Regional accrediting is the most common and basic form of accreditation for liberal arts schools. The Department of Education has divided the nation into six separate regions, each with its own accrediting body. Schools are judged as a whole, not based on specific departments or subjects. Accreditation is successful when colleges meet basic academic standards, teach accurate course material and hire qualified professors. This type of accreditation is not mandatory; schools volunteer to undergo the process to enhance their credibility and reputations.
Since there are different types of liberal arts colleges -- public, private, religious -- some are also accredited by independent agencies. This allows schools that operate under a specific ideology to be accredited by organizations that uphold the same belief system. This kind of accreditation is most common for religious colleges that require religious as well as academic legitimacy.
For schools that teach only specific areas of study, specialized accreditation focuses on individual programs. This type of accreditation is most common for professional, religious and education schools. A college's programs are judged for general academic standards as well as academic and ideological standards within the specific field of study. This allows organizations with in-depth knowledge of the subject matter to determine whether a program is meeting requirements for accreditation.
Another helpful way to determine the legitimacy of a liberal arts college is to investigate whether its programs hold endorsements from academic organizations. Though this is separate from accreditation, it lends weight to the standards and prestige of a school. The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and the National Humanities Alliance are important organizations that do not offer accreditation, though their endorsements ensure that a college is upholding important academic standards.