Accreditation
What is the main difference between a national/regional accredidation?
Ophelia,
Thank you for your post. It is like comparing apples and oranges.
According to elearners.com here is the majpr breakdown bwteen regional and national...
In the United States, there are 6 regional accrediting agencies. Each agency covers a different section of the country. For example, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges accredits schools that are located in New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.) The other 5 agencies evaluate schools that are based in other states.
The 6 regional accreditation agencies are:
• Middle State Association of Colleges and Schools (Commission on Higher Education)
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (Commission on Technical and Career Institutions and Commission on Institutions of Higher Education)
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (The Higher Learning Commission)
• Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (Commission on Colleges)
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges (Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges and Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities)
If an online college chooses to apply for regional accreditation, it is evaluated by the regional agency that presides over its home state. These are the only 6 bodies that can award regional accreditation. They are all recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). You can learn more about these regional accrediting agencies, including which schools they accredit, by visiting their individual Web sites.
National accreditation is not based on geography. National accreditation was designed to evaluate specific types of schools and colleges. For example, the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT) evaluates career schools and technology programs. The Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) accredits colleges that offer distance education.
Often, schools apply for national accreditation when their model of instruction or their course content is different from most "traditional" degree programs. Regional accrediting agencies may not be able to compare a career school with a liberal arts college, because the modes of study are so dissimilar. To use an old expression, it would be like comparing apples and oranges. National accreditation allows nontraditional colleges (trade schools, religious schools, certain online schools) to be compared against similarly designed institutions. Different standards and categories are measured, depending on the type of school in question.
Specialized accreditation, also known as program-based accreditation, is awarded to specific programs or departments within a college or university. Specialized accreditation is offered by agencies that represent specific fields of study or professional organizations. These agencies do not accredit entire colleges. Instead, they accredit the programs within certain colleges that prepare students for their industry.
For example, the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredits engineering programs within various colleges and universities. If you plan to become a licensed engineer, you may want to limit your search to programs with this accreditation. If you plan to become a teacher, on the other hand, you don't need to worry about whether or not a college's engineering program has specialized, ABET accreditation.
Other professionals should also investigate specialized accreditation. Students who study medicine, dentistry, nursing, law, or engineering (to name a few) generally need to graduate from an accredited program with specialized accreditation. The American Medical Association (AMA) accredits medical programs; the American Dental Association (ADA) accredits dentistry programs; the National Nursing League (NLN) accredits nursing programs; and the American Bar Association (ABA) accredits law school programs.
What Regional and National Accreditation Have in Common
Regional accreditation and national accreditation have a number of important things in common:
Both are voluntary. Colleges do not have to apply for any type of accreditation.
Both types of accreditation involve a lengthy and detailed review process. Agencies evaluate schools' programs, campuses, faculty, finances, and educational delivery methods.
All regional and national accreditation agencies are nonprofit organizations. Accrediting agencies do not make money off their evaluations, and they do not work for the government.
Both types of accreditation qualify colleges to offer federal financial aid to their students. If a college is neither regionally nor nationally accredited, you cannot receive federal financial aid to attend that institution. (Note: accreditation is not the only factor that allows for Title IV or federal student assistance funds. Be sure to ask your admissions counselor whether or not his/her college is eligible.)
Differences Between Regional and National Accreditation
Regional accreditation agencies concentrate on specific areas of the country. National accreditation agencies can represent colleges across the United States and even in some other countries.
Historically, regional accreditation agencies started as leagues of traditional colleges and universities in a specific area. National accreditation agencies started as associations of schools with a common theme. Many served schools that were not initially founded as colleges or universities.
Several national accreditation agencies, such as the Association for Biblical Higher Education, the Association of Theological Schools, and the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, accredit faith-based schools. These national agencies can assess faith-based schools more freely. If a faith-based school were to apply for regional accreditation (which is secular), it may be asked to make compromises in its religious teachings.
Katherine,
There are other accrediting bodies that claim to be regional or national but are not. The clearly only way is to verify with USDOE.
Adam,
It is about stature and educational perspective.
Katherine,
It is not so black and white, SACS does accredit online learning. We have schools in Florida that are SACS accredited or HLC accredited that offer online modalities.
Marcus,
They both are recognized by the USDOE. Check out the USDOE website regarding accreditation and you will find extensive information on both.
Alyssa,
Primarily the public institutions belong to the regional accreditors although it is not exclusively for them. Many large nonpublic institutions belong to them as well. Cost and expense is also a big factor.
Regional Accreditation is the most respected, and accredits large universities with many programs. National accreditation is often the only thing available for a specific college type, like the acupuncture and oriental medicine college I work for, or other private career colleges. Also, distance education is nationally accredited, and the problems of quality control associated with some 'diploma mills' have done nothing to enhance the reputation of national accreditation.
What are some of the qualitative differences between regional and national accreditation?
Regional accreditation is generally available for large institutions like UF. It is well-respected, expensive, and challenging if you are a small or beginning school. Our college is nationally accredited by the body authorized by the US Dept. of Ed. to accredit our program. Prospective students will generally be happy if you can honestly say yes, we are accredited by ________________________. If your school receives Title IV funding, your accrediting body is recognized by ED.
That is a great question Alyssa. I would also like to hear an official answer as opposed to just doing a google search.
