There are a variety of for-profit and non-profit membership organizations for accreditation that provide guidance for the evaluation and/or accreditation of learning programs. These vary greatly in their qualification requirements and you should review them carefully based on your goals. Many are listed below. SHS provides a stringent internal review program for its overall program and particularly for its interactive learning platform and completion program. SHS may seek membership via certain organizations that are consistent with its online motivational and achievement goals. Such agencies

​What is Accreditation?
Accreditation is a process through which a program/school maintains and improves its standards and practices. Accrediting organizations develop criteria or standards by which a school can be measured. It is the responsibility of accrediting organizations to audit programs on the basis of quality, accountability, and improvement for those organizations that are accredited by them.

​Why is Accreditation important?
Accreditation is important to various constituent groups because it represents an organization's commitment to quality and control. Being an accredited program/organization assists in representing to those interested that the quality and control criteria set by accreditation agencies are being met. Also, business and industry leaders are interested in the quality of programs and consider accreditation status an important factor. Individuals are assured of accountability and of value for their efforts through the arrangement between program and the accrediting entity via procedure and policy control and compliance with established standards.

What is the purpose of Accreditation?
Accreditation serves the following purposes:

• Source of Improvement: Accreditation provides a source and urge for continuous improvement in the educational practices followed by that institute, due to the periodic evaluation by the agencies.
• Easing Transfer. Accreditation of institutions and programs is important** (although not a guarantee) to students for smooth transfer of programs among colleges and universities.
• Recognition: Accreditation of institutions and/or programs recognizes them as a symbol of high quality in their particular area of focus. Other organizations/agencies openly refer to these entities thus encouraging individuals to first consider accredited organizations.
• Engendering Employer Confidence: Accredited status of an institution or program is important to employers when evaluating credentials of job applicants.

On which basis is Accreditation offered?
There are some non-governmental agencies or boards that establish certain standards which are required to be met by an institution/school in order to get an accredited status. Their core function is to promote high quality distance education by identifying standards that outline best educational practices. These boards or agencies evaluate the institute/school for the following areas:

• Institution's Mission/Vision
• Educational practices
• Administration
• Faculty
• Financial stability
• Policies and student services

Institutions fulfilling the requirements for these areas are then granted accreditation.

 

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How is Accreditation Granted?

 

The accreditation is offered to only those programs that meet the strict standards set by the official and semi-official agencies or boards. These are typically non-governmental agencies which are highly involved and committed to improve the overall standards of online or physical programs. A few of these non-governmental agencies or boards that are performing accreditation services are as following:

• International Accrediting Body of Online Schools (IABOS)
• Universal Council for Online Education Accreditation (UCOEA)
• International Accreditation Agency for Online Universities (IAAOU)
• Board of Online Universities Accreditation (BOUA)
• World Online Education Accrediting Commission (WOEAC)
• Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSACS)
• Accreditation Commission of Biblical Institutes (ACOBI) ****(SHS ACCREDITING AGENCY)****
• Northwest Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities (NASCU)
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC

SHS Standards
Accreditation generally means that a school or program has been evaluated by an independent group, and meets that accrediting agency's standards. As seen, there are many options for accreditation and the process is VOLUNTARY and it is not "required" to operate. Often smaller programs simply cannot afford the cost of such an ongoing review process.

In an effort to keep program cost down and the current motivational based format of SHS has not sought nor been approved by the US DOE, CHEA or DETC organizations and does not represent itself to be an �Accredited� program of any of these organizations. SHS incorporates an internal review or �self-auditing� approach to assure consistent standards that include but are not limited to:

Create impetus for organizational improvement and assist in the general rising of diploma granting standards.

Offer an equal opportunity for anyone to receive evaluation and education program rather than a government mandated and regulated testing.

Recognize good performance of students and advisors and provide motivation to maintain and improve mutual performance.

Improve performance review standards of quality and responsiveness and to increase professionalism

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Provide superior customer service to students whose timely review of life experience and online testing is an important motivator for them engaging our program.

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Please review all program information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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