FAQ 5: Students, Parents, Public
Must all schools be accredited? No. Accreditation in the United States is voluntary. It is the prerogative of an institution to seek accreditation from NASAD. However, the United States Secretary of Education requires that institutions as a whole maintain accreditation from a recognized institutional agency in order to be eligible to participate in Title IV funding programs. This connection, in some cases, makes NASAD accreditation a necessity for an independent school of art and/or design.
Beyond these issues, holding accredited status indicates that an institution or program takes a particular approach to academic citizenship. It signifies that:
- objective, external peer review is accepted and welcomed.
- standards, procedures, and guidelines agreed to by peer institutions representing the field as a whole are in place and serving the students enrolled.
- published threshold standards are adhered to in a fashion that provides a continuous base of academic strength and operational integrity.
- there is a long-term commitment to participate with and support other institutions in maintaining and developing the quality of art and design instruction throughout the nation.
For these and other reasons, large numbers of institutions and programs seek, acquire, and maintain NASAD accreditation.
|
