One of the best ways to verify an online university’s legitimacy is by checking into the accreditation that the school has earned. But there are many different accreditation organizations that actively accredit online universities. It’s important to understand which accreditation bodies exist, and which forms of accreditation are most valuable to you.
An online university must undergo the same accreditation process as a more traditional offline school. One of the few differences in the accreditation process between online and offline schools occurs when the online school has no campus, and thus no academic facilities like laboratories or a library.
Institutional Accreditation
There are two major accrediting bodies that handle online universities as a whole, national and regional. When an online university is institutionally accredited, it means that the accrediting body has reviewed all of the school’s academic programs. Almost all online universities hold either national or regional accreditation – sometimes both.
National Accreditation Agencies
National accreditation is the most common form among online universities, especially schools that are not necessarily comparable to many traditional offline schools. Religious schools, trade schools and correspondence online universities often seek national accreditation. Among the largest national accrediting bodies are the Distance Education and Training Council and the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology. National accreditation is, unfortunately, not as readily accepted as regional accreditation when traditional schools and employers are concerned.
Regional Accreditation Agencies
The top online universities seek out regional accreditation, the most common type for traditional offline colleges and universities. There are only six regional accrediting bodies in the United States, and each handles schools within a specific region. There are some instances, however, when regional accrediting agencies can work with schools outside of their region.
Earning a regionally accredited online university degree is almost identical to earning an offline university degree when academic quality is concerned. Most employers and universities will accept any credits earned at a regionally accredited institution. The six regional accrediting agencies in the United States are the:
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges
- Northwest Accreditation Commission
- North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Specialized Accreditation
Many online universities seek specialized accreditation, or accreditation of a specific program. For example, the American Bar Association’s Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar is the primary accrediting body for law programs. There are seven major study areas that are commonly accredited by specialized agencies – arts and humanities, healthcare, education, legal, personal care and services, and community and social services. Some examples of specialized accreditation organizations include:
- National Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation
- National Association of Schools of Music, Commission on Accreditation
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
- Association for Biblical Higher Education, Commission on Accreditation
- Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation
- Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
- National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission
If an online university wants one program to stand out, or is seeking further credibility, it will often seek specialized accreditation for its programs.
Why Accreditation Works
Students, colleges and employers rely on accreditation to determine whether or not an online university is legitimate and offers students the same learning opportunities as other accredited schools. There are several reasons why the accreditation system is a good indicator of a high quality online university:
Accreditation is non-compulsory – Online universities are not required to be accredited. When a school receives accreditation, both the agency and the school voluntarily performed the process necessary to verify the school’s programs.
Accreditation organizations must have approval – An accrediting body must have approval from the United States Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education before being allowed to offer accreditation.
Peer review is used – There is no single person that makes the decision to accredit an online university. Instead, there are several groups involved in the process, including professional educators, volunteer community members, and evaluators.
Accreditation must be renewed – An online university must reapply for accreditation periodically, and the same process of evaluation is used each time. Usually, the accreditation renewal period is one to three years.
Accreditation agencies are nonprofits – Impartiality is key when evaluating online universities, and all accrediting bodies must be nonprofit organizations to approve schools.