Accreditation is the process of determining whether a particular program or course meets the minimum requirements and standards set forth by the US Department of Education. In the case of online education, accreditation is carried out by a number of independent, non-profit bodies including the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), Accreditation Commission of Career Schools & Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT), and Accreditation Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). In order to become accredited, a school or college is evaluated by one of the above agencies in different areas such as the quality of education provided, the syllabus of different courses and the availability of various resources to students. A list of nationally accredited online colleges is regularly published and available through a variety of sources, such as the Department of Education’s ‘College Navigator’, The Council on Higher Education Accreditation and the International Handbook of Universities. The DoE website also contains a list of approved accreditation bodies so you can ensure if a college is properly accredited by a recognized authority.