Accreditation Answers

Types of Accreditation

Throughout the world, more and more students are obtaining college degrees and reaching their educational goals through distance and e-learning programs. Now it is easier than ever to make education a part of your daily life because the industry of online and distance education is growing so very rapidly.

It is easier to understand the importance of accreditation if you know how accreditation works.

World Wide Learn strives to provide you with the information you need to know about the different types of accreditation. Use this section as a resource to find out about the different types of accreditation and how accreditation types affect your education.

Types of Accreditation

There is not just one type of accreditation. In fact, different educational institutions and other kinds of institutions require specific types of accreditation status.

Some kinds of institutions that require accreditation status are:

• Public institutions
• Private institutions
• For-profit institutions
• Non-profit institutions
• Single-purpose institutions
• Private career institutions
• Faith-based colleges and universities
• Distance learning colleges and universities
• Law schools
• Medical schools
• Heath profession educational programs

Only one kind of accreditation would not be sufficient to address the accrediting needs of the various institutions that require accreditation status. This is why accreditation organizations provide two major types of accreditation. They are:

1. Institutional accreditation
2. Specialized, professional, or programmatic accreditation

These two major kinds of accreditation are used for quality review, assessment, and assurance of institutions all over the world.

1. Institutional Accreditation

Institutional accreditation status is achieved by a college or university that meets the quality standards and fulfills the requirements designated by the accreditation organization.

In order to meet the requirements for institutional accreditation status, all aspects of the college or university, including academic quality, administrative effectiveness, and all other related services of the institution, are reviewed by the accreditation organization.

Institutional accreditation affirms that the college or university operates with a high level of quality in all its aspects. This type of accreditation is comprehensive and indicates that the institution has achieved quality standards in areas such as faculty, administration, curriculum, student services, and overall financial well-being. This type of accreditation is held in high regard in the world of education.

2. Specialized, Professional, or Programmatic Accreditation

Specialized, professional, or programmatic accreditation is a type of accreditation status that is designated for specialized departments, programs, schools, or colleges within a college or university that have already been awarded institutional accreditation.

Specialized, professional, or programmatic accreditation focuses on particular aspects of the department, program, school, or college's specified academic field of study. For instance, this type of accreditation status recognizes particular aspects of quality in the academic fields of engineering, nursing, law, or education, among others.

Some professions that are regulated by and dependent upon a state or national licensing board may require job applicants to have graduated from specific academic programs that have specialized, professional, or programmatic accreditation status. Specialized, professional, or programmatic accreditation organizations operate all over the United States, reviewing programs and single-service institutions.

Students who are considering enrolling in a college degree program should know the requirements of their future career field and what it takes to become a licensed practitioner in that field. Students should look for programs that have achieved specialized, professional, or programmatic accreditation status in order to ensure their eligibility for professional licensure in states that require it.

Regional and National Accreditation

Institutional accreditation organizations can be further categorized into two sections: regional and national accreditation organizations. Regional and national organizations each have particular functions and specific geographical areas that they cover.

Regional Accrediting Organizations
Regional accreditation organizations perform the accreditation process in six regions of the United States. These accreditation organizations review institutions in their entirety. According to CHEA, 98 percent of the institutions reviewed by regional accreditation organizations are nonprofit and degree granting, though these accreditation organizations may also review for-profit, non-degree-granting institutions on some rare occasions. Institutions reviewed by regional accreditation organizations are both public and private and can be two-year or four-year educational institutions.

National Accrediting Organizations
National accreditation organizations perform the accreditation process throughout the United States and review institutions in their entirety. According to CHEA, 34.8 percent of the institutions in the United States that are nationally accredited are degree-granting. 65.1 percent are non-degree-granting. 20.4 percent of the institutions with national accreditation are non-profit, while 79.4 percent are for-profit. Some of these institutions are faith-based or single-purpose institutions, like distance learning colleges and universities. Nationally accredited institutions can be public or private.

Purposes of Regional, National, and Specialized Accreditation

It is a good idea for students, families, and all those interested in distance and e-learning programs to learn about different types of accreditation. Knowing about accreditation types makes it easier to determine whether your prospective e-learning program has been awarded the correct type of accreditation.

A program that has received appropriate accreditation status from a regional, national, institutional, or specialized accreditation organization can provide students with:

A Quality Education:

Appropriate accreditation status indicates that a college, university, institution, or program meets the standards of quality set by the accreditation organization, in terms of faculty, curriculum, administration, libraries, financial well-being, and student services.

Financial Aid Opportunities:

The federal government relies on accreditation organizations to establish quality assurance of institutions by awarding appropriate types of accreditation status after a successful review of the institution's characteristics. Students are only able to obtain federal financial assistance if the institution they are attending has achieved appropriate accreditation status from an accreditation organization recognized by the USDE.

Ability To Transfer Credits Easily:

At some point in their education, many students want to transfer to a new college or university. Most often, these students want to transfer the course credits they have already accumulated to the new college or university so that they will not have to repeat similar courses, spending unnecessary time and money. Accreditation is an important factor when a college or university is deciding whether to accept transfer credit from a student's previous school. Most colleges and universities will not accept transferred course credits from an institution that has not earned appropriate accreditation status from an accreditation organization.

A Promising Professional Future:

Most employers prefer job applicants who have received their education from a college or university with the appropriate accreditation status. Many employers also look to see that employees have been educated at an appropriately accredited institution when making decisions about business promotions and company advancements, and whether to provide tuition coverage or assistance for employees who want or need to further their education.

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