Accreditation is important for students who want to make sure the institution they have applied to will live up to its promises and their expectations and that the degree/credits earned there will be accepted by future employers and, in some professions, by the federal and/or state governments and in the case of teaching and research, by other educators.

    Colleges and universities are accredited by non-governmental agencies that are themselves reviewed and evaluated by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Regional and national accrediting agencies grant accreditation to institutions as a whole, monitoring the quality of education at the institution, the level of degree acceptance and institutional longevity.

    Specialized accrediting agencies in a variety of fields from Engineering to Nursing to Theology accredits individual departments and programs within the institution. These specialized accreditation agencies evaluate a program/department on many criteria including the stated purpose(s) and how well it fulfills that purpose(s), the scope of its financial and other resources, the quality of its offerings and the level of services it provides.

    Because of the differences in accrediting agencies, between regional and specialized (professional) accrediting bodies, difficulties in understanding the complexities are many. Rebecca Rehfeld, associate director of admissions at The Graduate School of America (Minneapolis, Minnesota) says that due to the multiple accrediting bodies, "It's very mystifying to people." Rehfeld suggests that accreditation isn't always necessary and that what type of accreditation you need will depend on how you want to use your degree.

    If your priority is to receive a university-level education, to transfer credits, or receive a higher degree, regional accreditation is often needed and highly respected. Additionally regional accreditation is very often needed for employer reimbursement.

    Specialized (professional )accreditation agencies come into play if you plan on using your graduate degree in a specific field. In certain professional fields - teaching, law, medicine, and other state-regulated professions, etc., it is necessary that the program be accredited in order for you to practice and/or obtain a license in that field. In some fields, such accreditation is necessary as a hiring requirement by the federal government.

    When seeking a graduate school:

• Find out whether they're regionally/and or professional accredited by contacting the appropriate agency listed below.
• Talk with students and alumni at your prospective school.
• Find out when the institution was founded, by whom and when it gained accreditation.
• Ask for information about the faculty: Do they hold advanced or terminal degrees in their field? Are they respected by colleagues in the field? Also ask to speak with a professor in the program that interests you.
• If you are at all concerned about the school/college/university going bankrupt, ask for information about the institution's funding (annual report, etc.)

Regional Accrediting Agencies
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
(Accredits colleges and universities in DE, DC, MD, NJ, NY, PA, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) 215-662-5606, ext. 18

http://www.msache.org

New England Association of Colleges and Schools
(Accredits colleges and universities in CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 781-271-0022

E-mail: neasc.org
http://www.neasc.org

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
(Accredits colleges and universities in AZ, AK, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, NM, ND, OH, OK, SD, WV and WY) 312-263-0456