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Accreditation of Distance Learning

Accreditation is simply a recognition, after evaluation, that in the judgment of peers, an institution is providing the educational services at a level of quality that society and the educational world have a right to expect (from the policy statement of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools). The focus of accreditation, regardless of the method of instructional delivery or physical location of the learner or the instructor, is on the consistency, quality, and integrity of an institution's academic programs. Distance learning programs must meet the same standards as all other offerings of a college or university.

There are two types of accreditation in the United States-institutional accreditation and specialized accreditation. Institutional accreditation is granted by regional and national accrediting commissions, and specialized accreditation is awarded to professional programs within institutions or to occupational schools. Accreditation is a voluntary process, and those institutions that choose to apply for accredited status undergo a rigorous process of peer review and self regulation that includes:

• A self-study conducted by the institution itself over an extended period of time sometimes years.

• An evaluation visit by a team of experienced academic colleagues whose function is to review the institution and to give it an informed, searching analysis. The focus of the team's attention is inevitably the intellectual work of the institution. The institution's organization , administration, facilities, and resources are examined for their effect on teaching and learning.

• The institution studies the team's evaluation and writes a formal response to the accrediting association.

• The accrediting association studies all the evaluation materials so that it can form its own conclusions relating to the quality of the institution's performance. It examines the institution's self-study document, the evaluation team's report, and the institution's formal response to that report.

• Accreditation is either granted or denied.

• Following accreditation, the institution must agree to abide by the standards of its accrediting organization. It must regulate itself and make periodic follow-up reports to ensure the improvement of the institution.

One of the benefits of accreditation is the assurance that you will be able to attain the same educational outcomes as you would in traditional classroom-based programs. You also have the right to the same admissions, orientation , registration, advisement, counseling, tutoring, placement, financial aid, and other student services that are available to all other students of a university, regardless of the delivery method of your classes. Without accreditation by a nationally recognized accrediting organization, a school is not eligible to participate in government student assistance programs, which means you, as a student, are not eligible for federal grant or loan money. Those employers who offer tuition assistance to employees will generally insist that a school be regionally accredited before reimbursing a student. Accreditation is also an important factor in the transferability of credits from one institution to another, although it is less important if you are taking courses for self-enrichment.