In today's labor market understanding the role played by credentials is essential in finding and keeping a good job. The credentials of an education or training provider are extremely important to ensure your education or training needs are met. Employers will evaluate your credentials to ensure you possess the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities for a job or career.

This document is divided into the following sections

The United States has no Federal ministry of education or other centralized authority exercising single national control over postsecondary educational institutions in this country. The States assume varying degrees of control over education, but, in general, institutions of higher education are permitted to operate with considerable independence and autonomy. As a consequence, American educational institutions can vary widely in the character and quality of their programs.

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.

1. Certifying that an institution or program has met established standards;
2. Assisting prospective students in identifying acceptable institutions;
3. Assisting institutions in determining the acceptability of transfer credits;
4. Helping to identify institutions and programs for the investment of public and private funds;
5. Protecting an institution against harmful internal and external pressure;
6. Creating goals for self-improvement of weaker programs and stimulating a general raising of standards among educational institutions;
7. Involving the faculty and staff comprehensively in institutional evaluation and planning;
8. Establishing criteria for professional certification and licensure and for upgrading courses offering such preparation; and
9. Providing one of several considerations used as a basis for determining eligibility for Federal assistance.

1. Standards: The accrediting agency, in collaboration with educational institutions, establishes standards.
2. Self-study: The institution or program seeking accreditation prepares an in-depth self-evaluation study that measures its performance against the standards established by the accrediting agency.
3. On-site Evaluation: A team selected by the accrediting agency visits the institution or program to determine first-hand if the applicant meets the established standards.
4. Publication: Upon being satisfied that the applicant meets its standards, the accrediting agency grants accreditation or preaccreditation status and lists the institution or program in an official publication with other similarly accredited or preaccredited institutions or programs.
5. Reevaluation: The accrediting agency periodically reevaluates each institution or program that it lists to ascertain whether continuation of its accredited or preaccredited status is warranted.

There are two basic types of educational accreditation: one identified as "institutional" and one referred to as "specialized" or "programmatic."

• Institutional accreditation normally 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 associations, 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 commissions. However, certain accrediting agencies also accredit professional schools and other specialized or vocational institutions of higher education that are free-standing in their operations. Thus, a "specialized" or "programmatic" accrediting agency may also function in the capacity of an "institutional" accrediting agency. In addition, a number of specialized accrediting agencies accredit educational programs within non-educational settings, such as hospitals.

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 take additional measures to determine, prior to enrollment, whether or not their educational goals will be met through attendance at a particular institution. These measures should include inquiries to institutions to which transfer might be desired or to prospective employers and, if possible, personal inspection of the institution at which enrollment is contemplated.

The Council on Postsecondary Accreditation (COPA) was established in 1974 through the merger of the Federation of Regional Accrediting Commissions of Higher Education and the National Commission on Accrediting, whose membership was comprised of various specialized and national institutional accrediting agencies. It served as a nongovernmental organization whose purpose was to foster and facilitate the role of accrediting agencies in promoting and ensuring the quality and diversity of American postsecondary education. Through its Committee on Recognition, COPA recognized, coordinated, and periodically reviewed the work of its member accrediting agencies and the appropriateness of existing or proposed accrediting agencies and their activities, through its granting of recognition and performance of other related functions. After COPA voted to dissolve in December 1993, a new entity, the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation (CORPA) was established in January 1994 to carry out the evaluation and recognition of accrediting agencies that was previously carried out by COPA.

For additional information on accrediting agencies see http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/accreditation/natlagencies.html

This information was obtained from the U.S. Department of Education.

Certification is an occupational designation issued by an organization that provides a confirmation of an individual's qualifications in a specified occupation or occupational specialty. Certification is also the process an individual goes through to obtain such an occupational designation. Certification implies an assurance that an individual possesses a specific knowledge or skill level pertaining to an occupation.

The terms certification and licensure are frequently used interchangeably. However, for the purpose of organizing information here, certification differs from licensure in that occupational licenses are usually issued by a government entity to authorize individuals the right to practice an occupation. Certification is not required to practice an occupation except in cases where the occupational licensing requirements include certification as part of those requirements.

Occupational certification can be broadly grouped into two areas: certifications granted by organizations or professional associations (e.g. Certified Purchasing Agents), and industry or product-related certifications (e.g. Novell Certified Engineer).

All certifying organizations set their own standards for certification: a set of requirements that a candidate must meet in order to receive the certification. Certification requirements generally include one or more of the following: education, training, work experience, and examination.

Some organizations issue certification for an unlimited period of time, whereas others are issued for a set time period after which the candidate must meet certain additional requirements in order to be re-certified or renew the certification. Recertification requirements might include one or more of the following: Re-examination, Continuing Education Units (CEUs), Continuing Professional Development (CDP), Re-registration, and Professional practice.

For additional information on certification and certifying agencies, check these sites:

• National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA) whose purpose is to set quality standards for credentialing organizations at http://www.noca.org.
• International Association of Continuing Education and Training (IACET) whose mission is to promote and enhance continuing education and training through research education, and the development and continuous improvement of criteria, principles and standards at http://www.iacet.org.
• Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards (CESB) who accredits engineering and scientific specialty certification programs at http://www.cesb.org.
• GoCertify.com a comprehensive site for information about IT certifications at http://gocertify.com.

Perhaps your career goals include pursuing certification in your chosen occupation because of the desire to increase status, credibility, or marketability in the field. You may already know exactly which certification you are aiming for and why. However, if this is not familiar territory for you, the certification question can be complex. Here are some issues to consider:

• Do employers recognize and accept this certification?
• Do they give hiring preference to certified applicants?
• Do they reward employees who become certified?
• Which employers recognize and accept the certification?

What requirements must be met to obtain/maintain certification?

• Is education/training required?
• Is work experience required?
• Is passing an exam required?
• What fees are required?

What organizations issue certifications in this occupation?

• What kind of organization is it?
• Professional or industrial association, training provider, or private company?
• Who does the organization represent?
• What do other people in your occupation say about the organization?
• If more than one organization issues certifications in an occupation, do employers accept them equally?

Search for Certifications

There are three main types of State occupational regulation. The Council on Licensure, Enforcement, and Regulation (CLEAR), an organization in Lexington, Kentucky, has developed definitions for these different types of occupational regulation, registration, certification, and licensure. However, they note that the different terms are often used interchangeably from State to State or from occupation to occupation. However, to promote standardization and clarity on the topic, CLEAR's definitions are as follows:

• Licensure The most restrictive form of professional and occupational regulation. Often referred to as right-to-practice. Under licensure laws, it is illegal for a person to practice a profession without first meeting State standards.
  
  
• Certification The State grants title (occupational right-to-title) protection to persons meeting predetermined standards. Those without certification may perform the duties of the occupation, but may not use the title.
  
  
• Registration The least restrictive form of occupational regulation, usually taking the form of requiring individuals to file their names, addresses, and qualifications with a government agency before practicing the occupation. This may include posting a bond or filing a fee.

The Council on Licensure, Enforcement, and Regulation is an excellent resource for those wishing to know more about occupational licensing in the United States and Canada. CLEAR was founded in 1980 to bring together officials and agencies involved in the licensing and regulation of occupations to serve as an information clearinghouse by facilitating the exchange of information and ideas, providing education and training, and improving regulatory administrative practices. The Council publishes a document called The Directory of Professional and Occupational Regulation in the United States and Canada. CLEAR has an Internet homepage at the following address: http://www.clearhq.org. They can also be contacted by telephone at 606/231-1890, or by mail at P.O. Box 11910, Iron Works Pike, Lexington KY 40578-1910.

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