| When deciding which criminal justice
| |
| | Schools and Colleges (Alaska, Idaho,
|
| program to attend, the accreditation
| |
| | Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and
|
| issue is very important. There are
| |
| | Washington).
|
| certain things that you should know about
| |
| | The two spin-offs are:
|
| accreditation.
| |
| | • the Western Association's
|
| 1. What is accreditation?
| |
| | Accrediting Commission for Senior
|
| Accreditation means that a school and its
| |
| | Colleges and Universities (see WICHE Best
|
| programs have been peer reviewed through
| |
| | Practices), and,
|
| site visits by bodies recognized and
| |
| | • the North Central's Higher Learning
|
| authorized by the US Department of
| |
| | Commission (see NCA Best Practices).
|
| Education to do so. It, therefore,
| |
| | If your school is accredited by one of
|
| ultimately means that degrees obtained
| |
| | these eight (8) groups, which receive
|
| from accredited schools are recognized
| |
| | U.S. Dept. of Education funding and
|
| across the nation and are accepted as
| |
| | operate primarily by site visit-peer
|
| valid by employers.
| |
| | review, then you need not worry -- your
|
| 1. Who are the recognized accreditation
| |
| | school has the best accreditation there
|
| bodies?
| |
| | is.
|
| The US Department of Education funds
| |
| | 1. Are there other accreditation bodies?
|
| eight accreditation bodies. There are six
| |
| | There are other accreditation bodies and
|
| regional accreditation (RA) bodies and
| |
| | many online schools proudly advertise
|
| two spin-offs of two of the six RA
| |
| | that they are accredited by one or the
|
| bodies. These bodies are authorized to
| |
| | other of these bodies. But these
|
| grant accreditations to schools falling
| |
| | so-called accrediting bodies are
|
| within their specified regional
| |
| | themselves not accredited so that their
|
| jurisdictions.
| |
| | accreditations are not worth the paper
|
| These bodies are:
| |
| | they are written on.
|
| • the New England Association of
| |
| | Out of all these other accrediting bodies
|
| Schools and Colleges (Connecticut, Maine,
| |
| | there are some that are simply
|
| Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode
| |
| | blacklisted and not recognized while
|
| Island and Vermont);
| |
| | there are others that may be accepted as
|
| • the Southern Association of
| |
| | valid in 30 per cent of the organizations
|
| Colleges and Schools (Alabama, Florida,
| |
| | that matter. Employers, on the other
|
| Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana,
| |
| | hand, are likely to reject outright
|
| Mississippi, North Carolina, South
| |
| | degrees given by schools accredited by
|
| Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia);
| |
| | these other agencies.
|
| • the Middle States Association of
| |
| | 1. Is there a list of blacklisted schools
|
| Colleges and Schools (Delaware, the
| |
| | or a list of schools whose degrees are
|
| District of Columbia, Maryland, New
| |
| | not recognized?
|
| Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto
| |
| | Yes, at present there are two such lists.
|
| Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and
| |
| | One list has been prepared by the state
|
| Panama);
| |
| | of Michigan and another prepared by the
|
| • the North Central Association of
| |
| | state of Oregon. Employers use these
|
| Colleges and Schools (Arkansas, Arizona,
| |
| | lists to check whether a particular
|
| Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana,
| |
| | degree from a particular school is
|
| Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
| |
| | worthless or not.
|
| North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma,
| |
| | 1. Is accreditation a really important
|
| New Mexico, South Dakota, Wisconsin, West
| |
| | issue?
|
| Virginia, and Wyoming);
| |
| | Yes! It is the most important issue when
|
| • the Western Association of Schools
| |
| | you are deciding which criminal justice
|
| and Colleges (California, Hawaii, the
| |
| | school you should enroll in. If the
|
| territories of Guam, American Samoa,
| |
| | school you enroll in is not accredited,
|
| Federated States of Micronesia, Republic
| |
| | then the degree that you earn after
|
| of Palau, Commonwealth of the Northern
| |
| | spending a lot of money and effort will
|
| Marianas Islands, the Pacific Basin, and
| |
| | not be worth the paper it is written on.
|
| East Asia); and,
| |
| | You will be a sucker of the worst kind!
|
| • the Northwest Association of
| |
| |
|
