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    * Regional vs National Accreditation


 * REGIONAL VS. NATIONAL ACCREDITATION: WHY DOES IT MATTER?

 * One of the most important factors to consider when selecting a college or
   university is whether or not your institution of choice is accredited
   nationally or regionally at the institutional level. The type of
   accreditation plays a role in areas that may impact you as both a student
   (such as cost or how many credits may transfer if you switch schools) and
   after graduation (such as employability, tuition reimbursement, and employer
   background checks).
   
   Learn more about differences between national and regional institutional
   accreditation, why it’s important that your institution is accredited, and
   tips to help verify your college or university’s accreditation status.
   
   
   HOW ARE COLLEGES ACCREDITED?
   
   
   
   Educational institutions are either regionally or nationally accredited.
   Accreditation is a voluntary process that ensures a college, university, or
   degree program meets a universal standard for quality. This gives an
   institution and its graduates credibility with other institutions and
   employers. Institutional accreditation is different from programmatic
   accreditation – which is covered below.
   
   Contrary to popular belief, the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) does not
   accredit educational institutions and/or programs. However, the USDOE and the
   non-profit Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) oversee the
   accreditation process. They review the federally-recognized agencies that set
   accreditation standards.
   
   Whether or not an institution offers degree programs online, on campus, or
   both, is irrelevant when it comes to accreditation. They answer to the same
   governing organizations that ensure students receive a quality education.
   
   
   
   
   WHAT IS NATIONAL INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITATION?
   
   National accreditation agencies focus on accrediting trade and vocational
   schools, as well as career programs that offer certifications and degrees.
   
   There are several recognized national accreditation agencies, including:
   
    * Distance Education & Training Council (DETC)
    * Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)
    * Council on Occupational Education (COE)
    * Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, Accreditation
      Commission (TRACS)
    * Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET)
    * Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE)
    * Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools (AARTS)
    * Council on Occupational Education (COE)
    * Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC)
    * National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences (NACCS)
    * Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS)*
   
   *In 2016, ACICS lost its recognition as an accrediting agency. In April 2018,
   the USDOE temporarily reinstated its recognition while it conducts further
   review of ACICS.
   
   
   WHAT IS REGIONAL INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITATION?
   
   Regional accreditation agencies oversee institutions that place a focus on
   academics that are state-owned or non-profit colleges or universities. There
   are six regional accrediting agencies for higher education institutions in
   the U.S. These agencies oversee institutions within their particular clusters
   of states.
   
   
   
   The six agencies are:
   
    * Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
      * NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, Washington D.C.
    * New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
      * CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT
    * Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
      * AK, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA
    * Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
      * AR, AZ, CO, IO, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, OK, NM, SD, WI, WV,
        WY
    * Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
      * FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, AL, TN, TX, VA
      * U.S. students in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South
        America
    * Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
      * CA, HI
      * The Hawaiian territories of Guam, American Samoa, Northern Marianas
        Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, the Pacific Rim,
        East Asia, and parts of the Pacific and East Asia
   
   
   WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NATIONAL AND REGIONAL INSTITUTIONAL
   ACCREDITATION?
   
   There are a few other ways that regionally accredited and nationally
   accredited institutions differ:
   
   
   
   Regionally-Accredited Institution
   
   Nationally-Accredited Institution
   
   Considered the most prestigious and widely-recognized type of accreditation,
   regionally-accredited schools are reviewed by their designated regional
   agency.
   
   Nationally-accredited agencies review institutions of a similar type, such as
   career, vocational, and technical (art & design, nursing, etc.) schools.
   
   May be more expensive than nationally-accredited schools.
   
   May be less expensive than regionally-accredited schools.
   
   More selective during the admissions process.
   
   Has more relaxed admission standards.
   
   Mostly academic, non-profit institutions (must fundraise in order to meet
   their budget via private donations, federal grants, and legacy giving).
   
   Predominantly for-profit institutions (earn revenue via enrollment or selling
   educational products). They may also have shareholders they must answer to.
   
   Typically, regionally-accredited schools do not accept credits from
   nationally-accredited schools.
   
   Credits are easily transferred to other regionally-accredited schools.
   
   Typically, nationally-accredited schools will accept credits from both
   regionally- and nationally-accredited schools.
   
   Credits are not transferable to a regionally-accredited college.
   
   Eligible for all corporate tuition reimbursement plans.
   
   Employers do accept nationally accredited degrees, but graduates are not
   always eligible for corporate tuition reimbursement plans.
   
    
   
   
   WHAT IS PROGRAMMATIC ACCREDITATION?
   
   There is a third type of accreditation that prospective students should look
   for when evaluating institutions: programmatic accreditation—sometimes called
   “specialized accreditation” or “professional accreditation.”
   
   While national and regional accrediting agencies review higher educational
   institutions as a whole, programmatic accrediting agencies examine individual
   academic units, programs or disciplinary offerings to ensure they are
   providing students with a quality education in a particular area of study.
   Programmatic accreditation is often at the national level since these
   agencies cover a particular specialty and evaluate all programs nationally
   within that specialty, such as schools of business, or nursing programs. This
   type of national programmatic accreditation differs from the national
   institutional accreditation covered above.
   
