Accredited Distance Learning
Interested in an Accredited Distance Learning Program?
If you are pursuing a degree at a college or university, you want to make sure that you are getting the highest quality of education possible. After all, you are spending your time and your money on this degree. The system that has developed to ensure students, faculty and employers alike that an education has indeed met the standards set out by governing bodies is called accreditation.
Kaplan University
Kaplan University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Kaplan University offers accredited 10-week online classes. With 10-week classes, you gain the benefit of speed and shave 6-weeks off of a traditional 16-week semester.
As one of the largest online universities with a widely recognized name, Kaplan University offers a variety of campus-based and online programs to give access to both full-time and part-time students who are looking to efficiently advance their career.
Kaplan University offers the following undergraduate programs:
Advanced Start Bachelor’s Degrees:
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Accounting
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Accounting – Government/Nonprofit Accountancy
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Accounting – Managerial Accountancy
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Accounting – Tax Accountancy
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Accouting – Public Accountancy
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Business Administration
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Business Process Management
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Criminal Justice
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Entrepreneurship
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Financial Analysis
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Human Resources
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Information Assurance
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Information Systems in Management
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Management
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Marketing
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Business Administration – New Media – Internet Marketing
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Operations Management
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Prelaw
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Project Management
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Purchasing
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Retail Management
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Risk Management
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Sales Management
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Information Technology
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Information Technology – Application Development
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Information Technology – Database Management
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Information Technology – Health Informatics
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Information Technology – Information Security and Forensics
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Information Technology – Information Systems in Management
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Information Technology – Mobile Computing
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Information Technology – Network Administration
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Information Technology – New Media – Internet Marketing
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Information Technology – Project Management
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Information Technology – Web Development
- Advanced Start Bachelor’s in Public Administration and Policy
- Advanced Start B.S.in Accounting – Auditing/Forensic Accountancy
- Advanced Start in Bachelor’s in Professional Studies
Bachelor’s Degrees:
- Bachelor’s in Accounting
- Bachelor’s in Accounting – Auditing/Forensic Accountancy
- Bachelor’s in Accounting – Government/Nonprofit Accountancy
- Bachelor’s in Accounting – Managerial Accountancy
- Bachelor’s in Accounting – Public Accountancy
- Bachelor’s in Accounting – Tax Accountancy
- Bachelor’s in Business Administration
- Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Business Process Management
- Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Criminal Justice
- Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Entrepreneurship
- Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Financial Analysis
- Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Human Resources
- Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Information Assurance
- Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Information Systems in Management
- Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Management
- Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Marketing
- Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Operations Management
- Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Prelaw
- Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Project Management
- Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Purchasing
- Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Retail Management
- Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Risk Management
- Bachelor’s in Business Administration – Sales Management
- Bachelor’s in Business Administration/New Media /Internet Marketing
Read more or get a program guide from Kaplan University.
Accredited Distance Learning
Degrees obtained online are not exempt from this type of quality assurance. You must make sure that you are applying for an accredited distance learning degree before you attend a college or university.
But what exactly does an accredited distance learning degree look like? How can you tell if your degree is accredited, if it meets the standards that a quality education should meet? And why, exactly does it matter?
What is an accredited distance learning degree?
An accredited distance learning degree is important when you are considering which institution to attend for your education. If the school is accredited, it means that it meets or exceeds the national standards. Both the online and on-campus aspects of the college or university are examined in order to determine their quality of education.
There are five main regional bodies who look after accrediting and analyzing schools around the country. These institutions are privately run, and have no affiliation with any school. This means that no accredited distance learning degree is a false accreditation, simply obtained through bribery or connections. These regional bodies are impartial judges of the quality of a school.
The five regional accreditors have sub-commissions if the region is large or if there are a wide variety of schools in the region:
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools:
Commission on Higher Education
New England Association of Schools and Colleges:
Commission on Technical and Career Institutions
Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
North Central Association of Colleges of Colleges and Schools:
The Higher Learning Commission
Northwest Commission on Colleges & Universities
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools:
Commission on Colleges
Western Association of Schools and Colleges:
Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities
Accredited Distance Learning Bodies
These regional bodies examine all of the schools in their region, and accept or deny them into the fold of accredited institutions. If they are accepted, you can be sure that they achieved a high performance in terms of educational quality. Your accredited distance learning degree is a valuable credential for your future or current career, and these regional bodies help you choose a top-quality school.
Transferring accredited distance learning courses
Another reason, beyond just knowing that you will receive a quality education, that accredited schools are so important is their ability to give and accept transfer credits. Most accredited colleges and universities will accept transfer credits only from other accredited institutions. So, if you pursue half of your degree at one school and are forced to change schools for whatever reason, your previous education will not go to waste. This is important when you are considering an accredited distance learning degree, because often times work will become busy and you will have to take some time off school before graduation – you can pick up from where you left off without losing any credits.
Do not go for your degree until you are sure of the quality of education you are going to get. Employers will often view an unaccredited degree as worth nothing more than a high school education. In order to truly get the most out of your education, do your research thoroughly before applying to any school, and make sure you keep accreditation status at the front of your mind when looking into your degree.