It's a voluntary process by which schools are certified as meeting minimum standards of quality in regards to faculty, recruiting practices, admissions procedures and course content. More important, only students attending accredited schools can receive federal (and sometimes state) grants and loans and/or earn credits that can be transferred to other accredited institutions. There are 19 agencies recognized by the
U.S Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, including:
Regional
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Higher Learning Commission of North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (HLC)
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Career-related
Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)
Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)
Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training (ACCET)
Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS)
Council on Occupational Education (COE)
Distance Education and Training Council (DETC)
National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences (NACCAS)
In addition, about 60 recognized organizations accredit specific programs, including:
Program-related
Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)
Accreditation Commission for Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM)
American Culinary Federation Foundation
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA)
National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)
National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)
National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST)
National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission (NLNAC)
Some U.S. schools choose not to pursue accreditation but are licensed by the state in which they operate.
In Canada, schools are regulated and given the authority to issue degrees by each province, rather than the federal government. Provincial regulators include the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training, the Private Career Training Institutions Agency of BC (PCTIA), Alberta Advanced Education and Technology and the Québec Ministry of Education, Leisure and Sport (MELS). Also, membership in national associations such as the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada or the National Association of Career Colleges is a sign of quality. Professional organizations such as the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing, Council for Interior Design Accreditation, Computer Science Accreditation Council and Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business accredit specific programs.
