Accreditation Makes Courses Online A Viable Education Alternative

Online institutions can be accredited by national or regional agencies, but not all accrediting agencies are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Agencies that are part of the nationally recognized Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions are. These agencies look at areas such as interactivity, trained faculty, student services and advertising as part of the accreditation process. In October, the U.S. Department of Education reportedly published updated guidelines that add requirements, such as verifying student identities and monitoring enrollment growth. Many organizations that issue scholarships and grants also require accreditation to be a recipient of their funds.

"Diploma" or "degree mills" that allow people to buy phony credentials have posed a problem and some, such as Wisconsin State Senator Fred Risser, say the problem is increasing. He drew up a law that would put more tools in place to prosecute operations and prevent the use of fraudulent academic credentials in Wisconsin, according to a news statement from his office. Many other states have taken similar action, the news release noted.

Colby, a pet cat, was accepted into the online degree program after investigators filed an application claiming he had taken community college classes and worked as a baby sitter, reports show. The feline reportedly achieved a 3.5 grade point average, and earned a worthless degree. An attorney general's office sued the company that awarded it for fraud.

Around this same time, a demonstration program eased financial assistance restrictions for participating online institutions, according to an Education Department report mentioned in the Inside Higher Education article. Higher education access improved, significant online enrollment increases resulted, and institutions with more than 5,000 students in the 2003-2004 academic year reported that as many as 79 percent of their students qualified for federal financial aid, information in the Inside Higher Education piece noted. The Department of Education recommended that the program open to more online institutions and that the 50 percent rule eventually be eliminated, according to the article. Government representatives reportedly agreed. Fortunately, online education no longer has the reputation it once had as more programs are now offered online by reputable, and accredited, institutions.