   
   
   Drexel University is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on
   Higher Education (MSCHE). Many programs available at Drexel also hold
   national programmatic accreditation, including:
   
    * The nursing programs at Drexel University are accredited by the Commission
      on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
    * Drexel’s LeBow College of Business is accredited by the Association to
      Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)—a distinction awarded to
      fewer than 5% of business schools worldwide
    * Drexel University’s online accredited Master of Science in Library and
      Information Science (MSLIS) program is fully accredited by the American
      Library Association (ALA) and is ranked among the top 10 library science
      programs in the country
   
   
   WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR MY SCHOOL TO BE ACCREDITED?
   
   If you attend an institution that is not nationally or regionally accredited,
   it can be a waste of time and money. Making sure your school is accredited is
   important for a number of reasons that can affect you both now and later,
   including:
   
    * Financial Aid
      Students cannot receive federal financial aid if they attend
      an institution that is not regionally or nationally accredited. In order
      to receive federal financial aid, an institution must be a Title
      IV-eligible institution. Title IV refers to the section of the Higher
      Education Act that oversees federal student aid. Institutions deemed Title
      IV-eligible are qualified by the U.S. Department of Education. Students
      that attend them are eligible to receive federal student financial aid.
      Title IV-eligible institutions can be either regionally or nationally
      accredited.
    * Credits will not Transfer
      In the event you decide to transfer, your new institution may not accept
      credits from a non-accredited institution.
    * Impact on Employment
      Over 50% of all employers conduct background checks and confirm the
      educational credentials of potential employees. Graduating from an
      accredited institution lets employers know you’ve received your degree
      from a legitimate institution that has given you the skills needed to
      succeed in your chosen field.
   
   
   
   
   TRANSFERRING BETWEEN REGIONALLY AND NATIONALLY-ACCREDITED SCHOOLS
   
   Over 27.2% of students—roughly 1 in 4—transfer to institutions outside of the
   state where they began their college journey. Some transfer while they’re
   still an undergraduate. Others decide to pursue a master’s or doctoral degree
   at a different institution from where they earned their associates or
   bachelor’s degree.
   
   If you’re currently attending a regionally-accredited institution and
   planning to transfer, credits are easily transferred to other
   regionally-accredited institutions, even if your new institution is
   accredited by a different accrediting body than the one where you are
   currently enrolled. However, credits are often reviewed on a course-by-course
   basis or by a specific academic department to determine which credits will
   transfer.
   
   
   
   
   WILL I LOSE CREDITS IF I TRANSFER?
   
   If you’re transferring institutions, it’s possible that you may not lose any
   credits. However, two-thirds of students do. No matter the accreditation of
   your former institution, it’s important to speak to a college’s transfer
   credit evaluator to know where you stand and how many of your credits will
   transfer. Students transferring for the first time lost an average of 13
   semester credit hours — nearly 1/10th of the total amount of semester credits
   (120) required to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. That’s the equivalent of
   having to complete an additional semester in order to graduate.
   
   
   HOW DOES TRANSFERRING AFFECT FINANCIAL AID?
   
   As long as the institution they are attending is accredited, students are
   eligible to apply for federal financial aid. If an institution is not
   accredited, a student cannot receive federal financial aid. Switching from a
   nationally accredited to a regionally accredited institution (or vice versa)
   has no effect on the amount of federal grants or loans a student may receive.
   
   Institution-based financial aid (such as scholarships) are awarded at the
   discretion of each college or university and depends on the individual’s need
   or eligibility.
   
   
   MAKING SURE YOUR INSTITUTION IS PROPERLY ACCREDITED
   
   Making sure your institution is properly accredited is key to getting the
   most from your education. Here are some warning signs and actionable tips for
   ensuring the institution to which you apply, has either national or regional
   institutional accreditation.
   
   
   
   Here’s how you can be sure that your institution is accredited:
   
    * Check for national or regional institutional accreditation
      Look at the Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary
      Institutions and Programs (DAPIP) to be sure your institution is listed as
      either nationally or regionally-accredited.
    * Find out if your intended career path requires programmatic accreditation:
      If you’re pursuing a career in teaching, business, nursing, or a
      specialized area, it may benefit you to verify if your institution's
      degree program is accredited. Consult the CHEA database by either
      institution and/or program to confirm it’s nationally or
      regionally-accredited, as well as if it has related programmatic
      accreditations.
   
   
   BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER
   
   Now that you know more about the difference between regionally-accredited and
   nationally-accredited institutions, continue along the path to ignite your
   future. Drexel University, regionally accredited by the Middle States
   Commission on Higher Education, has over 150 online degree and certificate
   programs — with some that also hold programmatic accreditation, offers
   students an opportunity to learn from the best, and with the best. Discover
   our course offerings and let us help you achieve your goals.
   
   Click the infographic to download a PDF or share it via social media and
   email.
   
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 * News and Stories
    * The Digital Dragon Blog
    * Online vs. On-Campus Degrees
    * Top Degrees for Getting Hired
    * Changing Careers After 30
    * Running Virtual Meetings
    * Working in Virtual Groups
    * Regional vs National Accreditation
    * The Future of Nursing
    * History of Distance Learning
    * Contacts For Media

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