7-Step Guide on How to Get Your Course Accredited

Do you want your online course to carry weight? Then, you want to have it accredited by a well-known organization. Accrediting an online course helps you add one more differentiator from your competitors, communicate the value of your course, and establish yourself as an authority. 

Yet, what are the key considerations when it comes to the course accreditation process? How the course accreditation process is like? Let’s walk through 10 essential steps you need to pay attention to regardless of the type of accreditation you are looking for. 

What is online course accreditation? 

Online course accreditation is simply a formal recognition or validation given by an authoritative accreditation body that your course meets specific standards of quality and rigor.

In simple terms, it serves as an additional stamp of approval that reassures learners that your course content is legitimate, well-structured and meets certain standards. 

This process includes evaluating the course content, structure, teaching methods, and assessments to confirm they align with the industry requirements. If your course passes the review, it earns an official accreditation. It shows to students that the course is trustworthy, credible, and offers valuable learning aligned with recognized standards. 

The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), defines accreditation the following way:

“Accreditation is review of the quality of higher education institutions and programs. In the United States, accreditation is a major way that students, families, government officials, and the press know that an institution or program provides a quality education”. 

Accreditation comes with additional perks, which we will discuss below. 

What are the benefits of accreditation, and what does it involve? 

Before we get to the heart of the matter, we should mention that accreditation of online courses is not a must. Planning and launching an online course does not necessarily suggest you have to accredit it as well. But, if you are looking for an extra layer of credibility and recognition for your course, accreditation is something you can pay attention to.

There are a number of reasons why your online course accreditation can prove beneficial. 

• Meeting your learner’s expectations better 

As you already know, your course cannot fit all the learners. And if you are looking to bring your course to the attention of picky learners, accreditation is an excellent way to do so. When weighing their choices on whether or not they should get the course, the learners particularly pay attention to see if you and your course are legit. 

Of course, your testimonials and credentials have a lot to say here. Yet, accreditation is another way to say, “Look, I am not the only one who is sure this course is the solution to your problem. It is approved by such and such experts as well.” 

• 
  Becoming the most “preferred” in your industry  

Next, in some industries, accreditation is not just a nice-to-have thing. Especially if we are talking about healthcare, finance, or education, they place a high value on accredited courses. So, if your courses are intended for professionals and employees in such fields, chances are higher that you will be a go-to option. 

• Making your unique selling point. 

By accrediting your course, you get another chance to position yourself as a trusted authority. This means you can build a personal brand as such, get invited to speak at industry conferences, get diverse opportunities to collaborate with organizations and expand your course creation business. 

That said, gaining course accreditation does not guarantee that one course will be more successful than an unaccredited course. You can still become a trusted and successful professional in your field without accreditation. 

Sarah Cordiner, a qualified course creation specialist, mentions that you can share your knowledge with your audience without going through formal processes like accreditation. And when it comes to legal issues, like being legally registered, she mentions the following. 

“If you are just delivering training that doesn’t come with certification, like you’re not doing university or college certificates, you do not need to be legally registered as an education provider. You are just delivering what is called non-certified personal development training. You can just be an everyday person at home who is just sharing their knowledge online”. 

 

Sarah Cordiner, 

Course creation and tech coach

7 Steps to get your online course accredited

Now, that you are sure whether your course needs accreditation or not, let’s discuss how you can actually prepare for the accreditation process. 

These steps will help you be ready and apply for accreditation:

Step 1: Choose the accreditation body you need

The first thing you need to start is deciding on the accreditation institution. Why? 

All because not all institutions offer the same level of accreditation or the particular type of accreditation necessary. For example, you may want to choose an institution that only focuses on your field of study. What we mean by choosing is considering:

• Is this institution officially recognized and trusted?
• Does this accrediting body have expertise in the field in which I am offering my course?
• What is the gap between their standards and what my course can actually provide?
• What opportunities can their accreditation bring you?
• Will they guide you throughout the whole process?
• What are the fees related to the accreditation process?  

Some of the well-recognized accreditation bodies include 

1. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). CHEA is a national organization that provides accreditation to various higher education institutions and programs across a wide range of fields. 

2. Accreditation Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET). ACCET accredits institutions and programs that offer continuing education and training. It is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and focuses on maintaining high standards in education.

3. Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). CACREP accredits graduate programs in counseling and related fields.

4. National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). NAEYC accredits early childhood education programs and courses.

