Programmatic Accreditation:
There are 67 recognized programmatic accrediting organizations accredit programs or free-standing institutions that enrolled more than 3.9 million students in 2012-2013 according to Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). This figure includes all programmatic accreditors that are or have been recognized by CHEA or the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) and are currently engaged in accreditation activities.
Consequence to students attending an institution without Programmatic Accreditation:
Colleges sometimes offer programs that do not carry the industry-standard accreditation that allows graduates to obtain employment in the field. Graduates from these programs are often surprised to learn that, although they went to an institutionally accredited school, they cannot practice the professions for which they purportedly trained. Some fields, mostly in the health care occupations, require program-specific accreditation. If a college offers a program that does not carry programmatic accreditation, then students often cannot find work because employers only hire graduates from accredited programs, or because State laws prohibit graduates from non-accredited programs from practicing their specialty. In spite of these serious consequences, for-profit schools that offer unaccredited programs seldom provide a meaningful warning to their students about this issue. As a result, many students first learn about their program’s accreditation after accumulating debt, attending school, and attempting to enter the workforce.
What Is Programmatic Accreditation?
There are two broad types of accreditation for institutions of higher education. The first type is institutional accreditation, which indicates that a membership organization approved by the Department of Education has conducted a peer review of the institution and certified that the college or university meets specified school-wide standards of quality. Institutional accreditation is critical for all colleges and universities because it is required for any school to be eligible to receive financial aid funds from the U.S. Department of Education. In contrast, rather than certifying an entire school or institution, programmatic accreditation certifies that a specific degree or certificate program meets standards expected within a particular field or profession. Different professions and different States place a different emphasis on programmatic accreditation.
For instance, here is a video (click the link below) who is considering a career in Radiologic Technology.
Students Are Not Informed About Programmatic Accreditation:
Institutions that offer programs that lack programmatic accreditation are highly inconsistent in how they disclose this lack of programmatic accreditation. Some make a note on the programs’ Web pages, albeit rarely in a prominent location. Others post the disclosure deep in their Web sites or in the fine print within pages of enrollment agreements, while framing the disclosure in terms that prevent students from recognizing the gravity of this issue. Few people would enroll in a program if they knew they would be unable to use their degree or diploma to qualify for a job in their field after graduation. Unfortunately, the investigation has documented multiple examples of students who have been recruited into non-accredited programs under the mistaken belief that their investment of time and money would lead to a valuable credential and access to a job in the field.
Below is the link for the directory of Programmatic Accreditation:
Here are more information for few on demand programs:
Nursing:
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
Marsal P. Stoll, Chief Executive Officer
3343 Peachtree Road, NE, Suite 850
Atlanta, GA 30326
Phone: 404-975-5000
Fax: 404-975-5020
E-mail: info@acenursing.org
Web: www.acenursing.org
Recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, September 2011
CHEA-Recognized Scope of Accreditation
Accreditation of nursing education programs and schools, both postsecondary and higher degree, which offer either a certificate, diploma, or recognized professional degree (clinical doctorate, master's, baccalaureate, associate, diploma, and practical nursing) in the United States, its territories and internationally, including those offered via distance education. (2011)
Physical Therapy:
American Physical Therapy Association (APTA-CAPTE)
Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
Sandra L. Wise, Senior Director of Accreditation
1111 North Fairfax Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703-706-3245
Fax: 703-706-3387
E-mail: sandrawise@apta.org
Web: www.capteonline.org
Recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, September 2012
CHEA-Recognized Scope of Accreditation
CAPTE accredits physical therapist professional education programs offered at the master’s and clinical doctoral degree levels by higher education institutions in the United States and internationally. CAPTE also accredits paraprofessional physical therapist assistant technical education programs offered at the associate degree level by higher education institutions in the United States only. (2012)
Radiology
Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)
Leslie Winter, Chief Executive Officer
20 North Wacker Drive, Suite 2850
Chicago, IL 60606-3182
Phone: 312-704-5300
Fax: 312-704-5304
E-mail: mail@jrcert.org
Web: www.jrcert.org
Recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, April 2004
CHEA-Recognized Scope of Accreditation
The Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) currently accredits educational programs in radiography, radiation therapy, magnetic resonance, and medical dosimetry that can be offered at the certificate, associate, baccalaureate, and master’s degree levels in both traditional and distance education settings. These programs are housed in institutionally accredited, degree granting institutions and hospitals/medical centers that only award certificates. The geographic boundaries of JRCERT accreditation activities are within the United States and its territories, commonwealths, and possessions. (2013)
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
Council on Education (COE)
Dr. Karen Brandt, Director of Education and Research
1931 North Meacham Road, Suite 100
Schaumburg, IL 60173-4360
Phone: 847-925-8070
Fax: 847-285-5732
E-mail: kbrandt@avma.org
Web: www.avma.org
Recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, January 2012
CHEA-Recognized Scope of Accreditation
Schools and programs that offer the professional Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, or its equivalent, in the United States and Canada. The Council may also accredit foreign veterinary colleges. (2015)
Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC)
Thomas Smalling, Executive Director
1248 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX 76021-4244
Phone: 817-283-2835
Fax: 817-354-8519
Email: tom@coarc.com
Web: www.coarc.com
Recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, September 2012
CHEA-Recognized Scope of Accreditation
The CoARC accredits entry into professional practice programs in respiratory care at the Associate, Baccalaureate, and Master's Degree level in the United States. The CoARC also accredits polysomnography programs offered by professional respiratory care degree programs in the United States. (2015)
