Non-Accredited University Degrees

The Process of Accreditation

• Accreditation in the U.S, is not the responsibility of the government. However, it is the responsibility of the Secretary of Education to publish a list of accrediting agencies that have been recognized as reliable authorities to asses educational institutions. There are a couple of regional accrediting agencies in the U.S. The organization that scrutinizes the activities and laws of these agencies is the Council for Higher Education Accreditation ( CHEA) There are six regional accreditation bodies in the United States:

  Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSACS)

  New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)

  Higher Learning Commission (North Central Association of Colleges and Schools) (NCA-HLC)

  Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)

  Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)

  and

  Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)

  Each university has to apply for accreditation at an appropriate accreditation agency.

The Goal of Accreditation

• The objective of accreditation is to make sure that the quality standards are met by educational institutions. The accrediting agencies have to impose certain rules and regulations for the universities to follow to ensure that the universities are providing the students with an education level that is desirable to, and expected by, employers. The non-accredited universities may not fulfill that requirement, which can result in lower educational levels at such establishments.

Considerations

• Since post-secondary educational institutions are abundant in the United States, it is very often a responsibility of the student to make sure that the university she has chosen is accredited. The non-accredited universities are often much more affordable and so students of less-affluent backgrounds can be more prone to choose them. However, since the non-accredited universities do not guarantee well-paid employment, it may be a good idea to still choose the accredited universities. Also, students who choose the non-accredited university may not be able to get financial aid and transfer credits from such an establishment should they choose to switch schools later.