CAT Tracks for December 28, 2004 FELINE LEARNING...

...IN THE DOG-EAT-DOG WORLD!

Did you hear the one about the cat that earned an MBA online?

No, it's not the latest watercooler joke, it's actually the basis behind a lawsuit filed in early December against Trinity Southern University, a front for a school run by two Texas brothers accused of selling fake degrees and prescription drugs using spam e-mail.

The "school," which offered no classes, allegedly awarded a master of business administration degree to a deputy attorney general's 6-year-old cat for $299.

You may think you have your pick of the litter with the increasing number of colleges and universities offering online degree and certificate programs, but stand forewarned. Not every school is reputable. The key when exploring elearning options is to understand accreditation and all of its intricacies.

"Schools will advertise that they're accredited, which is what everyone's looking for," says Steven Shapiro, vice president, marketing and communications, Jones International University (Englewood, Colo.). "But what does that mean?"

First, understand the terminology. Accreditation is a status granted to an educational institution or program that meets or exceeds predetermined criteria of educational quality. Basically, it's an academic stamp of approval.

Importance

You may be tempted to go against the grain and study at a school that isn't accredited -- after all, you don't need anyone's approval, right? In this case, wrong.

Accreditation ensures the quality of an institution or program, and assists in its improvement. And if you ever want to transfer credits to an accredited school, good luck getting your non-accredited coursework recognized.

Types

Believe it or not, just knowing a school should be accredited isn't enough. You need to find out who is conferring the accreditation, and if that particular accreditation is recognized. The recognizers? Washington-based Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), a private, non-profit national organization, and the United States Department of Education (USDE). They each review the quality and effectiveness of accrediting organizations, recognizing many of the same ones, but not all. USDE recognition is required for institutions that seek eligibility for federal student financial aid, and CHEA recognition confers academic legitimacy.

Regional Accreditation:

Don't let the name mislead you -- regional accreditation is actually the highest level of accreditation a university (including online schools, such as JIU) can obtain, and is recognized throughout the country. CHEA and USDE recognize these six regional accrediting associations, each responsible for a specific geographic area:

-- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
-- New England Association of Schools and Colleges
-- North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
-- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
-- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
-- Western Association of Schools and College

National Accreditation:

As opposed to regional accreditation associations, which for the most part accredit nonprofit, degree-granting institutions, national organizations accredit mainly for-profit, non-degree granting, single-purpose institutions, such as information technology or faith-based schools. CHEA and USDE recognize the following six national accrediting associations:

-- Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges
-- Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council
-- Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools
-- Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools
-- Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
-- Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools Accreditation Commission

Specialized/Professional Accreditation:

These national associations accredit particular programs within a college or university, rather than an entire institution, with the exception of some single-purpose institutions. There are currently 44 accrediting bodies recognized by CHEA, and 46 by the USDE (with some overlap), including the American Psychological Association, National Association of Schools of Music, and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council. So, for instance, a college may be regionally accredited and also have specialized accreditations for its professional programs.

Benefits

Schools that aren't accredited can exist legally by meeting their particular state requirements, and are known as "state-licensed" or "state-approved." Costs are comparatively low, and courses tend to be vocationally based toward adult degree completion. But there are benefits to going the accredited route:

-- Only accredited universities and programs are eligible for federal (and sometimes state) student financial aid.
-- Some employers won't provide tuition assistance or recognize your credentials if your program isn't accredited.
-- State governments require accreditation when they allow students to sit for state licensure examinations in some professional fields.