institutions help to conduct evaluations of either new non-accredited institutions or accredited institutions seeking renewal. The standards used to conduct these evaluations vary but in general they assess: the institution’s mission, goals and objectives, resources and resource allocation, student admission requirements, student support services and the quality of the faculty and educational offerings.

Unlike the practices of most other countries, in the United States accreditation of institutions of higher education is not conducted by the government. Instead, it is a voluntary process that is implemented by private nongovernmental accrediting agencies. At present, there are both regional as well as national agencies involved in the accreditation process. The only role that the government plays is to evaluate these accrediting agencies using well developed criteria in order to identify those considered to be “reliable authorities” on the quality of institutions of higher education.

Why should I care about accreditation?

Knowing something about a school’s accreditation can tell you a lot about the value of the life experience degrees or course for which you are paying. If you obtain a degree or take a course from a non-accredited institution you may find that the degree is not recognized by some employers or that the course credits may not transfer to other institutions. Understanding accreditation can also help you identify and avoid “diploma mills” (i.e. an unaccredited institution that grants degrees without ensuring students are properly qualified.)

To begin, it is important to understand that the term “accredited” is used rather loosely by some institutions and therefore you have to know what to look for when checking a school’s accreditation. All institutions of higher education, online or “brick and mortar,” should openly provide information on their accreditation to prospective students. The first thing to pay attention to are the words used. The documentation should clearly state that the institution is “accredited” and should list the accrediting agency. Some unaccredited schools use terms that give the appearance of accreditation when in fact none exists. Phrases that you should be wary of include: “pursuing accreditation”, “chartered”, “licensed or registered”, “recognized”, “authorized” or “approved.” If these phrases are used without the term “accreditation” you should be sure to conduct a more detailed investigation.

It is also very important to review the qualifications of the accrediting agency which has evaluated and approved the institution in question. The “American Association of Accredited Colleges and Universities”, for example, may sound rather official but in reality this fake organization was invented several years ago by a less than prestigious college. This example illustrates the point that although, as noted earlier, the U.S. government via the Department of Education evaluates accrediting agencies, there are many that are not approved but that still operate, often in less than reputable ways.

Why Accreditation Is Important To Online Students?

Accreditation of online universities and their degree programs typically indicates these universities and their academic programs offered to their students had been undergone a rigorous review by one of a handful of Department of Education’s accrediting agencies. The accreditation is a measure of an online degree program offered by a school has followed the academic guideline of Department of Education. It’s also a common indicator of acceptance on a school’s degree in the job market.

That’s why if you are earning a degree online and you intend to use the degree to start your career or to make a career move, you need to ensure that the online degree program is offered by an accredited online school. Many employers use the accreditation information to determine the legitimate of your degree.

If you are apply a job position with a degree from an unaccredited online university, the employer might have doubt on the legitimate of your degree. They might ask you to provide proves on the legitimate of your degree. And, if there more candidates compete for the same position with you, then you might lose your competitiveness as employers will prefer to hire candidates who are holding a degree from universities they know. Most employers will have a list of accredited online universities or they can easily access to the list from CHEA.org or Department of Education website. Most employers are aware about the accredited universities, so if your degree is from an unknown online university or not listed in the accredited universities list, employers will have concern about your degree.

Beware of Fake Accredited Degree

Nowadays, as the important of accreditation awareness increase, many online students are concerned about accreditation. Hence, in order to compete with legitimate online universities in offering accredited online degree program, diploma mills (the organizations that issue fake degrees) do claim accreditation nowadays. The difference is the accrediting agencies that perform the accreditation process for diploma mills are not legitimate accrediting agencies which are recognized by Department of Education. The accredited degrees issued by those diploma mills are considered fake degrees.

You must carefully ensure that your selected online degree program is from a real accredited online university before you enroll into the program. Always check with the accreditation database from CHEA.org to confirm your selected online university is listed. The consequence of holding a fake degree to apply for a job position does not only affect your career, it may also causes you involve into a legal case if the employer found out that your degree is issued by the diploma mill. In order to ensure your brighter future with the degree you earn from a university, you need to spend some time and efforts to confirm that the claimed accredited online degree program that you are interested in is from a legitimate accredited online university.

Summary

Accreditation is important indicator on the quality academic program offered by online universities and it determines the acceptance of your degree in the job market. With the accreditation also being claimed by diploma mills, you must be smart enough to difference the real accredited and the fake accredited online university and avoid yourself from the trap.