5. The International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). IACET accredits organizations that offer continuing education and training programs. 

For example,  let’s say you are applying for Distance Education Accreditation Commision. 

As we take a look at their handbook and documentation, each program offered by your institution must consist of at least 51% distance or correspondence education. 

The institution must be legally licensed, authorized, or approved by the relevant state education authority (or its equivalent for institutions outside the U.S.). Additionally, at the time of applying for accreditation, your institution must have been enrolling students in its programs continuously for the past 12 months. You can see more of the requirements presented below. 

Additionally, at the time of applying for accreditation, your institution must have been enrolling students in its programs continuously for the past 12 months. 

So, before you take the next step presented in this guide, check the eligibility criteria for your accreditation institution's website. 

In case you cannot find the information, you can even contact them and ask directly. 

Step 2: Research accreditation requirements 

Each of these organizations and institutions have their own requirements and standards. For example, the standards are related to your course content, methods, assessments, etc. So, if you are looking to get accredited by that particular organization, your course standards should match what they set. 

To do so, let’s visit the website of one of the organizations, CHEA. 

On the website, you can find all the necessary information regarding who are the accreditors and how the accreditation process works. 

Besides that, CHEA offers guidance to help identify quality accreditation and avoid dubious providers. If you are looking to get your course accredited by CHEA, you can check the fundamental information here.

 Most importantly, accreditation institutions do not require you to be an educational establishment to be able to offer licensed courses. 

“You do not have to be an educational establishment to get accreditation for your particular course aimed at a particular industrial sector. However, you need to have certain qualifications so that the association or the governing body in that particular industry sees you have the credibility to have your course assessed”. 

 

Jonathan Denwood, 

Founder of DP Tonic 

Step 3: Compare your course with the requirements 

Now we decided where we want your course to be accredited and how the specific process is like. But before you can apply, we need to check if what you created aligns with their standards.  

Here is how you can do it. 

• Review your course objectives and outcomes 

Why do I need to think about course objectives, you may ask? All this because, for most organizations, your learning objectives are part of the assessment process. So, before you apply for any organization, make sure your course has clear, measurable goals that guide what learners are expected to achieve. 

One of the most essential things is keeping your learning objectives as specific as possible. Start by defining what you want your learners to know or be able to do by the end of the course. For example, if you’re creating a course on marketing, your objectives might include "Analyze and interpret key performance metrics for online campaigns". As you know, the idea of having these objectives is to assess whether learners have met them. 

When setting objectives for the course, especially for courses in the education field, you can stick to the requirements set by your country's governments for school standards. This can act as a reference for you. School programs refer to these guidelines when setting outcomes. 

So, all you have to do is refer to the documentation issued by your country and choose the outcomes related to your course program. 

Also, you can apply the backward design strategy. In an interview with me,  Jessica Terzakis who is a former teacher and coaches hundreds of course creators, shared her best practices on how you can make the outcomes worthy. 

“I think about what I want my students to be able to do by the end of the course. And then I work backward. And that becomes my goalpost. It is my northern star. I work from that. And that's  the piece that you really have to be careful about because you got to think about, am I trying to have them do way too much in this?”

 

Jessica Terzakis,

Course Creator, Curriculum Designer, Business Consultant 

Related: Develop Great Learning Outcomes With 5 Steps

• Create detailed course content 

Another crucial part of accreditation assessment is your course content. Accreditation bodies pay attention not only to the learning outcomes but also to whether they align with your actual course content. 

If you have already designed the modules and sections, try to compare them to the requirements you found on the website of your accreditation body. 

Here, you need to make sure that each module or section addresses a particular objective you set. The practical part of the course is usually what helps your learners achieve the learning outcomes and goals. 

Besides, you can include different content formats if you want to provide the best learning experience possible. They can be videos, visual elements, interactive exercises, quizzes, etc. As long as such activities are useful and practical for the students, you are free to use them. 

Related: Course Design: All you need to know before launching course 

• Prepare instructor credentials 

As we mentioned above, your qualifications are another thing to pay attention to when it comes to accreditation. 

How can we show that you have the necessary experience and background to deliver the course? Of course, by gathering your qualifications. 

If you are not the only instructor of the course, remember to include information about other instructors as well. What we mean by information is your educational background, certifications, and any other credentials that demonstrate your expertise in the subject matter. 

