Which colleges are nationally accredited

An added benefit is the program that helps students identify potential employment opportunities in their geographic area. One of the oldest distance education programs, American National University, a for-profit institution, was established in It is dedicated to providing quality educational programs to help students succeed in the modern workforce.

With a straight forward tuition and fee schedule as well as accelerated options, students can complete programs faster and cheaper. Degrees are awarded in a variety of fields including accounting, business administration, health information management, medical health services management, cybersecurity, and more. Originally established as a traditional institution for higher learning in in California, Grantham University has since moved to Kansas and has become a leader among online educators.

With undergraduate and graduate degree programs in a variety of fields students will find what they need to advance their career. Degree programs include fields such as criminal justice, computer science, business management, strategic communications, healthcare administration, and many more.

Established in , Catholic Distance University has always been dedicated to providing a quality Catholic distance education across the world. Now with every program being available in an online format students anywhere with an internet connection can enroll. The students that choose to enroll come from many different backgrounds such as working adults, military, veterans, parents at home with children, deacons, and more.

With a wide array of programs to choose from students can earn degrees in carious fields including liberal arts, theology, educational ministry, and more.

Established in , Westcliff University has grown to include a campus as well as a strong online university network. Students representing 87 countries attend Westcliff each year. With small class sizes, averaging 10 students to each faculty member students receive the individual support many online institutions lose. The rate of enrollment and retention has grown to meet the needs of students during an era where online education has become much more appealing and even necessary.

Programs students can earn degrees include business, information technology, computer science, law, and more. With a physical campus in San Diego and a virtual campus that is available worldwide, anyone can earn a quality education from California Miramar University.

Students benefit from the award winning programs and technology driven faculty that make this an exceptional value for the cost. California Miramar is also known for how military friendly it is for both active military personnel and their spouses.

Faculty are dedicated to helping students reach their academic, personal and career goals to the best of their abilities. Programs available in the online format include business administration, computer information systems, strategic leadership, and more.

Each of these degree programs will give students the knowledge and skills they will need to be successful in the current job market.

An institution that is solely online to accommodate the creative artist in the 21st century, Sessions College for Professional Design offers a unique education for a particular niche of students. Established in it is a private, for-profit college that has a reputation for being one of the best online institutions for aspiring artists.

Many things set this institution apart from the rest. First students attend from over 90 countries. Second, students literally learn from hands-on experience for each and every course. The courses are set up as a project based course where students will learn by doing and completing a project. Some of the specific degrees students can earn include digital media, advertising design, graphic design, web design, and more.

Established in , Sonoran Desert Institute offers a unique education for those seeking to earn a degree in firearms technology. Students can attend this small institution or earn the degrees completely online. Military students and veterans have many options and financial aid opportunities due to the schools expertise in navigation military benefits.

They are well trained in the funding process and the unique challenges that military families and veterans many face.

Every student is given a high quality education that fits their personal lifestyle and schedule. Closely situated by Washington D. Online programs include business administration, criminal justice, engineering management, health administration, homeland security, and more. Students that are military personnel or veterans can receive financial aid and student support services while attending online. Established in , the College of Court Reporting has blended online coursework with a fabulous speed building software program that ensures that students online gain the knowledge they need for this profession but also the skills to be successful and marketable.

This software program that students will have access to provides hours of studio quality dictation material at various speeds with instantaneous evaluations of their work. This will ensure they gain speed, accuracy and real-time evaluations of their work. Students are also taught how to use the most current tools and software for court reporting. Degrees available include an associate degree or certificate in court reporting and a certificate in voice writing.

As their name suggests, national agencies accredit schools across the entire country. They typically accredit vocational, technical, or career-based, for-profit schools. While some agencies, such as the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges , focus primarily on providing institutional accreditation, others, such as the American Academy for Liberal Education , offer both institutional and programmatic accreditation. One of the key issues concerning regional and national accrediting agencies is the transfer of credits earned.

