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Other Things to Consider
Quality of the Program | Accreditation
| Security of the Program
Quality of the
Program
You should research the history and quality of any distance
education program to determine its value to you. Here are
some questions that you might want to ask:
- How long has the institution been enrolling students in
this program?
- How often and through what mechanism is the program reviewed
for the currency of its curriculum?
- How does the variety of courses offered compare with similar
programs at other institutions?
- What is the average length of time it takes for a student
to complete this program?
- What have graduates of this program gone on to do, particularly
in terms of transferring to other degree programs or finding
employment?
- How can I contact some of these graduates and their employers
to talk about their learning experiences and their preparation
for a career?
- Where can I find evaluations of this program?
- Will this program be recognized in my home country?
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Accreditation
The system of quality assurance of U.S. educational institutions
is known as accreditation. It is important for you to know
the accreditation status of any education program you might
enroll in. If the program is not properly accredited, your
degree may not be recognized by employers, government entities
both in the United States and in your home country, or other
institutions of higher learning. Please see Accreditation
for further details. However, here are some things you need
to know in relation to distance education.
Accrediting Bodies: Accreditation is carried out by
a number of national and regional accrediting bodies that
are recognized by either the U.S. Department of Education
or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). It
is important not only that an institution is accredited, but
that it is accredited by a recognized body. Some questions
you can ask are:
- Who accredits this institution?
- Does the U.S. Department of Education or CHEA recognize
the accrediting body?
- Where can I find a full list of the other universities
accredited by the accrediting body?
College-Based Programs: Distance education programs
offered by an accredited college or university must be included
in the overall accreditation of that institution. There is
no such thing as a "partially accredited" institution,
and, therefore, distance education programs must meet the
accrediting body's standards and requirements.
Regional accreditation is the most commonly held type of
institutional accreditation in the United States; it is carried
out by six regional accrediting bodies. All of them have adopted
specific regulations to ensure that students who earn degrees
through distance education programs receive an education that
is equivalent to the education they would receive on-site
at a U.S. campus.
"Virtual" Universities: Regional accreditation
of a college or university is possible even if the institution
has no physical library, campus, or full-time faculty. For
these institutions, located primarily in cyberspace, the process
for attaining accreditation is quite similar to the one for
campus-based institutions.
The institution completes a self-study, and its conformity
to regional accreditation standards is validated through a
visit by an evaluation team to the administering organization's
office or headquarters. In addition to meeting the accrediting
body's standards (as appropriate to cyberspace), the program
has to demonstrate that its offerings are comparable to those
offered on a traditional campus, that the academic qualifications
of those who design the courses are appropriate to their field,
and that students have guaranteed access to information resources
beyond those generally available to the public through the
Internet. Programs of virtual universities must be reviewed
and updated as often as campus-based programs are.
Non-Regionally Accredited Institutions: If the institution
is not regionally accredited, be sure to ask these questions:
- Can you name some universities or employers that recognize
degrees or credits from your institution? (Note: you are
advised to verify any information given.)
- What provisions have been made in the event that the program
is discontinued before I have completed my studies?
In general, students with degrees from institutions not accredited
by a recognized body will find it difficult, if not impossible,
to have their degrees recognized by any municipal, state,
or federal agency, any foreign government, or the majority
of private employers.
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Security of the
Program
Many potential employers, funding organizations, and government
entities are concerned about the security and integrity of
a degree earned through a distance education program. Therefore,
you will need to find out what means the program uses to ensure
that the students who are enrolled in the program complete
the assignments and take examinations themselves. Then you
will be able to inform prospective employers and other interested
parties how the program has ensured the integrity of your
degree.
For example, since the student and the instructor are not
in the same place when an examination is given, how does the
program ensure that the right person takes the test? Some
accredited institutions require fish-eye cameras, which are
now quite inexpensive, to be attached to computers in order
to photograph the person using the computer. Others conduct
biometric procedures, such as retina scans or thumbprints,
to make sure that the person taking the test is indeed the
person who signed up for the course. Finally, you should be
aware that many programs require examinations to be proctored
by a consular official, member of the clergy, officer in the
U.S. armed services, or faculty member of a U.S.-accredited
institution.
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