留美選擇學校,最重要的就是要先考慮這個學校是否被認證。
當你念完書想找事做,你的老板會仔細地看你的文憑。畢業於經過認證的學校,這個時候用處就大了,因為許多公司只會考慮聘用經過認證學校的畢業生。
辛苦來美留學,結果念的卻是不被承認的學校,那豈不是太冤枉了。
現在讓我們一起來看看美國學校的評審制度。
美國學校如何評審
在美國由一些非營利機構負責評審學院與大學及其學術專業課程,這些機構則由聯邦教育部定期審核、監督。雖然有些學校不在乎是否通過評審,不過大部分都希望經由相關機構取得認證。
評估一所學校或一項計劃,認證機構通常有下列步驟:
1) 各校事先準備好的自我評估;
2) 認證機構指定小組審查自我評估,拜訪校園,實地探詢,作成報告;
3) 認證機構決定是否通過給予認證。
在認證通過前,某些單位獲得的是「暫時認證」;不過這並不能保證這些單位一定能獲得認證。
六個區域認證機構
美國有六個區域認證機構,它們主要功能在評估教育單位,包括公立和私立大學和學院及其他相關學校. 這六個機構是:
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges
- North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
每一認證機構負責該區各州審核工作。
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
負責地區包括﹕德拉瓦州、哥倫比亞特區、馬里蘭州、新澤西州、紐約州、賓州、美屬波多黎各及維京群島
New England Association of Schools and Colleges
該區機構負責審核高等教育及職業訓練單位,地區包括康乃狄克州、緬因州、麻薩諸塞州、新罕布夏州、羅德島和佛蒙特州。
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
責地區包括﹕亞利桑那州、阿肯色州、科羅拉多州、伊利諾州、印地安那州、愛阿華州、堪薩斯州、密西根州、明尼蘇達州、密蘇里州、內布拉斯加州、新墨西哥州、北達科達州、俄亥俄州、奧克拉荷馬州、南達科達州、西維吉尼亞州、威斯康辛州和懷俄明州。
Southern Association of Schools and Colleges
負責地區包括﹕阿拉巴馬州、佛羅里達州、喬治亞州、肯塔基州、路易斯安那州、密西西比州、北卡羅萊納州、南卡羅萊納州、田納西州、德州和維吉尼亞州。
Northwest Association of Colleges and Schools
負責地區包括﹕阿拉斯加州、愛達荷州、蒙大拿州、內華達州、俄勒岡州、猶他州和華盛頓州。
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
負責地區包括加州、夏威夷州和美屬薩摩群島、馬里亞納群島、關島。
教育單位認證機構:
- Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training (ACCET);
- Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools
(ACICS); Distance Education and Training Council
教育單位認證與計畫認證
除上述六個區域認證機構和教育單位認證機構外,還有一些專業認證機構負責審核學術課程;某些教育單位獲得認證,但不保證該單位所有課程都會獲得認證。當你找學校時,最重要的就是學校和課程都要經過認證才行。下面這些機構可以幫你查明認證情況:
Programs and Professional Accrediting Agencies
|
Program |
Accrediting Agency |
Acupuncture |
National Accreditation Committee for Schools and
Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine |
Allied Health |
Commission
on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs |
Architecture |
National Architectural Accrediting Board |
Art and Design |
National
Association of Schools of Art and Design |
Business |
Association
of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs |
Chiropractic |
The Council
on Chiropractic Education |
Dance |
National Association of Schools
of Dance |
Dentistry |
Commission on Dental Accreditation, American
Dental Association |
Education |
National Council for Accreditation
of Teacher Education |
Engineering |
Accreditation Board for Engineering
and Technology, Inc. |
Environment |
National Environmental Health
Science and Protection Accreditation |
Health Services Administration |
Accrediting Commission on Education for Health Services Administration |
Interior Design |
Foundation for Interior Design Education Research |
Journalism and Mass Communications |
Accrediting Council on Education
in Journalism and Mass Communications |
Law |
American Bar Association |
Marriage and Family Therapy |
American Association for Marriage
and Family Therapy |
Medicine |
Liaison Committee on Medical Education,
Association of American Medical Colleges, American Medical Association |
Music |
National Association of Schools of Music |
Naturopathic Medicine |
Council on Naturopathic Medical Education |
Nurse Anesthesia |
Council
on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthetists Educational Programs |
Nurse
Midwifery |
Division of Accreditation, American College of Nurse-Midwives |
Nursing |
Accreditation Services, National League for Nursing, Inc. |
Occupational Therapy |
Accreditation Department, American Occupational
Therapy Association |
Optometry |
Council on Optometric Education,
American Optometric Association |
Osteopathic Medicine |
Department
of Education, American Osteopathic Association |
Pharmacy |
American
Council on Pharmaceutical Education |
Physical Therapy |
American
Physical Therapy Association |
Podiatric Medicine |
Council on Podiatric
Medical Education, American Podiatric Medical Association |
Psychology |
Program Consultation and Accreditation Office, American Psychological
Association |
Public Health |
Council on Education for Public Health |
Rabbinical and Talmudic Education |
Association of Advanced Rabbinical
and Talmudic Schools |
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology |
Academic
Affairs and Credentialing Division, American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association |
Theater |
National Association of Schools of Theatre |
Theology |
Association of Theological Schools in the United States
and Canada |
Veterinary Medicine |
American Veterinary Medicine Association |
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