Last month, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit alleging wrongdoing by Texas based Westwood College. Although the college was accredited by a national educational accrediting agency, the credentials awarded to graduates of the college’s criminal justice degree programs did not meet the accreditation conditions most local, state and federal law enforcement agencies required their candidates to possess.

So, what is accreditation anyways?
In regards to accreditation the U.S. Department of Education states, “The goal of accreditation is to ensure that education provided by institutions of higher education meets acceptable levels of quality.” Accrediting agencies are organizations that have set certain standards of excellence for institutions of higher learning to follow. The accreditation process is purely voluntary, varies by agency and is initiated by colleges. Generally, during the candidacy period, institutions of higher learning often go through a vigorous cycle of self examination, site inspections, reviews, etc. If an institution of higher learning is found to meet the standards of the agency, the agency may grant them accreditation. Although there is some prestige to be had for being accredited by an agency, the main reason colleges seek accreditation is so that federal financial aid programs can become available to their students.

There are three types of accreditation agencies: Specialized, national and regional. Specialized accrediting agencies set standards for specific programs. For instance, the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, or CIDA, accredits programs in the field of Interior Design just as the American Bar Association or ABA accredits law schools.

Generally, national accrediting agencies accredit institutions of higher learning that focus on trade, vocational and/or career training. Due to the relative ease of obtaining it, in comparison to regional accreditation, many new colleges seek out this type of accreditation when they first open their doors. Oftentimes, ...