DETC vrs. regional accreditation

I have played with the idea of getting an associates degree in hospitality management from the Thomson Education Direct program. I already have the job I want but I would like some formal training in the field. My ultimate goal is to get a bachelor's in business.

What is so terrible about a college only having DETC accreditation? I looked over the DETC official website and was surprised by the degree of U.S. federal gov't support for an accrediting organization supposedly not very reputable.

From their website at www.detc.org:
Q. Is DETC accreditation equal to “regional” accreditation?

A. In every measurable way, yes! DETC accreditation is just as valid as any regional accreditation, and the Secretary of Education has officially recognized DETC since 1959 and by the Council for Higher Education and its predecessors since 1975. We meet the precisely same standards as do the regionals, and we would hasten to add we have vastly more experience and tougher, more stringent standards for distance learning than any other agency in the U.S. Distance learning is our only business.
(end)

Later on they talk about anti-competitiveness attitudes from the regionally accredited schools who feel their turf is being encroached on by schools which offer a competitive but less expensive product.

So what is REALLY going on here?

Betterman

 

Do a search on <DETC> and <Education Direct> and you should see that this has been debated (argued, warred) extensively.

 

BetterMan wrote:

> What is so terrible about a college only having DETC
> accreditation? I looked over the DETC official website and was
> surprised by the degree of U.S. federal gov't support for an
> accrediting organization supposedly not very reputable.

I don't think anyone here has been saying things that would imply "so terrible" or "not very reputable". What we've been saying is that some organizations require an RA degree, so by going for a DETC degree you may be limiting your future options.

The Thomson Education Direct courses are ACE-evaluated, so many RA colleges that will not accept other DETC credits will accept these.

 

We meet the precisely same standards as do the regionals



Uh, they may *say* that, but I don't think there's a shred of evidence to back up the claim that they actually meet those standards, only that they list the same standards.

Heck, for that matter, I think that the California approval standards read somewhat similar to the regionals, and I don't think anyone could credibly argue that, say, Newport U. is equivalent to, say, Cal State Hayward.

One needs only to look at, say, the old ICS curriculum materials (hopelessly out of date even at the time) and their at-the-time current DETC accreditation to refute the claim.

One can also look at AICS and it's extremely long history of defrauding its potential students by claiming accreditation from a fake accreditor (an action justified by AICS' president as a "marketing decision") and note how the DETC completely overlooked that, violating standards that the regionals hold -- and DETC claims to uphold -- standards requiring honest, ethical marketing.

In spite of AICS' long history of sleazy marketing and unethical behavior, which should alone have been adequate reason to bounce their application, DETC has never offered an explanation, justification, or other statement to refute this rather damning fact.


and we would hasten to add we have vastly more experience and tougher, more stringent standards for distance learning than any other agency in the U.S.


What a joke. Vastly more experience in overseeing trade schools, yes. Maybe tougher standards on paper, but again, I'd like to see some evidence that DETC has done anything to give teeth to those standards.

How many schools has DETC warned? Put on probation? Revoked accreditation of? As far as I know (and I am ready to stand corrected if I'm wrong), it's very, very few, if any, and pales in comparision to the lists the regionals have on their website(s) at any given time, even adjusting for the size differences.

If there's little to no indication of meaningful sanctions by DETC, then it's difficult to imagine that said "tougher standards" have any teeth or enforcement to give them any meaning.

 

DETC

I was told that the DETC classroom credits do not count towards an engineering license. This maybe true for other fields as well.
Check your local registration requirements.

Paul

 

It has been my experience that DETC acredited schools carry similar utility to RA schools except in those areas where state licensure is required. (If you intend to go on to graduate school with a DETC undergarduate degree, you may also find your options a bit more limited, but there are MANY RA graduate schools that will accept DETC undergarduate work.) Where licensure is concerned it's a hit or miss. It has also been my experience that the majority of employers do not know the difference between RA and NA, nor do they ask. If you intend on working for the federal government, DETC (NA) carries the same weight as RA.

 

BetterMan: What is so terrible about a college only having DETC accreditation?

Rich: No one says this. Therefore, this is a strawman argument.

DETC accreditation has lower acceptance in employment and in academia. Even DETC acknowledges this. Whether or not this is fair can be debated, but the bottom line remains: a degree from a DETC-accredited school will simply not be accepted in some situations.

 

I'm pretty new here so be sure to consider that in my answer. I have asked the same question you have asked here. I think the answer may lie in your interests, hospitatlity management. How many RA on line schools offer hospitatlity management associate degrees? I would start with that question and search. If you can find an RA associates in this subject then look at it seriously if you think you will want to go on to a higher "hospitality" degree or any other degree (I don't know if there is such a thing but this is a big country). If you think you will need a more generic business degree later that could be applied more broadly, then look for that.

I understand your confusion. I'm still confused somewhat by statements that DETC is not accepted in some instances. I'm still trying to figure out if that statement applies to where my personal ultimate interests lie. There appears to be some concrete answers with professional licenses, teaching, fortune 500 company employment. Beyond that, it gets much murkier. I am considering CSU for a masters and have been cautiously warned about it. I am still reading and listening. And I continue to search for an RA program that fits my particular situation just based on these warnings.

With all due respect, I do think this board has a decided bent toward RA over DETC. It may be justified in many instances. It may not in others. But I do value the opinions I read here and it has forced me to look at many many offerings. This is not a bad thing. I have had some private conversations with some here that have helped me research. Again, this is a good thing (no Martha pun intended).

If you are spending your own hard earned money, as I am, you need to get the most from your dollars. Research is the best friend you can have. Good luck.

 

As Spencer Johnson and Ken Blanchard noted, it's unfair to treat unequals equally. The reason you--and many others--note a "decided bent" towards regional accreditation is because of the observable facts: there are situations where degrees from DETC-accredited schools will not suffice. It would be irresponsible to ignore this simple fact, and naive to assert otherwise.

(Not opinion; fact. An opinion would be like this: "There shouldn't be any difference; both DETC and the RA's are recognized by CHEA." A fact would be like this: "But there is a difference.")

Now, if you could establish (1) a motive for asserting this (like a financial reward for pushing one school over others) and (2) facts to the contrary, then you might have "bias." As for now, you have a collective--but not exclusive--opinion.

(Degreeinfo is a collection of thousands of participants and tens of thousands of posts. It's not just a few chuckleheads getting together to assure themselves of their mutually held delusion. That kind of thing is available elsewhere.)

 

Yes, Mr. Douglas, I understand your statements, and appreciate the times you have responded to my questions personally here and with much thanks. I am not treating these two subjects (agencies) as equals, nor am I asserting any motives to anyone. I have observed a bent, as I put it, towards RA over DETC, that the casual new reader here would feel as palpaple, the issues grounded in discussions I have not yet fully read (because there are literally thousands of threads to read) but continue to research, and was trying to encourage this poster to research further. I have never accused anyone of being a chucklehead and would hopefully never do so as I sincerely believe those regulars who post here do so out of a desire to help others as much as anything else.

I was simply trying to encourage the initial poster to do research in the degree that interests him/her and to consider, as I am, the utility of the degree he/she is investigating.

This board and the participants have done much to help me. I was trying to do the same, not cast any inuendos towards anyone.

 

Any bias in favor RA is well justified. Simply put, RA accredits thousands of schools and DETC is relatively very small in comparison. Consequently, a DETC accredited program will not carry you as far as an RA credential.

By going DETC you will at least have an education from an institution that has been properly accredited. This is much better than obtaining a completely unaccredited degree.

John