Accreditation: An Assurance of Quality

Why is accreditation important?
Accreditation—the certification by a recognized accrediting organization that an institution has been reviewed and meets specific measures of quality—is an essential credential for a university. It guarantees that the university programs are reviewed, evaluated, and monitored, and that they meet specific educational standards. It also tells students that their credits and degrees can be accepted for transfer by other accredited programs, are recognized by employers and professional organizations, and are eligible for federal grants and loans.

What type of accreditation is most useful?
Regional accreditation—The most widely recognized and universally accepted form of accreditation is regional accreditation, which requires adherence to the procedures and standards of one of the following organizations:
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA), Commission on Higher Education (CHE): Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and several locations abroad

New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE): Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), The Higher Learning Commission (HLC): Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU): Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Commission on Colleges (COC): Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia

Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC): California, Hawaii, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Territories of Guam and American Samoa

What are the other types of accreditation?
National accreditation—Some smaller, private colleges are accredited by national accrediting organizations. The types of institutions that they accredit, such as faith-based colleges, are often much more specialized than institutions accredited by regional organizations.

Specialized accreditation—Institutions that offer education in specific and often practical areas of study may seek specialized accreditation for schools or programs within the organization. Programs of study regulated by national or state licensing boards may require specialized or professional accreditation. The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists are two examples of specialized accrediting organizations.

How do I find out if a school is accredited?
If you want to find out if a school is accredited, or check on a school’s accreditation status, visit the websites of the regional accrediting boards listed above and look up the college or university by name. If you want to obtain more information about national and specialized accreditation, the Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) maintain directories of nationally recognized and specialized accrediting agencies.

In addition, the U.S. Secretary of Education offers a database to check institution accreditation (http://www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation). It lists the approximately 6,900 postsecondary educational institutions and programs that are accredited by an accrediting agency or state-approval agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education.

Do employers care about proper accreditation?
Yes. Most employers in the United States recognize only diplomas and credits earned at accredited colleges and universities.

Kaplan University Accreditation
Kaplan University is regionally accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA).* Regional accreditation is the most respected and recognized type of accreditation, whether a school is online or campus based. The HLC criteria, which measure “student learning and effective teaching,” as well as the “acquisition, discovery, and application of knowledge,” † provide students with an assurance that their studies at Kaplan University will meet high educational and practical standards.

With this accreditation, Kaplan University credits and degrees are eligible, after review and approval by the receiving institution, for transfer to other accredited colleges and graduate programs. Many Kaplan University programs qualify for employee reimbursement programs and Kaplan University degrees are honored by professional associations. Kaplan University degree-seeking students are also eligible for federal educational financial assistance. Accreditation matters and Kaplan University provides it.