Accreditation

Accreditation is a review process to determine if educational programs meet defined standards of quality. Once achieved, accreditation is not permanent—it is reviewed periodically to ensure that the quality of the educational program is maintained. Academic accreditation is voluntary, decentralized, and carried out by many non-governmental, non-profit organizations.

It is important because:

• The federal government limits federal financial aid to students at non-accredited institutions;
• Many graduate and professional schools only admit students who received a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution; and
• Many institutions only accept transfer credits from accredited institutions.

Regional and national accrediting bodies accredit the entire University while specialized accrediting agencies focus on specific programs.