With the increasing popularity of distance education, especially through the Internet, knowledge of the factors that affect distance education is very important to obtain the best benefits from this new educational medium. Accreditation is important as it is meant to protect students and employers as well as genuine institutions. An external body, authorized by the government, accredits institutions that meet the criteria, ensuring that the institutions are teaching their students and meeting quality standards. An accredited certificate is recognized by employers and higher education institutions as genuine.

Accreditation must also be from a recognized source. ‘Accreditation factories’ of a dubious nature also seek to sell credentials illegally and falsify facts. Make sure your online school is accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA); these named organizations maintain lists of accreditation bodies that are trusted and authorized to do so. The following is a list of regional accreditation bodies that are officially recognized.

Beware of diploma factories! These are notorious and a major cause for concern for genuine students and employers, as these are schools that sell certificates and degrees that require almost no schoolwork from their “students” and thus almost always fail to comply. with quality standards.

New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)

For schools in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

North Central Association (NCA) Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement

It accredits schools in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Navajo Nation, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MSA)

It accredits schools in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Central America, Europe, and the Middle East.

Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS)

It accredits schools in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Latin America.

Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)

It accredits schools in California, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Palau, Micronesia, Northern Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, and other locations in Australasia.

Northwestern Association of Schools and Colleges (NWCCU)

It accredits schools in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.

A degree or certificate obtained from any institution accredited by one of the above bodies is considered valid and competitive.

The Distance Learning Training Council (DETC) is a recognized body that accredits online schools. This accreditation body is also recognized by USDE and CHEA and is also recognized by most employers, however DETC accreditation is not as widely accepted as compared to the regional accreditation bodies mentioned above. In addition, some regionally accredited schools do not trust or allow credit transfers from DETC accredited schools, so prospective students should be careful in their selection and should consult a guidance counselor beforehand and check the Department of Education’s database. United States Education (USDE) for information. and lists of institutions that are officially accredited.

Transfers:

If you want to transfer from a DETC-accredited school to a regular school, make sure you are aware of the transfer policies of your target schools.