College and University Accreditation; Is it Important?

Accreditation can be a tricky subject, especially as it relates to distance education and online degree programs. One of the first things to remember is that a school or college that is licensed is not necessarily accredited.

To be accredited, a school, traditional college, or online college has to meet fairly rigorous standards of quality. State licensure, on the other hand, generally requires an institution to meet only the most minimal standards. Thus, a warning flag should be raised when a college emphasizes licensure in lieu of regional accreditation.

It is even more important to realize that many colleges and universities, especially online colleges and universities (those with no traditional, campus-based degree programs), claim accreditation from agencies which are not recognized by the United States Department of Education. While some of these unrecognized accrediting agencies may make a legitimate attempt to evaluate and insist on some measure of quality from the colleges and universities they accredit, their stamp of approval is generally meaningless in the professional world and in the world of fully accredited (online and traditional) colleges and universities.

For example, in their help wanted announcements, schools, colleges, and universities virtually always require that applicants hold degrees from institutions accredited by U.S. Department of Education recognized agencies.

Almost never will a legitimately accredited college or university accept credits from an institution that is not accredited by an agency recognized by the federal Department of Education. And generally speaking, the better the college to which a student is transferring, the less likely it is to accept credits from a college or university which is not fully accredited.

Depending on your individual situation and goals, you may not care much about accreditation. But, our advice is...whether you are taking courses in a traditional campus based program or through online education...you are generally far better off at a school, college or university accredited by a recognized accrediting agency. That being the case, before deciding to enroll in a college or university, find out which agency accredits it, and be sure that agency is listed on the U.S. Department of Education site.

Attending an accredited college...be it campus-based or online...is not a guarantee that all of your expectations will be met. But, it will mean that you will complete an approved curriculum taught by instructors with appropriate backgrounds and experience. And, it means your coursework is far more likely to be recognized if you transfer or want to earn a higher degree at some point in the future.

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Daniel Kane has worked as a school counselor and university dean. He authored and maintains one website on online degree programs another on online colleges and scholarships, and more than a half dozen additional education sites.