The focus in this discussion is on school accreditation. Program accreditation is a different beast of far more narrow interest. School accreditation is essenti

The focus in this discussion is on school accreditation. Program accreditation is a different beast of far more narrow interest. School accreditation is essential; program accreditation is a feature. School accreditation is done by a regional accreditation organization and validates every diploma the school grants. Program accreditation is only available for certain degrees to begin with, and is usually under the authority of a professional group in that area of study. Practically every state university is an accredited institution, even if they offer (i.e.) accounting or engineering programs that are not accredited by a relevant organization.