When to Consider Regional Vs. National Accreditation
Written By: Michael McCarthy
Published: 2/8/2022
Accreditation is a complicated topic that confuses many prospective students, whether they're seeking their first postsecondary degree or their fourth.
Written By: Michael McCarthy
Published: 2/8/2022
Accreditation is a complicated topic that confuses many prospective students, whether they're seeking their first postsecondary degree or their fourth.
Want an online degree that's:
- Affordable
- Popular
- Highly Rated
- Military-friendly
We've got them. Let's get started.
AD
The word accreditation refers to two things:
- The process of participating in a quality review by a recognized, independent accrediting agency.
- The stamp of approval that these agencies confer on a school or academic program.
Institutions of higher education and individual programs undergo the accreditation process voluntarily for several reasons, all of which help colleges market themselves to students.
- First, accreditation provides a testament to academic quality.
- Second, earning accreditation allows schools to participate in federal financial aid programs, which lets many students attend college at a lower or deferred cost.
- Finally, individual departments seek programmatic accreditation because employers in their specialty may prefer to hire graduates of such programs.
On this page, we set aside programmatic accreditation in favor of discussing institutional accreditation, which agencies grant to a school as a whole. We give detailed information about regional accreditation, national accreditation, and the major differences between the two.
The word accreditation refers to two things:
- The process of participating in a quality review by a recognized, independent accrediting agency.
- The stamp of approval that these agencies confer on a school or academic program.
Institutions of higher education and individual programs undergo the accreditation process voluntarily for several reasons, all of which help colleges market themselves to students.
- First, accreditation provides a testament to academic quality.
- Second, earning accreditation allows schools to participate in federal financial aid programs, which lets many students attend college at a lower or deferred cost.
- Finally, individual departments seek programmatic accreditation because employers in their specialty may prefer to hire graduates of such programs.
On this page, we set aside programmatic accreditation in favor of discussing institutional accreditation, which agencies grant to a school as a whole. We give detailed information about regional accreditation, national accreditation, and the major differences between the two.
How Does Accreditation Work?
Each accrediting agency has different processes, but most of them take the same initial steps. Whether regional or national, an accreditation review begins with a self-study. College officials assess how well their institution meets the accreditor's standards for faculty qualifications, curricula, student outcomes, resources and services, and financial health.
After the self-study, a team from the accrediting body visits the college to see the school's processes for themselves and conduct a peer review. This group consists of professors and administrators with no connections to the institution under review, which reduces the likelihood of conflicts of interest. After the site visit, the team decides whether to grant accreditation and issues a public report stating its decision. Each college that earns accreditation must undergo periodic review to maintain its credentials, at intervals specified by the accreditor.
How Does Accreditation Work?
Each accrediting agency has different processes, but most of them take the same initial steps. Whether regional or national, an accreditation review begins with a self-study. College officials assess how well their institution meets the accreditor's standards for faculty qualifications, curricula, student outcomes, resources and services, and financial health.
After the self-study, a team from the accrediting body visits the college to see the school's processes for themselves and conduct a peer review. This group consists of professors and administrators with no connections to the institution under review, which reduces the likelihood of conflicts of interest. After the site visit, the team decides whether to grant accreditation and issues a public report stating its decision. Each college that earns accreditation must undergo periodic review to maintain its credentials, at intervals specified by the accreditor.
What Is Regional Accreditation?
Regional accrediting agencies exclusively review academic institutions. Most experts acknowledge these agencies' standards to be higher than those of national accreditors, although it's difficult to find specific data on what the standards are. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) is a non-profit group that , but both regional and national accreditation are often acceptable. State and private aid sources also typically require accreditation but can decide whether this needs to be national or regional.
Most schools list their accreditation status on their websites, but it's a good idea to confirm any claims they make.
Most schools list their accreditation status on their websites, but it's a good idea to confirm any claims they make. You can check that a school is accredited by one of the regional, national faith-related, or national career-related accrediting organizations that CHEA lists. You can also contact the college's financial aid office to find out which types of aid the school accepts. Even some accredited colleges choose not to participate in federal student aid, so it's a good idea to double-check before committing to a degree program.
Transferring Credits
One area of divergence is credit transfer. Regional standards for curricula and faculty quality tend to be more stringent than national standards, therefore regionally accredited colleges usually don't accept credits from nationally accredited schools. This is not always the case, however, as each school has the discretion to accept transfers on an individual basis. It's generally true that attending a regionally accredited school offers the best chance that you'll be able to transfer credits to another school.
Transfer of credit affects your ability to change schools in the middle of a degree 鈥� such as from one bachelor's program to another 鈥� as well as your ability to earn a higher degree later. For example, if you earn a nationally accredited degree and apply to a regionally accredited school to continue your studies, the school may not accept your degree. Student reviews at reveal the difficulties that students at nationally accredited schools have faced seeking acknowledgment of their previous coursework.
Future Employment
The type of accreditation may make a difference when it comes to getting hired. For most employers, the fact of accreditation matters more than whether it's regional or national. That is, these employers might require candidates with degrees from accredited schools but don't specifically ask for a degree from a regionally accredited school.
Of course, employers have wide discretion to accept whatever academic qualifications they want. Some student reviews highlight problems being hired because employers in their chosen field tended to prefer regionally accredited degrees. What's more, some programmatic accreditors will only certify programs within regionally accredited schools, which can affect alumni employment opportunities. For example, the
What Is Regional Accreditation?
Regional accrediting agencies exclusively review academic institutions. Most experts acknowledge these agencies' standards to be higher than those of national accreditors, although it's difficult to find specific data on what the standards are. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) is a non-profit group that , but both regional and national accreditation are often acceptable. State and private aid sources also typically require accreditation but can decide whether this needs to be national or regional.
Most schools list their accreditation status on their websites, but it's a good idea to confirm any claims they make.
Most schools list their accreditation status on their websites, but it's a good idea to confirm any claims they make. You can check that a school is accredited by one of the regional, national faith-related, or national career-related accrediting organizations that CHEA lists. You can also contact the college's financial aid office to find out which types of aid the school accepts. Even some accredited colleges choose not to participate in federal student aid, so it's a good idea to double-check before committing to a degree program.
Transferring Credits
One area of divergence is credit transfer. Regional standards for curricula and faculty quality tend to be more stringent than national standards, therefore regionally accredited colleges usually don't accept credits from nationally accredited schools. This is not always the case, however, as each school has the discretion to accept transfers on an individual basis. It's generally true that attending a regionally accredited school offers the best chance that you'll be able to transfer credits to another school.
Transfer of credit affects your ability to change schools in the middle of a degree 鈥� such as from one bachelor's program to another 鈥� as well as your ability to earn a higher degree later. For example, if you earn a nationally accredited degree and apply to a regionally accredited school to continue your studies, the school may not accept your degree. Student reviews at reveal the difficulties that students at nationally accredited schools have faced seeking acknowledgment of their previous coursework.
Future Employment
The type of accreditation may make a difference when it comes to getting hired. For most employers, the fact of accreditation matters more than whether it's regional or national. That is, these employers might require candidates with degrees from accredited schools but don't specifically ask for a degree from a regionally accredited school.
Of course, employers have wide discretion to accept whatever academic qualifications they want. Some student reviews highlight problems being hired because employers in their chosen field tended to prefer regionally accredited degrees. What's more, some programmatic accreditors will only certify programs within regionally accredited schools, which can affect alumni employment opportunities. For example, the