So, what’s the difference between institutional accreditation vs. program accreditation? It’s fairly simple — institutional accreditation is a status granted to the entire university or college. In contrast, programmatic accreditation is granted to one specific program or degree.
If you’ve done any research beyond reading this blog, you may have also come across the terms “regional accreditation” and “national accreditation.” What do these mean, exactly?
These terms are actually both outdated. In years past, higher education institutions were able to seek institutional accreditation (whole-body accreditation) from either national or regional accreditors. Previously, regional accreditation was considered more prestigious than national accreditation, although both types of accrediting bodies were accountable to guidelines from the Department of Education.
National accrediting bodies were authorized to evaluate and accredit institutions located anywhere in the U.S. Regional accrediting bodies only evaluated higher education institutions located within their respective regions.
However, the Department of Education altered its rules so that there was no distinction between regional and national accreditors. Those differences effectively ceased to exist.1 Therefore, no institution can claim to have either regional or national accreditation — it’s simply referred to as institutional accreditation.
Unlike institutional accreditation, which assesses the overall institution, programmatic accreditation is granted by specialized accrediting bodies that ensure specific programs meet industry standards and adequately prepare students for their careers.
Many professions require graduates from accredited programs for licensure or certification, and this accreditation provides assurance of educational quality. Additionally, it facilitates credit transferability and helps prospective students make informed choices about their education.