For example, if your course is on digital marketing, you can highlight your years of experience in the industry, any degrees in marketing, and, why not, certifications.

The accreditation organizations provide the specific information you may need to prepare. In some cases, you even need a detailed CV or resume for the instructors. 

After you check the submission form by the accreditation organization you chose, you can see all the necessary fields to fill in related to your xperience. So, that makes the process easy for you. 

• Establish administrative support 

Your course is not only about the content. It is also how you deliver and organize the processes within. And guess what? The experience you provide the students beyond content is also part of the assessment. 

So, before applying for a course accreditation, you should have the administrative processes in check. Will you be the only one handling the course content and administrative tasks, or do you have a team? If you are a team, who is responsible for what roles? For example, you can have course coordinators, technical support staff, student advisors, marketers, etc. 

The idea is that you need a well-organized system in place to support both instructors and students.  Also, think about how you will be handling student inquiries, managing course materials, and tracking student progress. This level of organization shows that your course will be effective and everything will run smoothly. 

Another thing to decide is where and how you will be handling all this. Aka, what will be your main communication channel?  Are you going to be using an all-in-one online course platform, or have different channels and tools? 

Step 4: Conduct a self-assessment 

At this point, we have already considered your course content, learning objectives, and the student experience and curriculum. As you can see, these are essential points regardless of the accreditation organization you choose. 

For now, we need to summarize what we actually have and what we need to have for accreditation. What does it suggest? 

You need to review the accreditation criteria provided by the accrediting body. Try to compare these standards with your course’s content, structure, and delivery. 

During this review process, you can identify any gaps or areas where your course may fall short of the required standards.

However, you do not have to do this alone. You can trust the feedback you receive to ensure the review process is as practical as possible. So, for this case, gather feedback from your team, instructors, and even a small group of learners if possible. Ask them to evaluate the course based on factors like content clarity, engagement, and overall effectiveness. 

Then, you can use these insights to reveal blind spots you might have missed and provide valuable suggestions for improvement. 

Step 5: Gather documentation 

Every institution and body is different when it comes to documentation. However, they mainly include documents such as

• Documents that show your organization’s financial stability. This might include financial statements, budgets, and any other records that prove your ability to sustain the course over time. 
• Some references and recommendations. You will need them to highlight your qualifications, expertise, and the reputation of your organization. So, you can consider letters of recommendation from industry professionals, former students, or partner organizations. 
• Evidence that your organization has been functioning for a minimum required period, as specified by the accrediting body. For example, you can have business licenses, incorporation documents, or records of past educational offerings. 
• Documents that demonstrate the qualifications of the instructors and the quality of your course content. This includes resumes, certifications, and professional licenses for instructors, as well as course syllabi and updated content materials. 

Essentially, this is only the minimum you can be asked to provide if you want your course to get accredited. 

Step 6: Submit application 

As you are now sure you are ready for accreditation, we can finally submit your application. 

Of course, the application guidelines are different for each accreditation body. At this stage, you just have to make sure you have included all required documents and that each section of the application is completed accurately. Also, pay attention to any formatting or delivery requirements of your course accreditation institution. The application process usually starts with how your school meets the requirements of the accreditation agency.

Let’s review the application form by one of the agencies, DEAC. It is one of the most popular choices for distance education. 

The application covers eight main sections. The first section includes general information about your institution, including logistics and contact information. In other steps, you need to fill in information about your institution ownership, your program/course information, institution affirmations, and documentation. 

The application submission will not take you too long, as we have already gathered all the necessary documents and course information. Most of the time the questions require a yers-or-no answer. 

As for the initial application for DEAC accreditation, the application for accreditation is valid for 18 months from the date of acceptance. 

According to their documentation, 

“Institutions must submit a copy of their Self-Evaluation Report and associated Exhibits, applicable Companion documents and associated Exhibits, and the associated non-refundable fee (see DEAC Accreditation Fees document) within 60 days after the application is accepted by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission. If the Commission does not receive the institution’s Self-Evaluation Report within 60 days, the application will automatically expire, and the institution will need to re-apply”.  

Step 7: Prepare for the site visit (if required) 

In the application form, you also provide information on your website. And usually accreditation organizations do require a site visit. You can check this information with your accreditation institution.

