General accreditation for higher learning is a voluntary process for each college or university. Peer reviews occur with the school by a non-governmental group to determine if a school offers quality and ethical coursework. Accreditation essentially verifies that a person receiving a diploma or degree from the school facility has learned and retained the knowledge for a particular subject area.
Regional accreditation focuses on verifying the quality of traditional school formats, such as local community colleges and universities. Typically, regional accreditation associations can cover a specific country region, such as the Northwest, as opposed to a state or city. These associations report their educational quality findings and accreditation to the United States Department of Education. Traditionally, schools accredited by regional associations are considered legitimate higher learning facilities.
The DETC specializes in accrediting distance learning facilities only and will not accredit any basic higher learning physical campus. Since the DETC accredits distance learning, it has a strict quality standard, even for online courses offered from different countries. Courses must adhere to specific rules for a diploma or degree to be considered legitimate within the United States. In fact, accreditation from DETC is also recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Students choosing a higher learning facility should immediately verify the school's accreditation. Contact the U.S. Department of Education for confirming accreditation. Both the DETC and regional bodies will have their findings published with the department. Accreditation from either a regional association or the DETC confirms that the school is sanctioned for quality and ethics.