What is the difference between regional accreditation and specialized accreditation?
Organizations which accredit entire institutions are called institutional accrediting organizations. Those which evaluate free-standing professional or occupational schools or are limited to specific programs within an institution of higher education are called specialized accrediting organizations. The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities is one of six regional institutional accrediting associations in the United States, each responsible for a specific geographic area. These six associations are comprised of seven commissions serving higher education institutions. They examine all educational programs at an institution as well as student services, library and information resources, finances, and governance and administration.