If DEAC is your case, they do require a site visit. When submitting the course accreditation application, you tick the necessary boxes that you agree to a site visit. The institution’s owners, governing board members, officials, and administrators agree that:

So, before submitting the application, make sure your website also corresponds to the standards set by your chosen accreditation institution. 

FAQ on online course accreditation 

Above, we discussed the necessary steps to prepare and apply for accreditation. Now, let’s answer some of the most commonly asked questions. 

• 
  How do you get accredited? 

To get your program accredited, first, research the accrediting bodies in your industry or field. These are organizations that evaluate courses and programs to ensure they follow high-quality ractices. Next, review the specific requirements for accreditation. All the accrediting bodies have detailed guidelines about what they expect.

Once your course meets the necessary requirements, fill out an application with the accrediting organization. After you submit your application, the accrediting body will review it. They may ask for additional details or suggest improvements before making a final decision.

• 
  How much does it cost to get your courses accredited? 

As you already guessed, course accreditation does not come for free. 

 The fees usually depend on the number of courses you submit for accreditation, the duration for accreditation, and the specific accreditation body you chose. Also, if you act as an institution, the fees will vary based on the size too. 

To give you an exact number, I selected one of the accreditation bodies named CPD. 

They have a calculator for costs and fees, where you mention the number of courses and the duration for accreditation, and it calcultaes the fees per course. 

In the example below, I selected 3 courses and set the accreditation duration a year. However, turns out you need to select at least 5 courses. 

So, if I decide to accredit five of my courses I shall pay 55 pounds monthly, which is 627 pounds for the whole process and duration. 

If you decide you want to accredit your courses with CPD, check with their costs calculator.   
 

But if you want to know the exact amount for your case, check with your accreditation body. Most of them do not share information on accreditation costs publicly. 

• 
  Can I develop my courses over time? 

If you decide to submit several courses at the same time, institutions usually allow you to work on your other courses as they review your first course. On the CPD TV podcast, the chief operation officer Andy mentions the following:

“If through the deliver of your courses you find that there is a need for an additional subject that you’d be able to sell to these individuals or companies, DO develop the course. Then put it into your accreditation plan, and we will work on the accreditation of that alongside everything else”. 

Andy

Chief Operation Officer at CPD

But again, this does not apply to all the institutions. So, I encourage you check this information with yours. 

• 
  What is the difference between certification and accreditation? 

We use certification and accreditation in similar contexts, but they are not the same. 

The difference is that the endorsement you get with accreditation depends on the independent third-party organization. This can literally be any organization you choose to receive the accreditation from. It is a recognition by them that you meet their standards. 

On the other hand, certification is what you receive from a third-party as an endorsement of your system. 

• 
  How long does the entire accreditation process typically take?

The accreditation of your program can take from a few weeks to even a whole year. 

This, of course, depends on who you choose as your accreditation body. Also, it depends on your course program. For example, with ACAE, which is an accreditation body recognized by CHEA, it takes more than a year, 18 months. 

Whichever organization you prefer, all the information will be presented in their handbooks and documentation presented on official websites. 

• 
  What is the role of the on-site visit in the accreditation process? 

The on-site visit is a key step in the accreditation process. You may know that universities and collages apply for institutional accreditation. In this case, the experts visit the physical space of these institutions. 

In the same way, when you want to get your program accredited, the visit takes places virtually, i.e. on your website. Your website is another way to ensure that you can provide quality learning experience and that everything you described in the documentation and application is true. But remember that the site visit is not always required. 

• 
  What to avoid during the accreditation process?

As we are summing up our guide on online course accreditation, here are some tips to consider before you fill in the application form. 

• If you are required to also submit a self-assessment report, make sure the information you provide is complete and accurate. 
• Make sure you have all the required documents at hand before applying and you are familiar with the accreditation process of that organization. 
• If you want to avoid accreditation issues, align your course content with their standards before you pay. 
• Remember, that accreditation is not just a one-time event. Even after you receive the accreditation, they still can check the processes. 

Design your accredited course with Uteach 

The accreditation process is not quick and easy. It takes not only creative but also administrative work. On top of that, you still need to take care of making your course presentable and market it to the right audience. 

With that being said, an all-in-one online course platform can take most of your administrative burden and help you easily upload and sell your courses. 

With Uteach, you will be able to create your professional branded website in minutes with website-building tools, create courses, programs, award your students with certificates, and much more. Discover more about Uteach features and get your 14-day free trial to experience everything you need first-hand.