College Accreditation Research Paper
Marketing Research
Accreditation Research Project
April 25, 2011
Being accredited is how an institution is recognized as a university having a legitimate degree program. The value of the degree you receive is based upon accreditation, college ranking, and the perception of the institutions image in organizations and society. As my problem statement I would like to find out what the value of accreditation is, what it takes to become accredited, maintain accreditation, and why some degrees from accredited institutions are not recognized by other institutions and business organizations. Some research objectives I would like to achieve would be to find out if the loss of credits in the transfer from school to school is due to different accreditation standards in the different accreditation organizations. Also, with comparing accredited schools, does the rank of the school make the degree received more or less valuable? Another objective is to find out what makes a degree from one accredited school more valuable than a degree from another accredited school. And finally, I would like to find out if a degree from a non-traditional school is less valuable than a degree from a traditional “Brick and Mortar” school. To solve my problem statement and answer my research objectives I will be conducting exploratory research using secondary data. All schools in the United States that are accredited, or are seeking accreditation must go through their regional accreditation organization. There are six regional accreditation organizations and many others that oversee accreditation globally. The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCAHLC) is the organization that oversees the accreditation for NSU. Not only do the six regional organizations overlook the colleges but also organizations that accredit schools for business programs as well; such as, the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. The standards that each
Accreditation Research Project
April 25, 2011
Being accredited is how an institution is recognized as a university having a legitimate degree program. The value of the degree you receive is based upon accreditation, college ranking, and the perception of the institutions image in organizations and society. As my problem statement I would like to find out what the value of accreditation is, what it takes to become accredited, maintain accreditation, and why some degrees from accredited institutions are not recognized by other institutions and business organizations. Some research objectives I would like to achieve would be to find out if the loss of credits in the transfer from school to school is due to different accreditation standards in the different accreditation organizations. Also, with comparing accredited schools, does the rank of the school make the degree received more or less valuable? Another objective is to find out what makes a degree from one accredited school more valuable than a degree from another accredited school. And finally, I would like to find out if a degree from a non-traditional school is less valuable than a degree from a traditional “Brick and Mortar” school. To solve my problem statement and answer my research objectives I will be conducting exploratory research using secondary data. All schools in the United States that are accredited, or are seeking accreditation must go through their regional accreditation organization. There are six regional accreditation organizations and many others that oversee accreditation globally. The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCAHLC) is the organization that oversees the accreditation for NSU. Not only do the six regional organizations overlook the colleges but also organizations that accredit schools for business programs as well; such as, the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. The standards that each
References: 50 States. (2011, January 01). Retrieved April 23, 2011, from http://www.50states.com/college-resources/accreditation.htm Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. (2011, January 01). Retrieved April 23, 2011, from http://www.acbsp.org/p/cm/ld/fid=144 Commission on Secondary Schools. (2011, January 01). Retrieved April 23, 2011, from http://www.css-msa.org/about/accredit.html Council for Higher Education Accreditation. (2011, January 01). Retrieved April 23, 2011, from http://www.chea.org/ The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. (2011, January 01). Retrieved April 23, 2011, from http://www.aacsb.edu/accreditation/overview.asp The Higher Learning Commission. (2011, January 01). Retrieved April 23, 2011, from http://www.ncahlc.org/ U.S. News and World Report. (2011, January 01). Retrieved April 23, 2011, from http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities University of Phoenix. (2011, January 01). Retrieved April 23, 2011, from http://www.phoenix.edu/about_us/accreditation.html Weber State University. (2011, January 01). Retrieved April 23, 2011, from http://www.weber.edu/Admissions/Transfer_Guide.html Heibutzki, R. (2011, April 02). eHow.com. Retrieved April 23, 2011, from http://www.ehow.com/about_5455550_positive-rap-hip-hop-music.html