| Belford
University is accredited by two recognized accreditation
institutions, the International Accreditation Agency for Online Universities (IAAOU) and the Universal Council for Online Education Accreditation (UCOEA).
These accreditation agencies are committed to improving the educational standards of on-line universities by establishing stringent quality standards. Both are among the largest non-governmental accreditation agencies with members from all over the United States.
What
is accreditation? |
Accreditation is a form of peer review. Accreditation of an educational institution guarantees that the learning offered by that institution is of a uniform and sound quality.
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Which agencies or boards
grant accreditation status? |
Accreditation is offered only to those institutes that meet or exceed the stringent standards set by the accrediting agencies or boards. The institutes that receive accreditation benefit in the form of being identified as an entity providing value education to students worldwide. There are several
non-governmental accrediting agencies or boards that are helping institutions build on-line educational standards by requiring certain criteria be met for accreditation. The organizations performing accreditation services include:
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Middle
States Association of Colleges and Schools
(MSACS) |
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New England
Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) |
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North
Central Association of Colleges and Schools
(NCACS) |
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Northwest
Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities
(NASCU) |
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Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) |
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Western
Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) |
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Board
of Online Universities Accreditation (BOUA) |
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Universal
Council for Online Education Accreditation
(UCOEA) |
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International
Accreditation Agency for Online Universities
(IAAOU) |
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World
Online Education Accrediting Commission (WOEAC) |
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All these boards and agencies are well-known and institutions receiving their accreditation hold the same level of credibility and recognition worldwide.
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Why
should a university opt for accreditation?
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Being accredited gives assurance to the public, in particular to prospective students, that a university has been found to meet quality educational standards and criteria.
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What are the criteria for accreditation? |
Accreditating boards establish criteria that institutions must meet in order to become accredited. Institutions are evaluated in terms of their mission, educational practices, administration, financial stability, policies, and student services. Only those institutions fulfilling accreditation requirements under each of these categories are granted accreditation.
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In what ways does the accredited status of a university help its students? |
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Students receive the following benefits with an accredited university: |
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Assurance that the institution is meeting certain educational quality standards. |
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Reasonable
grounds for believing that the institution will
continue to meet them |
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Assurance that the institution’s degrees will be widely accepted by employers, professional associations, other colleges, and universities |
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Belief
that their degree will reap the benefits associated
with sound, high-quality educational standards
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