Many educational institutions proudly proclaim accreditation by one agency or another. To the prospective student, why should accreditation be important? And, in the long run, how does accreditation benefit graduates?
Accreditation means the school measures up to quality standards established for institutions of higher, or postsecondary, education. An accredited school is one whose programs have been evaluated for content and instruction by an independent third party, the accrediting agency.
For instance, at the postsecondary level, any school offering a general business degree would be expected to provide specific types of instruction. Courses might include Principles of Business, Accounting Principles, Business Law, Business Communication, e-Business, etc. An accrediting agency verifies whether or not an institution is up to educational par.
To achieve accreditation, each course in a program of study typically must include minimum components. The course must be supported with a written plan of instruction, a course syllabus, learning materials such as books and software, exercises and drills, competency tests, and student performance evaluation criteria.
As well, instructors and professors teaching the programs must have met appropriate standards of academic achievement and have demonstrated competency in their respective fields.
Students benefit from a school's accreditation in several ways. Receiving a degree from an accredited program means the quality of the education has been assured by the accrediting agency. An accredited degree or certificate establishes credibility with employers and lessens their risk when hiring a person. An employer can reasonably expect an accredited program graduate to possess specific knowledge and skills, as reflected in the title of the degree.
Also, by having developed requisite knowledge and skills in an accredited education program, graduates may be able to command higher wages than job candidates whose skills and knowledge have not been systematically developed, tested, and validated.
Accreditation is a quality assurance process applied to education. It enables reasonable comparison of degrees and certificates. While differences in results will exist, the accreditation process assures that basic knowledge, skills, and abilities in a field of study are developed and tested. While different institutions may emphasize one area of study or another, accreditation ensures that the foundation knowledge, skills, and abilities are the same or similar.
And, because accreditation requires compliance with stringent, objective standards, so-called diploma mills cannot achieve accreditation. Without the seal of approval from an accreditation agency, the educational value of a program is always questionable.