Online Accredited Degree

Written by Jessica Alba

Did you ever wonder what it means when a college or school makes the claim that it is “accredited”? This is one of those terms we hear tossed around but most of us rarely give much thought to what it means. If you are currently searchng for an online university where you can get the type of education you would expect to receive at a traditional school, then this will be of great importance to you.

Various types of organizations can be accredited, but the most common place where you here the term “accredited” used is when searching for some type of college or vocational training. When we speak of accreditation in regards to a school or college, that refers to a process that the college or school must go through in order to assure the quality of its educational programs and practices. Any school wishing to offer “accredited” courses must measure up to certain standards.

These standards are judged by an external body whose sole purpose is to test the college or school in areas such as the hiring of qualified teachers and instructors. Curriculum is another area where a school might be tested. The list is quite extensive. When the proper standards are met, the college is given the status of being “accredited”. Many people believe that the government is responsible for policing the accredition process in colleges and other schools of higher learning, but that is not true.
In some countries, the accreditation process is conducted by the government of that nation. but not in America. Since the mid-fifties, the process has been established as a peer review process coordinated by accreditation commissions and its members.

Accrediting agencies or state approval agencies must be recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a reliable authority as to the quality of post-secondary education. The Higher Education Act of 1965 set forth stringent guidelines to test the quality of an institution of higher learning and these standards are still used today as a means of determining if a university or college has met their standards and is qualified to provide excellence in academia.

Though the U.S. Department of Education does not accredit colleges or universities, they are responsible for publishing a list each year of those agencies that are qualified to conduct the accrediting process. If you live outside the United States, you’ll find that schools and colleges in many other countries must also measure up to certain standards and practices, but since the United States has no jurisdiction over these, then they can not exercise any oversight of these procedures.

During the process of accreditation, the college, organization or university is “graded” in every possible area. Once they “pass” these stringent guidelines, they are given accreditation status. What this means to the average student is that the credits they will earn as they complete various courses, will count toward a degree in something, their specialize field of learning.

Schools which do not offer accredited courses should be avoided. Any courses of study taken in these types of learning institutions, though they may be excellent in every way, will not count toward the credits you need for a particular degree. Yes, you do get the knowledge and experience, but you will not receive course credits for your time and effort. This would be of particular importance to someone wishing to obtain a Bachelor of Science or a Masters of Science Degree in some field of study.

Our current economic woes have given employers a considerable pool of potential employees to hire from for any and every position in their company. In other words, an employer can pick and choose from the best and brightest. That simply means that you will need that degree you’ve been thinking of getting in order to obtain the best-paying jobs.

Another thing to bear in mind is that all grants and most student loans require that the college you will attend be accredited. If you are attending a school that has not received accreditation, then you will not be able to get your pell and other types of grants to help with the cost of your education.

This is also true of ex-military personnel who wish to use their G.I. Bill to return to school. Students must be enrolled in an accredited institution in order for the G.I.Bill to pick up the cost. Always check to make certain that the college or university you are considering is listed as a federally recognized accredited institution. Lists are published and updated annually by the U.S. Commissioner of Education.

The bottom line is that accredited learning institutions are held to higher standards than others. This can mean a better education for you or someone you love and hence, a higher paying job when you are ready to go out into the real world. This is an important factor to consider when choosing a college or university whether choosing a traditional college or a degree at an online university.