Frequently Asked Questions Concerning Accreditation

1. What is accreditation?

Accreditation is a system of voluntary self-assessment and external review of educational institutions and of professional programs offered by those institutions.
Accreditation provides an assurance of quality to students, parents, and the public.
In the accrediting process, performance of educational units is measured against national standards.

2. How many accredited programs exist?

ACEJMC currently accredits 111 professional programs in 40 states and the District of Columbia, and one program in Chile.
About 400 colleges and universities offer formal programs in journalism and mass communications, and about 1,000 institutions offer some training in these fields.

3. Which school is the best?

ACEJMC does not rank programs or compare them with one another. Accreditation by ACEJMC is a measure of the program's compliance with basic standards and of how well the program achieves its stated mission.
The best school for you is the one that offers the most appropriate combination of curriculum, size, location, cost and other factors.
IMPORTANT: The overall quality of the university is at least as important as the quality of the journalism/mass communications program.

4. Are accredited schools better than non-accredited schools?

Not necessarily. Accreditation is entirely voluntary, and many fine schools do not choose to seek it. However, accredited programs may offer scholarships, internships, competitive prizes and other activities not available in non-accredited programs.

5. How can I find out which schools offer programs in my field of interest (for example, public relations)?

The list of ACEJMC's accredited programs shows the degrees awarded by each program, but it is important to remember that degree designations alone may not clarify the program's course offerings (for example, a unit may offer public relations courses even though it does not award a specific "B.S.-Public Relations" degree).
The best course is to contact the program directly.

6. I'm interested in a particular school, but it's not on the list of accredited programs. What's wrong?

It would be improper to conclude that something is "wrong" simply because a school is not listed here. See question 4.