Frequently Asked Questions About Accreditation

Q. What is accreditation?

A. Accreditation by the Commission and by other nationally recognized agencies provides assurance to the public, in particular to prospective students, that an institution has been found to meet the agency's clearly stated requirements and criteria and that there are reasonable grounds for believing that it will continue to meet them.

Q. What is the value of accreditation?

A. Accreditation provides both public certification of acceptable institutional quality as well as an opportunity and incentive for self-improvement in the institutions accredited. The Commission reaches the conclusion that an institution meets its requirements and criteria only after the institution opens itself to outside examination conducted by experienced evaluators familiar with accrediting requirements and with higher education. Moreover, for the accredited institution, the process of accreditation provides an opportunity for critical self-analysis leading to improvement in quality and for consultation and advice from persons from other institutions.

Q. What is the difference between institutional accreditation and program accreditation?

A. Institutional accreditation speaks to the overall quality of the institution without making judgments about specific programs. Institutional accreditation is accreditation of the whole institution, including all programs, sites, and methods of delivery. The accreditation of individual programs, such as those preparing students to practice a profession, is different and is carried out by specialized or program accrediting bodies that apply specific standards for curriculum and course content.

Q. Does accreditation include distance education courses and programs?

A. Yes. The Commission accredits a number of institutions that offer courses and programs through various methods of distance delivery. Since the Commission accredits institutions rather than individual programs, it does not maintain listings of such programs. The Commission does provide a list of Internet resources on distance education on its web site. In addition, the regional associations have developed Best Practices for Electronically Offered Degree and Certificate Programs for those institutions that may offer courses or programs through distance delivery. The best practices are available on the Commission 's web site.

Q. What is the difference between regional accreditation and state licensure?

A. While many states have established regulations that must be met before an institution may operate, in most states such regulations represent a minimum basis for protection of students. State authorization should not be confused with institutional or specialized accreditation. An institution may need state authorization to operate legally, but it may not necessarily be accredited by an institutional or specialized accrediting association. In fact, an institution must have the appropriate authorization by a state to operate before it can seek a status with the Commission.