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Accreditation Facts State licensing and degree recognition, from the record

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How to Verify Online Degree Recognition: Primary Sources for Accreditation, Licensing, and Transfer

What to document during verification

Keep a record of the source, date accessed, institution name, program name, degree level, and any exact language that controls the decision. For licensing and transfer, preserve copies of transcript-review instructions, course descriptions, program requirements, and correspondence from the board or receiving institution.

The strongest verification file contains:

  • A Department of Education accreditation record

  • The accreditor’s current institution-status listing

  • Programmatic-accreditation evidence when the field requires it

  • Official transcript or degree-conferral documentation

  • The receiving body’s published policy

  • Any written determination from a licensing board, employer, evaluator, or receiving institution

Recognition decisions become clearer when each authority is used for the decision it actually controls. Accreditation status is verified through federal and accreditor sources. Licensing is verified through the licensing jurisdiction. Transfer is verified through the receiving institution. Employment, benefits, and international use are verified through the agency, evaluator, or organization that applies the requirement.

Sources

  1. U.S. Department of Education, Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs, ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home

  2. Higher Learning Commission, hlcommission.org

  3. Higher Learning Commission, University of Phoenix institutional record, hlcommission.org/institution/1949/

  4. College Scorecard, collegescorecard.ed.gov

  5. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, General Schedule Qualification Standards, opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/

  6. National Association of State Boards of Accountancy, nasba.org

  7. Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, asppb.net

  8. APA Commission on Accreditation, accredited programs, accreditation.apa.org

  9. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, caepnet.org

  10. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, GI Bill® and education benefits, benefits.va.gov/gibill

  11. World Education Services, credential evaluations, wes.org/credential-evaluations/

  12. University of Phoenix accreditation disclosure, phoenix.edu/about/accreditation.html