Accreditation is one of the most important factors to consider when selecting an academic program. It may not be the only criterion you use, but it is one piece of the puzzle to help you decide if a specific program and school is right for you. According to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), accreditation means that a program or institution has gone through a rigorous review and evaluation process by experts in the field. It is essentially a stamp of approval by an organization that reviews and evaluates the quality of an institution or program.
Accredited Institutions and Programs
The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs provides a database of accredited allied health programs.
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation also maintains a database of recognized degree-granting and non-degree granting institutions.
ExploreHealthCareers.org’s Career Explorer database includes a list of associations, including accrediting bodies, for each of the career profiles..
The U.S. Department of Education lists recognized accrediting organizations and maintains a database of accredited postsecondary institutions and programs.
General Accreditation Information
The Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors offers a video, “Specialized & Professional Accreditation: What Should I Know?”, about accreditation.
The Chronicle of Higher Education featured “Discipline by Discipline, Accreditors Multiply,” an article on accreditation in 2011 (available to subscribers only).
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation offers a number of resources:
- “Ask Before You Decide: Accreditation Matters” brochure
- “Accreditation and Its Value to You” video
- “Degree Mills and Accreditation Mills” video
- “Twelve Important Questions about External Quality Review” fact sheet
- The Fundamentals of Accreditation: What Do You Need to Know? booklet
- “Important Questions about Accreditation, Degree Mills and Accreditation Mills” website page
ExploreHealthCareers.org has a series of FAQs detailing what you need to know about accreditation.
The U.S. Department of Education accreditation database website includes a Frequently Asked Questions section.