What does Accreditation Mean?

The pursuit of knowledge requires prospective learners to understand the tertiary education landscape regarding accreditation, degree/diploma mills, accreditation mills, accrediting agencies, and accredited institutions. We will discuss each area in separate blog posts to simplify the information for better understanding.

Today, we will look at the meaning of accreditation.

What is Accreditation?

According to the U.S. Department of Education, accreditation is a voluntary, non-governmental process in which an institution and its programs are evaluated against quality standards. 

The Maryland Higher Education Commission further reiterates that accreditation is a voluntary process, but adds that it is a self-regulatory, peer-review process adopted by the educational community. Institutions of higher education have voluntarily entered into associations to evaluate one another in accordance with each institution's stated goal. Non-accredited institutions must demonstrate that they possess specific "characteristics of quality" before they are allowed to become members of the association of accredited institutions.

Types of Accreditation

There are three types of accreditation: institutional, programmatic, and specialized.

Institutional accreditation – this means an entire college or university is accredited. This type of accreditation can be given by either a "regional accreditation agency" or a "national accreditation agency." The United States is divided into six (6) regions, each with its regional accrediting body. There are also several national accrediting bodies for specialized types of colleges.

Specialized and Programmatic accreditation – there are specific specialized professional programs accredited independently of their parent institution. These specialized accrediting bodies depend on programs such as the International Association for Management Education.

However, the only legitimate accrediting organizations are those recognized by the United States Department of Education.

Understanding what accreditation means will help you appreciate the process and its constituents and make an informed decision.