Accreditation is important for a school or program, and for you as a student. Completion of an accredited degree program will garner you more money and cache when it comes time to land a job. Many professional associations require you to have graduated from an accredited school or program for membership. Membership in a professional association is also an important feather in your cap as far as employment. Employers really do place a high value on a quality education from an accredited program or school. This will put you ahead of the pack and could land you an interview and eventually a high paying job.
Online education is popular among working adults.
The best online schools have been accredited by one of four agencies; the Board of Online University Accreditation (BOUA), the Universal Council for Online Education Accreditation (UCOEA), the International Accreditation Agency for Online Universities (IAAOU), and the World Online Education Accrediting Commission (WOEAC). Schools and programs may also be accredited by additional regional agencies such as the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS).
So how can you tell if the accreditation your school has is worth the paper it is printed on? One way is to do some research about the accrediting agency. Do they have a reputable history? What are their requirements for accreditation? These should include the quality of the curriculum and faculty. These are the main areas accrediting agencies examine. Other factors include the school or program’s success rate and history, their mission and goals, resources available to students, retention rate, and student support services. Each one of these areas is examined by the school itself, a peer group and the agency. If any area is found lacking, the school may be given a set amount of time to make corrections to obtain accreditation.
Time to find a job!
Take the time to find out if the online school or online program you’re interested in is accredited. Ask the admissions counselor about it, and do research on the school itself. If possible ask some of the people employed in the area you’re interested in what schools they attended and for advice about the school you’re interested in. This will help to ensure you get a quality online education and earn a marketable degree.
Tags: accreditation, accreditation agencies, distance learning, online accreditation, online college classes, online education, SACS