Online Education & the Role of Accreditation

The remarkable growth of online education in the past few years has given rise to a number of new schools as well as existing universities offering online programs. The process of choosing the right school has become increasingly complex since and unlike traditional bricks-and-mortar schooling, geography is no longer a restraining factor.

But with so many new programs sprouting these days, how can a prospective student know which ones are legitimate and not a waste of money?

Accreditation is principally the process of approval for a school or university. Many online universities and specialized schools go through accreditation process with the aim of proving their legitimacy to students, employers, and the general public. Accreditation is also a classification used to determine if institutions of higher education meet adequate levels of educational quality.

Accreditation asserts the school in meeting high-quality standards, employing a continuous improvement procedure, and engaging in quality assurance throughout internal and external review.

Academic accreditation covers an entire institution and specialized accreditation can be awarded to an individual department or school within a university. Accreditation is a noble way of separating the legitimate institutions from spurious institutions. A degree from an accredited school is important because it is recognized and helps student with their career greatly.

Accreditation has three main types that cover regional, national and specialized accreditation.
Regional accreditation is in general the optimal type of accreditation available for an institute in its own domain or country of origin. In U.S.A there are 6 regional accreditation bodies that review and grant accreditation in particular geographic areas. Institutional accreditation specifies that an entire institution has met the established standards of educational quality. Institutional accreditation suggests that each of an institution’s schools, majors and degree programs contribute to the achievement of the institution’s general academic objectives. Specialized accreditation applies to a specific program offered by a school. This accreditation does not cover the entire school but only the degree program or school that has been accredited.

To earn accreditation, institutions must follow the accreditation process depending on the accrediting body. Institutions must meet the established Standards, requiring the school to have clear vision, a mission and purpose; have effective and receptive leadership; have a well-structured curriculum and results. It should engage in continuous improvement process simply by committing to excellence and perform consistent and continuous self-improvement and establish plans while making efforts to improve students learning and school efficiency.

The benefits of Accreditation includes clear and instinctive processes for school improvement in best practices from the academic and business fields, an opportunity to gain valuable contribution and support from peers, having access to a rich and wide array of resources worldwide with tools meant for enhancement and demonstration of your dedication to supporting the development of the institution’s students.