What You Should Know About Higher Education Accreditation
The United States is home to thousands of colleges and universities, with many students choosing to attend a college or university outside the state in which they live. As most Americans know, there are numerous types of educational institutions offering a variety of degrees and certificates across a wide range of subjects. This opens up great opportunities for anyone who wants to further their education, but it can also create a big problem: ensuring that students’ education is worth something. In other words, how do you know if a college or university has earned the proper accreditation? The following are several things you should know about higher education accreditation.
1. It’s Hard to Get into College – But Even Harder to Get Out
Higher education accreditation, for instance, when talking about Grand Canyon University accreditation, is a process that colleges and universities go through to determine if they have met certain standards or benchmarks, with the ultimate goal of increasing their level of quality. In other words, it’s a way for educational institutions to prove they are doing what they say they are doing. Accreditation has been around for decades and is an integral part of higher education. For this reason, it’s important to understand the concept.
2. Accreditation Isn’t Just About College Diplomas
When it comes to accreditation, some believe that as long as a student graduates from a university, they will be able to find good jobs and pursue the career they want. While this is true, other jobs require accreditation – jobs that universities aren’t always able to provide for their graduates. For instance, some health care programs offered at universities may not be accredited by the appropriate professionals, such as Grand Canyon University accreditation professionals. Upon completing these programs, many students will not be eligible to sit for examinations necessary to become registered nurses.
3. Public Institutions Are Self-Accrediting
Did you know that some universities are not required to get outside accreditation? That’s right; public institutions are automatically considered accredited since they can ensure that their programs meet educational standards set by the Department of Education without the help of an external agency.
4. There Are Different Types of Accreditation Agencies
Higher education accreditation is managed by a variety of independent organizations that each specialize in a specific area. The department of Education maintains a list of all the recognized accrediting agencies, regularly updating on their federal register website.
As you can see, higher education accreditation is important and plays a crucial role in the quality of your education. If you want to pursue an advanced degree or enter a specific field, be sure that it’s accredited so you can land the job you desire.