Many regionally accredited institutes will not accept credits from nationally accredited institutes and vice versa. Schools will, however, generally accept transfer credits from schools with similar types of accreditation, because that shows that they have comparable curriculums and standards. Programmatic, or specialized, accrediting agencies concentrate on programs, departments, and schools within larger universities.

Institutions that receive accreditation from programmatic agencies generally also have institutional accreditation. While some programmatic agencies offer both programmatic and institutional accreditation, many institutes pursue institutional accreditation from a regional agency. One of the prominent programmatic agencies is the National Architectural Accrediting Board , which bears sole responsibility for accrediting all architectural programs within the United States.

Just as institutions apply to these different agencies for accreditation, the agencies apply to the U. Department of Education for federal recognition.

The process is similar: the Department of Education establishes standards that recognized agencies should meet, and teams evaluate the agencies to see if they satisfy those criteria. An agency recognized by the government is analogous to an educational institution accredited by an agency. Universities and colleges can trust that such an agency is a valid, reputable source for accreditation.

Check that the accrediting agency is also recognized by the Department of Education. If the agency is not recognized, the school should be avoided, just as if it had no accreditation at all.

The Department of Education maintains a list of recognized accrediting agencies at its website. In the United States, educational institutions are allowed to operate with a great deal of freedom.

Accreditation is awarded to schools that meet basic standards of academic quality. These standards are determined and developed by private organizations. There are several large, regional accrediting associations, such as the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities , which accredit institutions within a particular area of the United States.

These groups generally award accreditation to an entire university. There are also, however, smaller, specialized accreditation agencies. These agencies typically accredit smaller components of an institution, such as a nursing program or a psychology department. The process of obtaining accreditation has several steps. First, an accreditation agency works with an educational institution to establish reasonable criteria that must be met to receive accreditation.

A school then conducts a self-evaluation with these criteria in mind. If the school determines that it meets the criteria, then it hosts an outside evaluation team sent by the accrediting agency. Once the team is satisfied that the proper standards have been met, the agency officially grants accreditation to the institution.

Once this accreditation has been granted, the agency continues to monitor the institution, and occasionally launches a full reevaluation, to ensure that it continues to meet the standards.

Some schools choose not to seek accreditation. This decision may be based on several factors. The accreditation process is costly and accredited schools typically charge a higher tuition rate. A school might offer a non-traditional learning format that, while it may provide an otherwise complete and comprehensive education, does not adhere to accreditation standards. Some schools, on the other hand, do not seek accreditation because they run poorly designed, ineffective programs. A school without accreditation has neither the credibility nor the reputation of an accredited school.

Future employers, and graduate school interviewers, might not consider a diploma valid if it is granted by a school without accreditation. There is no way to tell if the diploma results from an intensive course of study or a subpar, perhaps even fraudulent, program.

Accreditation ensures not only the quality of program content but also the quality of teaching at an institution. Faculty are held to high professional standards in terms of qualifications and teaching ability.

Instructors at schools without accreditation may not possess the degree or the experience necessary to teach effectively. For students wishing to transfer from one school to another, most accredited institutions only accept credit from other accredited institutions. Courses taken at a school without accreditation will need to be repeated, costing more time and money. The long-term price of attending such an institution is much greater than the tuition of any accredited school.

Schools go through the accreditation process to provide their students with a worthwhile education that will be recognized by employers and other schools. Paying attention to the type of accreditation your school has is especially important if there is any chance you may want to transfer to a different school during your degree or study elsewhere for further qualification.

Being a land-grant university means that Oklahoma State University is open to all. At its five campuses and online, OSU serves more than 35, students from all 50 US states and countries per year. Students learn from renowned faculty and work with assigned advisors to successfully navigate the details of their chosen programs.

Students can begin or complete an undergraduate degree, graduate degree, or a professional certification across a range of specialties from OSU Online. Tuition is affordable, and any student who is accepted into an online degree program qualifies to pay e-tuition, which is significantly cheaper than out-of-state tuition on campus.

