Insights of Accreditation
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Reference Education -> subcategory College.
Understanding Accreditation
Title:
Understanding Accreditation
Summary:
In the U.S., most states mandate educational institutions to be certified, authorized, and/or accredited to award degrees. Unfortunately, some schools fail to meet these standards, with varying levels of fraudulent activity in certain programs and "schools."
Keywords:
Life Experience Degrees, Life Experience Degree, Online Degrees, Accredited Degrees, Affordable Degrees
Article Body:
Accreditation standards for educational institutions differ across states in the U.S. Generally, most states require institutions to be certified, authorized, and/or accredited to grant degrees. However, some schools circumvent these requirements, exhibiting various fraudulent activities?"from misusing students' work history as a "learning" period to simply selling diplomas, often referred to as "diploma mills." Such programs, like Degrees-R-Us, might promise a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree remarkably quickly, sometimes for an extra fee if you want to "graduate with honors."
Recently, states such as Oregon, Iowa, and South Dakota have started cracking down on schools issuing degrees without proper approval and accreditation. Conversely, states like Wyoming, Montana, and Hawaii permit unaccredited universities to operate if they maintain a physical presence. The challenge arises when legislation requires accreditation, leading some schools to simply relocate. Jurisdiction issues further complicate things when institutions have an address in one state but issue degrees from another.
Thus, before enrolling in any distance learning program, it's crucial to verify the school's accreditation. A claim of being "licensed by the state" may mean little without genuine accreditation. Some violators claim accreditations from nonexistent or self-created agencies, or even legitimate ones with no record of accrediting them. Degrees from unaccredited institutions often mean wasted time, money, and effort, as employers may reject them, and their credits usually aren't transferable.
There are various state-based and regional accrediting bodies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. To confirm a school's accreditation, reach out to the appropriate State Department of Higher Education.
Challenges with Non-Accredited Schools
Some schools have been illicitly awarding diplomas for decades. Courts have often shut them down due to issues such as:
- Insufficient qualified faculty to maintain educational standards.
- Excessive credit given for life and work experience without verifying actual knowledge.
- Lack of defined course objectives.
- Granting PhDs without the required research and analysis.
Fundamentally, these schools often have subpar requirements for earning degrees. Some programs even allow the pursuit of a master’s or doctoral degree without first earning a bachelor's degree.
Best Practices
The safest approach is to choose a reputable, accredited university or college. Such institutions have a reputation to uphold and are more likely to provide quality education both online and offline. Although there are excellent programs exclusively offered online, attending accredited and well-regarded schools ensures educational value. For example, an article by a former University of Phoenix Online student noted a sense of connection with peers comparable to traditional on-campus experiences.
You can find the original non-AI version of this article here: Insights of Accreditation.
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