How can I be sure that an online university is credible, and that the degrees they offer are legitimate?
Unfortunately, some online universities are little more than “diploma mills,” meaning they will send you a degree for a payment, with little or no academic studying required. These online universities are not recognized by official accrediting organizations. A degree from one of these universities is not generally accepted in the job market. Furthermore, you will do serious damage to your career and may even face criminal fraud charges if you use a “diploma mill” degree to obtain a job or promotion for which you do not have the right credentials or education (to learn how to recognize and avoid diploma mills and fake degrees, read our segment). It is important to seek out an online university that has been accredited either by a nationally-recognized accrediting agency, or by a regional institutional accrediting agency that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The Secretary of Education publishes a list of organizations that are regarded as reliable authorities on the qua