With a diverse range of 52 programs offered online, you have many options to choose from. Plus, online courses are taught by instructors who also teach on campus. Its educational legacy reaches back over the past century, but Baker College has adapted to changing times.

With online degree programs in many fields, Baker offers scheduling options that are flexible enough to fit around the demands of your life. Consulting with industry leaders, faculty at Baker create courses and interactive experiences to stimulate learning and establish life-long educational principles.

As a private college with a mission centered on student growth and achievement, Baker offers a range of financial aid choices to help to keep the cost of tuition affordable.

In its mission to offer all students the chance to earn a degree on a realistic and responsible budget, Aspen features straightforward and transparent pricing. It features a diverse student population of recent high school graduates, international students, and career and military professionals who want to advance in their fields.

Busy professionals and students with family or community commitments will appreciate the flexibility to complete their class assignments on their own schedules.

Students at Missouri State University-Springfield online appreciate total educational costs that are well below the national average. Plus, they can save money by not having to travel to campus every day. With fully accredited programs and stimulating classes taught by the same full-time instructors as on campus, MSU is one of the best nationally accredited online colleges. Degree programs include virtual writing and research assistance, and one-to-one tutoring is offered in many courses.

More transfer students choose MSU than any other public college or university in the state. Most students at TESU are career professionals with limited time for school outside of their work and personal obligations, and the online courses are convenient and accessible from anywhere. In the center of western Oklahoma, Southwestern Oklahoma State University serves residential students at its Weatherford or Sayre campuses. With advanced technology connecting students to lectures, assignments, and assessments, SWOSU puts a college degree within reach of busy adults juggling work and family life.

However, many students need to learn around their job and personal responsibilities, so online or hybrid in-class options offer the necessary flexibility.

Many students chose an accelerated online degree program. Bellevue University is respected as a military-friendly academic institution, with free evaluation of military credits for transfer. With online learning choices that let you pursue a degree on a flexible schedule in one of seven specialty schools, Rasmussen College serves busy working adults and traditional students who need flexibility in their study schedule.

Featuring innovative technology and practical, real-world-based projects and exercises to challenge and stimulate you, Rasmussen prepares students for career success. The diploma you earn online at Rasmussen is identical to those issued to students who attend courses on campus. With online courses, you do not need to show up to class at a certain time. Students are responsible to keep on schedule with course assignments and to check in to the learning system several times each week for accountability as the course progresses.

After over a half-century of growth, Mason has come to be respected for a commitment to accessibility, as well as its diversity and innovation in education. Students gain the same top-quality education as in-person students, but with the flexibility of a distance learning schedule. A public university with a mission to provide excellence in education and community involvement, Minot State University in North Dakota challenges students to achieve academic excellence and to participate actively in community life.

Wherever you live and whatever your life schedule, you can earn a degree from MSU Online. Graduate and undergraduate majors and minors, as well as graduate certificates, are available in a range of specialties.

Classes at MSU are designed to deliver a quality education to diverse and multi-generational students, and to prepare students for the evolving challenges in technology and society. A: The choice of a major is one of the most important parts of pursuing higher education. Many students who enter college from high school, or even from community college, are not certain of their career interests or degree needs in their first year.

If you already have a pretty good idea of the type of work that you are good at and enjoy, and have some job experience in a related field, you may be close to choosing a major in that area.

Colleges and universities offer academic advisors to help students decide what degree and classes are right for them. A: Many universities print the same transcripts and award the same diplomas for online graduates as for on-campus students. Modern advances in academic and communications technologies create ideal conditions for remote learning, including interactive class sessions and remote chats and discussion groups. Online students complete identical class assignments, exercises, lab projects, and assessments as their peers in physical classrooms.

Modern online degree programs are the same as traditional education options — and maybe even superior in some ways. Self-directed education is often shown to be the most effective for long-term retention of key principles, and the discipline and self-reliance needed to pursue an online degree may encourage this type of learning.