In order to insure a basic level of quality, the practice of accreditation arose in the United States as a means of conducting non-governmental, peer evaluation of educational institutions and programs. Private educational associations of regional or national scope have adopted criteria reflecting the qualities of a sound educational program and have developed procedures for evaluating institutions or programs to determine whether or not they are operating at basic levels of quality.  There are two basic types of educational accreditation, one referred to as "institutional" and the other referred to as "specialized" or "programmatic."

Institutional accreditationnormally applies to an entire institution, indicating that each of an institution's parts is contributing to the achievement of the institution's objectives, although not necessarily all at the same level of quality. The various commissions of the regional accrediting agencies, for example, perform institutional accreditation, as do many national accrediting agencies.

Specialized or programmatic accreditation normally applies to programs, departments, or schools that are parts of an institution. The accredited unit may be as large as a college or school within a university or as small as a curriculum within a discipline. Most of the specialized or programmatic accrediting agencies review units within an institution of higher education that is accredited by one of the regional accrediting agencies. However, certain accrediting agencies also accredit professional schools and other specialized or vocational institutions of higher education that are freestanding in their operations.

The U.S. Department of Education does not have the authority to accredit private or public elementary or secondary schools, and the Department does not recognize accrediting bodies for the accreditation of private or public elementary and secondary schools. However, the U.S. Department of Education does recognize accrediting bodies for the accreditation of institutions of higher (postsecondary) education.

The Accrediting Agency Evaluation Unit:

The Accrediting Agency Evaluation Unit has been established within the Department of Education to deal with accreditation matters. Located in the Office of Postsecondary Education, the Unit carries out the following major functions with respect to accreditation:

• Conduct a continuous review of standards, policies, procedures, and issues in the area of the Department of Education's interests and responsibilities relative to accreditation;
• Administer the process whereby accrediting agencies and State approval agencies secure initial and renewed recognition by the Secretary of Education;
• Serving as the Department's liaison with accrediting agencies and State approval agencies;
• Providing consultative services to institutions, associations, state agencies, other federal agencies, and Congress regarding accreditation;
• Interpreting and disseminating policy relative to accreditation issues in the case of all appropriate programs administered by the Department of Education;
• Conducting and stimulating appropriate research; and
• Providing support for the Secretary's National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity.

National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity

The Committee advises the Secretary of Education on matters related to postsecondary (or higher education) accreditation and the eligibility and certification process for higher education institutions to participate in the Federal student aid programs. Its primary function is to provide recommendations to the Secretary concerning whether accrediting entities’ standards are sufficiently rigorous and effective in their application to ensure that the entity is a reliable authority regarding the quality of the education or training provided by the institutions or programs it accredits.

The Association to Advanced Collegiate Schools of Business

The Association to Advanced Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International was established in the year 1916 and started its accreditation function in 1919. This accreditation body in the US provides a thorough review process for evaluating quality business management schools worldwide. AACSB international accreditation not only ensures that the intuitions have achieved quality but have a system in place for constant progress of their educational offerings. In 2003, AACSB members approved a set of revised standards pertinent to all business programs worldwide and which promote excellence in management education globally.

Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools

The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) is a non-profit education corporation recognized by the United States Secretary of Education and Council for Higher Education Accreditation as an independent and autonomous national accrediting body that accredits institutions of higher education offering programs of study through the master's degree level. ACICS is incorporated in Virginia and operates from offices in Washington, D.C. The scope of ACICS recognition by the Secretary is defined as accreditation of private post secondary institutions offering programs that are designed to train and educate persons for careers or professions where business applications or doctrines, supervisory or management techniques, professional or paraprofessional applications, and other business-related applications support or constitute the career.

The Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs.

The Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) is a specialized accreditation association for business education supporting and rewarding excellence in teaching. ACBSP was set up in 1988 in Overland Park, Kansas, and in August, 1992, it was acknowledged as a specialized accreditation agency for business education by the U.S. Department of Education. This accreditation body recognizes the significance of scholarly research and investigation and considers that such activities aid in improved teaching. Institutions affiliated to ACBSP are encouraged to practice a logical mutually beneficial balance between research and teaching. In addition ACBSP supports faculty involvement in the modern business world to augment the quality of classroom instruction. ACBSP aims to expand, promotes, and recognizes best practices that contribute to continuous improvement of business education and accredits qualified business programs.

Accreditation does not provide automatic acceptance by an institution of credit earned at another institution, nor does it give assurance of acceptance of graduates by employers. Acceptance of students or graduates is always the prerogative of the receiving institution or employer. For these reasons, besides ascertaining the accredited status of a school or program, students should inquire about whether their educational goals will be met through attendance at a particular institution prior to enrollment or what courses will satisfy professional licensure requirements early in their college career.

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