Learn More About Accreditation

Two General Types of Accreditations: Institutional and Specialized

There are two types of accreditation a university can earn. The first is "institutional" accreditation or a review of the entire university. In the U.S., institutional accreditation is done by six primary regional accrediting bodies. These regional agencies perform a review of the entire university, from its operating budgets to its student services. Depending on where the university is located, it must be approved by one of these agencies in order to grant degrees and be considered legitimate.

The six regional accrediting bodies are:

1. Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
2. New England Association of Schools and Colleges
3. North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
4. Northwest Association of Accredited Schools
5. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
6. Western Association of Schools and Colleges

Once institutional accreditation is earned, most universities in the U.S. take accreditation a step further and seek "specialized" or "professional" accreditations for each of their fields of study. These specialized reviews are also done by non-governmental, private agencies that are knowledgeable about a particular discipline. For example, a College of Medicine can apply for specialized accreditations that specifically review its medical programs. Specialized accreditation tells other schools, potential employers, and the general public that the university’s degree programs in a particular field have passed a rigorous review and that students are learning all they need to know about that area of study.

Specialized Accreditation is Critically Important for PhD Students

Because of the rigor and prestige involved in a doctoral program, specialized accreditation is very important when choosing a school. Students that attend schools without specialized accreditations for their doctoral programs often find themselves without a job after graduation. For instance, graduates from business doctoral programs that wish to gain employment at AACSB-accredited schools will find it difficult to do so if they did not graduate from an AACSB-accredited PhD program. For the discipline of business, AACSB Accreditation is the longest standing, most stringent (as reported by accredited institutions), internationally recognized designation for business and accounting degree programs.