The situation with accrediting agencies varies from country to country. In some parts of the world, accreditation is carried out by the government. In the USA, it is performed by private accreditors on a national or regional level. Sometimes the criteria for regional accreditation are more stringent than those required by national agencies.

If you’re going to take an online degree, you’ll expect the best standard of education for your money. And a propective employer may look for accredited qualifications from job applicants.

A school offering accredited courses, whether in traditional or online programs, will have undergone a form of peer review through one of these agencies and will have to meet acceptable levels of quality assurance.

It’s important to recognize the differences between reputable online colleges and those that offer qualifications with little or no academic merit. When you enroll in an online degree program, be sure that the degrees offered are properly accredited and that the accreditation itself is authentic.