Accreditation indicates that a school meets high standards with respect to factors like faculty qualifications, academic rigor, and student learning outcomes.
It is important to attend an accredited college or university. Accredited institutions can help expand your employment prospects, financial aid options, and continuing education opportunities. Unaccredited schools, by contrast, are often considered disreputable by employers and other institutions of higher learning.
There are several types of accreditation, each with distinct purposes, processes, and outcomes. This guide covers important information about accreditation, including types of accreditation, the accreditation process, and answers to frequently asked questions.
What Is Accreditation?
Accreditation indicates that a school voluntarily underwent a review process by a third-party accrediting agency to ensure educational standards. During the review, the accrediting agency evaluates things like faculty quality, student learning, and professional outcomes, and whether the school is using data-based research to improve its curricula and student services. Schools can hold regional or national accreditation. For liberal arts degrees, regional accreditation is considered the gold standard, while national accreditation is typically used for vocational or trade schools or religious institutions.
Attending an accredited institution benefits students in several ways. Only students at accredited schools qualify for federal financial aid, and many schools only accept qualifying degrees and transfer credits earned at accredited institutions. Additionally, many professional licenses and certifications require an accredited degree.
Regional Accreditation
Regional accreditation typically applies to nonprofit, degree-granting institutions. Schools receive regional accreditation from one of seven regional accrediting bodies, determined by where the school is located. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) oversee regional accrediting agencies.
National Accreditation
Comparable in many ways to regional accreditation, national accreditation also indicates that a school underwent a voluntary review by a third-party accrediting agency, which evaluated the school’s academic programs, student resources, and institutional processes. National accreditation typically applies to for-profit, faith-based, and vocational institutions. It is not as rigorous as regional accreditation, so it does not hold as much prestige. However, it is the accreditation standard for vocational, trade, and faith-based schools.
The ED oversees all national accrediting bodies, and nationally accredited institutions do qualify for most federal financial aid programs. However, many regionally accredited schools do not accept transfer credits from institutions with national accreditation, so it’s best to consider your education goals before enrolling in a nationally accredited school.
National Faith-Related Accrediting Organizations
Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE)
Recognized by the ED and CHEA, the ABHE accredits more than 200 institutions and programs of biblical higher education. According to the ABHE, biblical higher education emphasizes the Bible and fosters Christian life and ministry. Accreditation through the ABHE indicates an institution or program involves extensive assessment of God’s Word, its moral and ethical implications, and how it influences a biblical worldview. Accredited institutions and programs also need to facilitate service-learning and hands-on ministry opportunities. Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools (AARTS)
Recognized by the ED and CHEA, AARTS awards accreditation to institutions that offer Rabbinical and Talmudic educational programs. Accreditation indicates the adherence to traditional thought and historical authority in associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs alongside First Rabbinic, First Talmudic, and Intermediary Talmudic degrees. AARTS establishes its own educational standards, financial considerations, and graduation requirements. More than 70 schools in the U.S. and Canada hold accreditation through AARTS.Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS)
ATS accredits independent seminaries and seminary units of colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada. Focused on post-baccalaureate programs, ATS’s membership includes 270 graduate schools that prepare students for the practice of ministry, teaching theological disciplines and theological research. ATS grants accreditation based on a three-tiered standard format, assessing institutional, educational, and degree standards through committee oversight and self-reporting. ATS is recognized by the ED and CHEA. Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools Accreditation Commission (TRACS)
Programmatic Accreditation
Programmatic accreditation applies to specific programs, departments, or schools that function as part of larger institutions. Often granted by professional associations, industry organizations, and groups of experts with expertise in a specific discipline, programmatic accreditation attests to academic excellence in areas such as business, engineering, and nursing. Drawn from the list of accreditors recognized by CHEA and/or the ED, the following section outlines prominent programmatic accrediting organizations.