How important is accreditation to you?

Discussion in 'Accreditation Discussions (RA, DETC, state approva' started by JoshD, Jul 17, 2021.

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  1. JoshD

    JoshD Well-Known Member

    We all know the ole discussion between Regional Accreditation and National Accreditation. However, how important is programmatic accreditation to you? Does a programs programmatic accreditation, or lack thereof, make a difference to you when selecting and/or recommending a program?

    Prior to business school, I had never really paid attention to programmatic accreditation and then opted to pursue a MBA at an AACSB Accredited business school. Now, as I close in on finishing my 2nd masters, I am looking into PhD/DBA programs…and I’m to the point that I do not care if it is AACSB or ACBSP.

    Have others reached a point in their academic journey that they just want a good education regardless of the programmatic accreditor?
     
  2. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Accreditation, programmatic or otherwise, has two meanings: what it means to you and what it means to others. That's because, when you take a degree from a school, you get both an education and an attestation of that education (the degree). So, what about those two audiences?

    Do you care about accreditation? And do the people/institutions who will observe that you have a degree care?

    This makes the decision to include programmatic accreditation in your decision regarding which school to attend a highly personal one. Some, like the ones you cite, are not particularly mandatory...except to some audiences. Others, especially where licensing occurs, are absolutely required (or nearly so).

    When it comes to business school accreditation in the US, it's only going to matter in academic circles, and only AACSB (for the most part). Using your degree as a prerequisite to a higher degree program, or using your doctorate to teach in certain programs.

    In the private sector, almost no one will care (specifically) about programmatic business accreditation. However, they will often care about the school's reputation, and most of the top schools are AACSB-accredited.

    Hope this helps.
     
  3. chris richardson

    chris richardson Active Member

    When deciding on MBA, I realized that AACSB was something that academia (AACSB schools) and to a much smaller degree some fortune xxx companies cared about, mostly in reimbursement. I went with Hellenic American University for my MBA (doing now) because it was regionally accredited and the amazing cost they offered this year. I am glad i did because I also find the people there really are great, the courses engaging but not ridiculous and I am enjoying it. I really thought about their lack of AACSB (didn't matter to me, at 53 I am not planning a fortune anything job, nor is academia my goal) and lack of ACBSP. My TESU BSBA is ACBSP, but I really believe that ACBSP is considered "second place" and something that hardly anybody is actually looking for nor giving weight to. I ended up feeling that a MBA at an unknown, unranked MBA program at an RA university without either AACSB or ACBSP is as good as one from an unranked MBA from an ACBSP school and in many cases may even be perceived better than say the MBA from Univ of Phoenix that is RA and ACBSP. No reputation is better than a poor reputation, and deserved or not, MANY known names of big online, for profit in particular universities is viewed very negatively.

    Outside of general business schools, program accreditation can be really important for degrees that lead to specific jobs that have licensing requirements of course.
     
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  4. chris richardson

    chris richardson Active Member

    On another note, if I was 33 instead of 53 and looking to use my MBA to really leverage up in life, I would be getting one from the best school I could get in and afford, if not a top 10 program than the best ranked one regionally. If I could not afford those, I would look for the best program in a regional university that I could, in seat or online, I would want the school name known in the region I am going to be seeking employment in.

    So, as I live in Georgia, if young, shoot for IVY's and Emory, if couldn't, try Georgia Tech, UGA, Georgia State if flat broke then Georgia Southwestern
     
    JoshD likes this.
  5. Dustin

    Dustin Well-Known Member

    A few careers, programmatic really matters. CACREP for mental health and CSWE for Social Work. On the other hand, an MBA or MSML? There's no licensing or career path closed to me because I go with a degree without a specific accreditation (maybe teaching?). A PsyD without APA or a law degree without ABA accreditation will have an asterisk where it will not be universally accepted.
     
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  6. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Whoa... at least in the case of law school, I don't think "asterisk" really covers how crippling that absence will be.
     
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  7. chris richardson

    chris richardson Active Member

    Yeah, but law school students and grads should be able to figure out the fine print with an asterisk..lol
     
  8. Garp

    Garp Well-Known Member

    Indeed. APA is not universally required. Though not having it will cut you out of very competitive jobs. On the other hand, in law you are really limited. ABA has a near stranglehold. Without it you are limited to practice in federal courts (bankruptcy, military as a civilian or VA though not the Adjutant General Corp as an officer as it must be ABA, immigration) and a few work-arounds in some states.
     
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  9. Dustin

    Dustin Well-Known Member

    Thanks for clarifying! Without APA for Clinical Psychology you can practice in most states but can't work for the VA and might have difficulty teaching. I had no idea it was so necessary for law.
     
  10. AsianStew

    AsianStew Moderator Staff Member

    Depends on your goals and how you want to use the degree. For academia or research, teaching, then a more recognized AACSB degree is recommended for Business. If you're just looking for personal growth and learning subject matter more closely, then ACBSP is fine. This is for Business, other verticals would have different accreditation options.
     
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  11. LearningAddict

    LearningAddict Well-Known Member

    Psychology licensure and practice is tricky in the United States. In New York, you can't call yourself a Psychologist unless you earn a Doctorate of Psychology and then pass the state licensure exam for Psychologists. On top of that, your Doctorate has to be from a regionally accredited school.
     
  12. TeacherBelgium

    TeacherBelgium Well-Known Member

    Accreditation when available to me is important imho, but I have learned and experienced that it's not a magic bullet towards a thriving career. I learned meanwhile that a degree to most people is just a piece of paper and that it won't open the gates of heaven. I was so stupid to think that a degree could replace work experience and that just showing a fancy degree could get someone in a big buck position. Then I learned that's not how the world works. So now I try to only get degrees and diplomas from cheap but legit places. I now see that there is no merit in paying 100-200k$ for a degree.
     
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  13. chris richardson

    chris richardson Active Member

    Well..a MEDICAL DEGREE can in some places (not all internationally by any stretch).

    Some degrees, full time in seat generally can pay off. But otherwise, you are much more correct now than a few months ago
     
  14. TeacherBelgium

    TeacherBelgium Well-Known Member

    Haha, thanks.

    How is Hauniv going for you?
     
  15. chris richardson

    chris richardson Active Member

    Awesome actually. Just finished up 2 more courses in summer term, 6 more courses to go. I hope to be finished next summer.

    Enjoying the really great people at HAU and while classes are small, we are as students coming together as a cohort and having fun while learning from each othet.
     
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  16. TeacherBelgium

    TeacherBelgium Well-Known Member

    Awesome!
    Best of luck :)
     
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  17. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    You've conflated accreditation with "showing a fancy degree." Accreditation is the bedrock of institutional recognition, the minimum. It doesn't confer "fanciness" or anything else like that.

    I get the desire to project a proletarian image, but sloughing off such a basic requirement as being "fancy," thus implying that it is a luxury, is not accurate.
     
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  18. Rachel83az

    Rachel83az Well-Known Member

    If it's legit, it's going to be accredited in some way. Even titulos propios are accredited in their own way. If you're happy with unaccredited degrees for the sake of knowledge, that's fine. But don't expect other people to be so accepting of an unaccredited degree as you are.
     
  19. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    @TeacherBelgium

    You've swung from one end of the pendulum to the other :emoji_smile: I suspect that you'll eventually find yourself settling somewhere in the middle. Like most of us. :emoji_sunglasses:
     
  20. Dustin

    Dustin Well-Known Member

    I'm reminded of this
     

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