Such a large selection of educational offerings makes quality a vital issue. Accreditation is the quality assurance that education is meeting minimum standards. In the United States, accreditation is a non-governmental, peer review process that ensures educational quality. Educational institutions or programs volunteer to periodically undergo this review to determine if minimum criteria are being met. Accreditation verifies that an institution or program meets the criteria, ensuring quality educational experience.
Institutional accreditation evaluates overall institutional quality.
Regional accreditation of institutions is one form of this. Specialized accreditation, however, examines specific programs of study to determine if graduates are prepared to enter the profession. This type of accreditation is granted to specific programs at specific levels. Programs of architecture, nursing, law, medicine and engineering are often evaluated through this type of accreditation. Programs either receive accreditation or are denied, but they are not ranked.