Introduction
This article guides you in understanding the importance of accredited online degrees.
It is essential for you to spend time studying the various online colleges to select the one that suits you best. Check the credentials of the university from which you wish to pursue an online program.
Fake Online Schools
The reason for this is that there are many fake online colleges. Obtaining an online degree from one of them may jeopardize your career. Those who do not verify accreditation, run the risk of being fleeced by cons. There are many universities that offer bogus online courses or courses that are not recognized anywhere and will not earn you a genuine degree. All they do is drain you of your valuable time and money.
However, if you get enrolled in an online degree program from an accredited college, you are bound to have a better career with higher income prospects, and better options for educational advancement.
Thus, it is recommended to pen down a few questions and be upfront in asking the officials at the online college you wish to register.
How can an individual determine which college is real and which is fake? How can one check the credentials of universities? This brings us to the necessity of knowing about accreditation. All you have to do is to check if the online college is accredited by a reputed agency or not, as clarified below.
College Accreditation Explained
What is Accreditation?
Accreditation is a process in which the colleges’ academic programs and policies are reviewed on predefined criteria. If they meet the set requirements laid down by an outside official agency, usually a governmental one, they are granted accreditation.
Accreditation ensures that the school/college/university meets the given set of quality standards while imparting education and training to students, and is authorized to grant an academic degree. It is worth pursuing an academic course, because the degree is recognized by other academic institutions as well as highly valued by employers. Furthermore, an accreditation safeguards students, teachers and employers from frauds.
College Accreditation – Accredited Online Degree Programs
A program from an accredited college (be it campus college or an online school) guarantees the desired flexibility to advance students’ academic education in any given post graduate institution. It also enables them to secure jobs easily. In other words, it can lead to greater achievements.
Likewise, it ensures the employers that the applicant has acquired the required educational qualification and has spent the compulsory number of hours and appropriate level of study, and is thus suitable for the job.
These degree programs are safe and secure and widely accepted.
However, not all accreditation institutions are genuine.
An accreditation from an unauthorized source is potentially more disastrous than not having an accreditation at all. Ideally, you should verify that the online college is accredited by an agency that is recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) or Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). All legitimate accreditation agencies are registered with these government organizations.
Note: If you wish to have an accredited online degree that is widely accepted, then you should choose a college that is accredited by any of the six regional accreditation agencies detailed below.
However, if the school you wish to learn in is not accredited yet and you still want to apply for a degree program there, you should try to ascertain if the school has applied for an accreditation or not. You should also check the status of the accreditation.
What Accreditation Should be Checked?
Ideally, you should try to enroll for an online degree that is accredited by any of the 6 regional accreditation agencies recognized by USDE and CHEA.
Distance Education Training Council (DETC): A Concern
Distance Education Training Council (DETC) is another accreditation agency that is recognized by USDE and CHEA, but some of the regionally accredited graduate and undergraduate schools will not recognize a DETC online degree. It is especially important to be aware of this if you are planning to transfer credit hours from other schools, or to advance your education in the future.
Therefore, it is advisable to enroll in a school that is accredited by a regional agency or to plan ahead by checking the transfer policy.
Read more: About DETC
Six Regional Accreditation Agencies
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC): The states/countries that come under its accreditation are: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Asia, Africa and Middle East.
- North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA): The states covered under this accreditation are: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Ohio, Michigan, Oklahoma, Virginia, South Dakota and Wyoming.
- Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MSA): Some of the states/countries include: Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Central America, Europe and Middle East.
- Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SASC): Florida, South Carolina, Kentucky and Latin America.
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC): Hawaii, Palau and Marshall Islands.
- Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (NWASC): Alaska, Nevada, Oregon and Idaho.
How Do You Determine if Your College is Accredited or Not?
The simplest way to ensure that the online college is genuine and has a sound reputation is to check its credentials – its accreditation.
If you want to confirm the accreditation of your online college, you can log on to the United States Department of Education Database. All colleges, whether accredited by a regional agency or by the DETC, are documented in this database.
Other Considerations besides Accreditation
In addition to accreditation, there are other things that you need to keep in mind while choosing an online college.
These include:
- Tuition fees and hidden costs: Make sure that your tuition fee is either less or equal to that of a course in a standard university. Nor should there be any hidden costs involved. Some examples of hidden costs – Digital media tools, course books, learning material, travel, parking fees and food.
- Teaching level: Make sure that the teachers possess sound credentials and skill sets to teach their subject matter. Ask graduate students for information.
- Hardware and software: Try to understand what types of hardware and software you would require – the E-learning tools. Ideally, most of the software is provided by the university and is free to download from its site.
- The degree program environment: Try to understand the study deliverables; how you would report to a teacher and how you can communicate your problems to the management/tutors.